I strongly agree with the Orlando Sentinel's March 28, 2025 endorsement of school teacher Josh Weil for Congress. His District includes the southern parts of St. Johns County, including St. Augustine Beach and St. Augustine Shores. From the Orlando Sentinel:
Endorsement: For Congressional District 6, Josh Weil has the right answers
For a long time, the race to replace former U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz looked like a lock — albeit one that gave many voters heartburn. Randy Fine, a Brevard Republican who wants to hop to Washington from a state Senate district he just won, is a well-known quantity, running with enthusiastic support from Donald Trump. Congressional District 6 sprawls over six counties including Mount Dora and Eustis in northern Lake County, as well as parts of Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and Marion counties. And it’s one of Florida’s reddest. Waltz won re-election with a plump 33-point margin just a few months ago; any Republican with a pulse should have been able to take it in a walk.
But things aren’t quite running according to script. Democrat Josh Weil, an Osceola County teacher who lives in Orlando (like Fine, outside the district) has demonstrated an uncanny lock on the issues that seem to matter most to District 6 voters, including well-founded fears that the Trump administration plans to swing a wrecking ball at Social Security, Medicare and (of particular interest to the residents of this district’s 55 miles of densely populated coastline) the nation’s hurricane prediction and disaster recovery system.
These voters are right to be worried: Many of Trump’s actions suggest that he intends to do more than destabilize these massive programs that were once (and by “once” we mean “last year”) considered to be untouchable. They fear the first few months of Trump’s administration are just a preview of the chaos to come, and that’s touching off a wave of panic that the internet has labeled with an apt meme: “When I voted for those leopards, I never thought they would eat MY face.”
But voters’ remorse alone can’t explain the extraordinary response to Weil thus far, which is manifesting through turnout among Democratic voters along with record-breaking contribution numbers. It doesn’t explain why he’s making Democratic insiders nervous, too. On the campaign trail, Weil has appealed to independent voters as well as Republicans by openly revealing his impatience with a Democratic Party he believes is overlooking the issues most Americans worry most about, including a need to rebuild the economy to empower healthy capitalism while confronting the growing threat of accelerating climate change.
And voters have responded to that with a hailstorm of small-dollar contributions that are pouring in from across the country. For the most part, these are not calculated, big-money contributions; instead, they are small checks that seem to be coming from people who wish they could vote for Weil themselves. Instead, they are sending electronic contributions of $10 and $25 checks.
Their small sacrifices have given Weil a thundering fundraising lead: nearly $10 million and counting, to Fine’s roughly $1 million (various sources report different figures) more than half of which appears to be his own money. CBS News and other outlets reported earlier this week that the GOP leaders have finally noticed the fundraising gap and are in blind panic mode, begging big-money donors and independent PACs to dump buckets of cash on this race and a similar battle in the Panhandle for the seat vacated by Matt Gaetz.
They’re responding, but it may be too late, no matter how ugly they go.
And they — along with Fine — are going ugly indeed. This is one area in which Fine excels; throughout his legislative service (which started with a 2016 election to state House), Fine became known for a uniquely vindictive style that manifested in legislation attacking Walt Disney World; the Special Olympics; his own local school board members and the children in Brevard County schools along with other districts and more. In 2019, Fine raised the possibility of shutting down UCF over a funding-diversion debate. When the Brevard Zoo decided to stop allowing political events, Fine pulled a $2 million appropriation. And his threats over COVID era restrictions were numerous and vague enough to be scary He’s’s even feuded with Gov. Ron DeSantis.
As a result, Fine went into this election with fewer friends than enemies. He can’t afford to alienate Trump by criticizing the initiatives that are making voters so nervous right now.
His response to that is vintage Fine. Instead of defending the values he must embrace, he’s going after Weil with blasts of targeted bigotry. Over the past few weeks, Fine has posted multiple social-media videos making fun of Weil’s sexual orientation and referring to him as “Jihadist Josh.” Both points appear to be a reaction to a TikTok video Weil posted years ago. In response, Weil’s campaign offers the following statement: “Like a lot of Americans, I’ve wrestled with my faith over the course of my life. I’ve centered my life around my two boys and my values of kindness and public service. It’s disgusting that Randy Fine is attacking me in this way.”
But here’s what Fine is not addressing: How he would vote on many of the issues where Congress will be called on to serve as a roadblock to the barrage of bad ideas flowing from the Oval Office. So where Weil has been transparent and comprehensive, Fine is mostly ignoring those questions.
That’s resulted another set of startling statistics. Early voting turnout and returns show Democrats participating so enthusiastically that we had a tough time believing the numbers the first time we tallied them. Across the district, as of Tuesday, Democratic turnout was within easy striking distance of GOP voter participation in early voting and mail-ballot return — and that’s before considering the ballots of voters who aren’t affiliated with members of either big party. Of course, early turnout is no predictor of the final outcome.But remember: Waltz won this same district by 33 points, just a few months ago. And then remember something else: Any significant turnout among non-partisan voters usually favors a switch in control.
All voters in Congressional District 6 should feel empowered right now. And they should use that power to look at both candidates in this race, and ask themselves: Who is talking about the issues they really care about? Who has spent months knocking on doors, listening to their concerns and sometimes incorporating them? Whom do they trust to put the hard work of representing this district well over the impulse toward stunts and vindictive behavior?
A close look should guide them toward the realization: Weil is right when he says voters can do better than Fine.
The Orlando Sentinel endorses Josh Weil for Congressional District 6.
Consult your supervisor of elections office for early voting hours and locations. Election Day is April 1; mail ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. that day.
We urge voters to not rely solely on our opinions in deciding how to cast a vote. Voters should check the candidates’ campaign websites and social media accounts (if they don’t have either, that should be a red flag). Ask friends and neighbors what they think. Google the candidates and check out their campaign finances. In
Election endorsements are the opinion of the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, which consists of Executive Editor Roger Simmons, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Insight Editor Jay Reddick. Send emails to insight@orlandosentinel.com.
1 comment:
Wow a Democratic party newspaper in a blue city endorses a Democrat. That's really something. Who would have seen that coming. Wiel is just another guy in a suit too. These Florida politicians aren't that different only claim one party or the other... not a huge difference which party they sign up with. All of them play off people's dislike for the other party in a country where we only have two whole parties. Meanwhile they all belong to the capitalist business party.
Post a Comment