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  • 8/12/2019 Republican Jolly Wins Fla

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    Democrats lose the race DemocratsCouldn't Afford to Lose...

    Or did they?

    Republican Jolly wins Fla. congressional race,but...

    he has lobbied and donated $30,000 to keepDemocrats in office...so what is this guy? Thinkabout it...2014 Florida 13 th District Special Election Results

    Last Updated 3/11/14 11:58 PM ET

    State Results:

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    District Results

    District Candidate Party % ofVoteVote

    Count

    13 th District 100.0%Reporting

    Winner D.Jolly GOP 48.5% 89,095

    A. Sink Dem 46.6% 85,639L. Overby Lib 4.8% 8,893

    Mar 11, 9:08 PM (ET)

    By MICHAEL J. MISHAK and TAMARA LUSHCLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. (AP) - RepublicanDavid Jolly defeated Democrat Alex Sink on Tuesday in a Tampa-areaHouse district where President Barack Obama's health care overhaul gotits first test ahead of November's midterm elections and both sides spentmillions auditioning national strategies.

    With almost 100 percent of the vote counted, Jolly had 48.5 percent of thevote to Sink's 46.7 percent. Libertarian Lucas Overby had 4.8 percent. Theelection was to replace 42-year Republican Rep. CW Bill Young, who died

    in October of cancer, and the evenly divided district had been considered atoss-up.

    The implications of the dueling messages for the midterm elections inspiredboth parties to call in star advocates like former President Bill Clinton andformer vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, in addition to blanketing thedistrict with ads, calls and mailings. More than $11 million has been spenton the race, according to the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit group thattracks government information.

    Jolly's election night headquarters in Clearwater Beach erupted into loudcheers as it became clear he was the winner. In his victory speech, Jollysimultaneously struck a conciliatory tone and expressed gratitude for hismentor, Young, and Young's family. Jolly was introduced by former "Priceis Right" game show host Bob Barker, via video. Young's two adult sons

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    were also onstage with Jolly, and he embraced them at the end of hisspeech.

    Jolly didn't mention the issue that dominated much of the campaign - thepresident's health care package - and instead said that Pinellas Countymust work together.

    "This race is not about defending a broken agenda in Washington oradvancing a broken agenda in Washington. This race is about serving thepeople in our own community," he said. "Let's dispense with the rancor andvitriol of the last five months."

    Jolly thanked Sink and Overby and said it was "OK" that tens of thousandsof others voted for his opponents.

    "While this campaign at times seemed to be partisan, your nextcongressman is not partisan," he said.

    In St. Petersburg, Sink's party was subdued. Backed by her adult children,Sink began her concession speech by thanking her campaign team and thethousands of volunteers who helped her congressional bid. She spoke to acouple hundred stoic supporters in a half-empty ballroom at a lakesideHilton in St. Petersburg.

    "We know that life brings many challenges. It brings many opportunities.My values have always been to do good for my family and for mycommunity," she said.

    "We don't know what the future holds," she said, "but I'll do what I'vealways done and continue to serve my community.

    "Although we're disappointed, the bars are open," she said.

    With that, Sink left the ballroom.

    As Jolly and Sink shook hands with voters around the district Tuesday,steady streams of people filed into retirement communities, churches andlibraries to cast ballots. As of Monday, 27 percent of registered voters hadcast ballots through absentee or early voting, with Election Day turnoutincreasing throughout the afternoon.

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    The battle for Florida's 13th District seat was a prequel of sorts to thenational fight this year over who controls Congress in the last two years ofObama's final presidential term. The House is expected to remain underRepublican control. But in the Senate, Republicans are hoping to leverage

    Obama's unpopularity and his health care law's wobbly start to gain the sixseats required to control the 100-member chamber.

    That made the race in Florida a pricey proving ground for both partiesheading into November elections.

    Jolly, a former Young aide backed by Republicans and outside groups,campaigned on repealing the health care law, saying in one ad that Sinkwould undermine Medicare because of Democratic-passed cuts toprograms under "Obamacare."

    The message is a rallying cry for Republican voters.

    "No more big government. We've got to stop," said Irene Wilcox, a 78-year-old retired waitress and Republican from Largo who voted for Jolly.

    Others described Sink as a clone of Obama and House Democratic LeaderNancy Pelosi, a key argument of Jolly and national Republicans.

    "As bad as Bush may have been, he was a saint compared to the guy wehave in Washington," said Rich Castellani, a retired treasury agent whosupported Jolly.

    Meanwhile, Sink, Florida's former chief financial officer and the Democraticnominee for governor in 2010, painted Jolly as an extremist who wants to"take us back" to when people were denied coverage due to existingconditions. She pledged to "to keep what's right and fix what's wrong" in thehealth care law.

    That argument resonated with some voters.

    "While I know it's not perfect, it's may be the beginning of where we canprovide adequate health care to everyone, not just the wealthy," said FriedaWidera, a 51-year-old Democrat from Largo who backed Sink.

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    Others compared the botched rollout to the beginnings of populargovernment programs like Social Security and Medicare.

    In an attempt to deflect criticism over the law, Sink and Democrats paintedJolly as a Washington lobbyist who backs efforts to privatize SocialSecurity and gut Medicare. The attack put Jolly on the defensive in recentweeks, and some voters cited concern about GOP cuts to programs for theelderly. More than one in four registered voters in the district is older than65.

    "The Republican Party thinks they are hurting President Obama," saidGeorge Nassif, an 82-year-old Republican who voted for Sink. "They arenot. They are hurting the people."

    Many voters expressed disgust at the amount of money spent on the race -and the relentless barrage of television ads and mailers that were on parwith a presidential election.

    "I stopped watching television because the ads were driving me crazy,"said William McConnell, a 72-year-old forensic accountant and lifelongRepublican. "It was packed with lies on both sides." He cast his ballot forOverby as a protest vote.

    In a sign that the GOP was concerned about losing votes to the Libertariancandidate, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul recorded a phonemessage for Jolly last week aimed at Overby's supporters.

    Both major political parties made a last-minute drive for voters over the lastweek.

    Clinton recorded a phone call last week seeking local volunteers to helpwith Sink's campaign, and a half dozen House Democrats emailedfundraising appeals to their own supporters on her behalf. More than a third

    of Jolly's campaign contributions came from members of Congress.Meanwhile, Ryan joined Jolly on a conference call with voters.

    While Republicans held the congressional seat for four decades untilYoung's death last year, the district's voters favored Obama in the 2008

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    and 2012 presidential elections. The district is 37 percent Republican, 35percent Democrat and 24 percent independent.

    Sink outspent Jolly by more than 3 to 1 on television advertising, thoughoutside groups aligned with the GOP helped narrow the overall Democraticadvantage.

    David Jolly

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDavid Jolly

    Member-e lect of the U.S. House ofRepresentatives from

    Florida's 13th districtTaking office

    TBDSucceeding Bill Young

    Personal details

    BornOctober 31, 1972(age 41)Dunedin , Florida , U.S.

    Political party RepublicanSpouse(s) Carrie (div.)

    Alma materEmory University George MasonUniversity

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:David_Jolly_Picture,_Republican_nominee.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representativeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representativeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:David_Jolly_Picture,_Republican_nominee.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida%27s_13th_congressional_districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Younghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunedin,_Floridahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floridahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_materhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emory_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_University_School_of_Lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_University_School_of_Lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_materhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_University_School_of_Lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_University_School_of_Lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emory_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_materhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floridahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunedin,_Floridahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Younghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida%27s_13th_congressional_districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representativeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representativeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:David_Jolly_Picture,_Republican_nominee.jpg
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    David Jolly (born October 31, 1972) is an American attorney and formergeneral counsel to Congressman Bill Young .[1] He won the race for Young'sseat as the Republican Party candidate in Florida's 13th congressionaldistrict special election, 2014 against Democrat Alex Sink .

    Contents

    1 Early life, education and career 2 Political positions 3 Special election campaign (2014)

    o 3.1 Electoral history 4 References 5 External links

    Early life, education and career

    Jolly was born in Dunedin, Florida .[2] He received his Bachelor of Arts inhistory from Emory University and a juris doctorate from the George MasonUniversity School of Law. He worked for Congressman Young as anadvisor and General Counsel until 2007 when he began working as alobbyist for Van Scoyoc Associates in Washington, D.C. He started his ownlobbying firm, Three Bridges Advisors, in 2011 and contributed politicaldonations to both Republicans and Democrats during his time as alobbyist. [3][4]

    Jolly lives in Indian Shores, Florida .[2]

    Jolly had an amicable divorce from Carrie, his wife of 15 years, on January16, 2014. [5]

    Political positions

    Jolly is against Obamacare and says he has goals of lowering taxes and

    cutting spending. He believes Israel is one of the premier allies of theUnited States and has a goal of not cutting the United States commitmentto the military and to its allies. He is pro-life, says that he "support[s] theconstitutional right to keep and bear arms ," and opposes amnesty for illegalimmigrants. He supports the Balanced Budget Amendment ,[6] and wouldhave voted to raise the debt limit in early 2014. [7] He opposes same-sex

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Younghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Jolly-1http://tbo.com/pinellas-county/polls-close-in-contentious-congressional-race-20140311/http://tbo.com/pinellas-county/polls-close-in-contentious-congressional-race-20140311/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida%27s_13th_congressional_district_special_election,_2014http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida%27s_13th_congressional_district_special_election,_2014http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Sinkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Early_life.2C_education_and_careerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Early_life.2C_education_and_careerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Political_positionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Political_positionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Special_election_campaign_.282014.29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Electoral_historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Electoral_historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunedin,_Floridahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-meet-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Artshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emory_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juris_doctoratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying_in_the_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Shores,_Floridahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-meet-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-meet-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obamacarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-lifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_keep_and_bear_arms_in_the_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_Budget_Amendmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-friends-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-friends-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_Budget_Amendmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_keep_and_bear_arms_in_the_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-lifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obamacarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-meet-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-meet-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Shores,_Floridahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying_in_the_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juris_doctoratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emory_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Artshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-meet-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunedin,_Floridahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Electoral_historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Special_election_campaign_.282014.29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Political_positionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#Early_life.2C_education_and_careerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Sinkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida%27s_13th_congressional_district_special_election,_2014http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida%27s_13th_congressional_district_special_election,_2014http://tbo.com/pinellas-county/polls-close-in-contentious-congressional-race-20140311/http://tbo.com/pinellas-county/polls-close-in-contentious-congressional-race-20140311/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Jolly-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Younghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
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    marriage , but believes that legalizing same-sex marriage should be left forthe states to decide.

    Special election campaign (2014)

    On January 14, 2014, Jolly won the Republican nomination over MarkBircher and Kathleen Peters .[8]

    After Jolly won the Republican nomination, the National RepublicanCongressional Committee spent nearly $500,000 on advertising on hisbehalf. [9] Nevertheless, there was friction between the national committeeand Jolly, who criticized the advertising. [9] Jolly downplayed the differences,stating that he and the Republican Party stood for the same things. [9]

    Electoral history

    Republican primary results [8] Party Candidate Votes %

    Republican David Jolly 20,435 45% Republican Kathleen Peters 14,172 31%Republican Mark Bircher 11,203 24%

    Totals 45,810 100%

    Florida's 13th Congressional District special election, 2014[10]

    Party Candidate Votes %Republican David Jolly 89,095 48.52% Democratic Alex Sink 85,639 46.64%Libertarian Lucas Overby 8,893 4.84%

    Totals 183,927 100%

    References

    1. up ^Jump "Rick Baker won't run for Young's seat, but David Jollywill". Tampa Bay Times . November 2, 2013. Retrieved Novem2013.

    ber 2,

    ^ Jum2. p up to: a b David Jolly for Congress website

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bircherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bircherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Petershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-AP-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-AP-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Republican_Congressional_Committeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Republican_Congressional_Committeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Isenstadt-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Isenstadt-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Isenstadt-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Isenstadt-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-AP-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Petershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bircherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Sinkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_ref-Jolly_1-0http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/rick-baker-wont-run-for-youngs-seat-but-david-jolly-will/2150510http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/rick-baker-wont-run-for-youngs-seat-but-david-jolly-will/2150510http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/rick-baker-wont-run-for-youngs-seat-but-david-jolly-will/2150510http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/rick-baker-wont-run-for-youngs-seat-but-david-jolly-will/2150510http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_ref-meet_2-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_ref-meet_2-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_ref-meet_2-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_ref-meet_2-0http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/rick-baker-wont-run-for-youngs-seat-but-david-jolly-will/2150510http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/rick-baker-wont-run-for-youngs-seat-but-david-jolly-will/2150510http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_ref-Jolly_1-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Sinkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bircherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Petershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-AP-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Isenstadt-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Isenstadt-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Isenstadt-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-Isenstadt-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Republican_Congressional_Committeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Republican_Congressional_Committeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-AP-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jolly#cite_note-AP-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Petershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bircherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Bircherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage
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    3. up ^Jump "David Jolly gave 'almost $30,000 to keep Democrats inCongress' as a lobbyist, Kathleen Peters says" . PolitiFact . TamBay Times. December 27, 2013.

    pa

    Jump4. up ^ Tau, Byron (November 15, 2013). "GOP candidates

    Democratic giving past" . Politico .5. up ^Jump Krueger, Curtis (January 9, 2014). "Congressionalcandidate David Jolly's girlfriend once named one of Washington'smost beautiful people" . Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved March 9, 2014.

    6. up ^Jump Issues Friends of David Jolly website7. up ^Jump Smith, Adam C. (March 3, 2014). "David Jolly campaigns

    as a C.W. Bill Young Republican, but which one?" . Tampa BayTimes . Retrieved March 9, 2014.

    8. p up to: a ^ Jum b "Florida - Summary Vote Results: U.S. House -District 13 - GOP Primary" . Associated Press. Retrieved January 142014.

    ,

    ^ Jum9. p up to: a b c Isenstadt, Alex (March 7, 2014). "National GOPturns on Florida candidate" . Politico . Retrieved 2014-03-10.

    10. Jump up ^ http://www.politico.com/2013-election/results/house/florida/

    External links

    The Truth-O-Meter Says:

    "Since 2007 David Jolly has given almost $30,000 to keep Democratsin Congress!"

    Kathleen Peters on Friday, December 13th, 2013 in a mailing to 13th

    Congressional District voters

    David Jolly gave 'almost $30,000 to keep Democrats in Congress' asa lobbyist, Kathleen Peters says

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    Share this story:Republican 13th Congressional District candidate David Jollys past as aWashington lobbyist was always a sure bet to be a bone of contention forrivals in the campaign for the late C.W. Bill Youngs open seat. KathleenPeters is more than happy to oblige.

    In a mailer sent to voters , Peters campaign declares, "Since 2007, DavidJolly has given almost $30,000 to keep Democrats in Congress!" It thenadds "(But not a dime to Congressman Bill Young)" before launching into anumber of bullet points about how Jolly has supported his rival party.

    Lobbyists typically work both sides of the aisle in Congress depending onwho can help their causes the most. We wanted to know if the mailer wastelling the full story. Time to dig into the public record.

    Mr. Jolly goes to Washington

    The mailer doesnt say it, but Dunedin native David Jolly worked for Youngfor several years. Jolly has played up his connection to Young, for whomhe worked full time from 1995 to 2006. Jolly held various positions, with abrief break in 2001 when he took six months off to work at a Washingtonsecurities firm. In 2002, Young named Jolly his general counsel, a positionJolly held through 2006.

    In 2007, Jolly began work as a lobbyist with Washington firm Van ScoyocAssociates. Eventually, he opened his own firm, Three Bridges Advisors.Jolly officially took his name off the Lobby Registry in order to run for thevacant House seat.

    Peters has spent a lot of time making hay over Jollys past as a lobbyist,illustrating why it is so difficult for a lobbyist to run for office (leaving officeto become a lobbyist is nowhere near as difficult -- or as uncommon).

    Her mailer says, "In the past three election cycles, Washington LobbyistDavid Jolly has made nearly $30,000 in personal contributions to the

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    campaigns of Democrats in Congress -- liberals who have forcedObamacare on America and have fought responsible Republican policies."

    The flier then lists 13 "Jolly Good" Democratic senators andrepresentatives to whom Jolly has given campaign contributions. Amongthe bakers dozen are Floridas own Sen. Bill Nelson (who received $4,500in direct contributions and through his PAC, Moving America Forward),Rep. Kathy Castor ($3,600) and former Rep. Allen Boyd ($7,500). Boyd,who was defeated for re-election by Republican Steve Southerland in 2010,is now a lobbyist for the Twenty-First Century Group.

    The list also includes other Democrats from around the nation, includingIllinois Sen. Dick Durbin ($1,000), late Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye ($1,000),Maine Rep. Mike Michaud ($2,250) and former Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson

    Jr. ($2,300), who was sentenced in August to 30 months in prison for wireand mail fraud for using campaign contributions for personal expenses.

    The total listed on the mailing was $28,622, a number PolitiFact Floridaconfirmed through Federal Elections Commission filings from 2007 to 2013.

    What the mailer doesnt mention is that Jolly also gave thousands toRepublicans. Some noteworthy recipients include Rep. Gus Bilirakis($9,350), Rep. Dennis Ross ($4,104), Rep. Richard Nugent ($4,629),Arizona Sen. John McCains presidential campaign ($2,300) and formerFlorida Sen. Mel Martinez ($1,500). Jolly also gave then-Republican Gov.Charlie Crist $500 during his failed Senate bid.

    In all, Jolly the lobbyist gave more than $34,000 to Republican politicians,candidates and organizations over the past six years.

    Jolly has maintained that paying both Democrats and Republicans is thecost of doing business as a lobbyist. "My giving has always followed mypersonal relationships," he told PolitiFact Florida. He said in the case of

    Democrats, the contributions were for candidates and Congress membersin races that werent close and had defense and national security prioritiesthat matched his own.

    Its been noted in coverage of the 13th Congressional District race as wellas the mailing in question that Jolly hadnt given any money to Young,which Jolly confirms is true. But it wasnt for a lack of trying, he said.

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    "I actually gave him money, and he did not accept it," Jolly added,repeating a favored anecdote about Young literally tearing up the check.He said he often worked to get money for Young by organizing hostcommittees for fundraisers.

    Our ruling

    Peters mailer said Jolly "has given almost $30,000 to keep Democrats inCongress" in the form of campaign contributions.

    The total on the flier, which we confirmed and Jolly did not dispute, is$28,622. That sounds like almost $30,000 to us. But Jolly has given evenmore to Republicans, and he was a staff member to Young for severalyears.

    The statement is accurate but needs clarification. We rate this statementMostly True.

    GOP candidates Democratic giving past

    David Jolly has given thousands to Democratic stalwarts in Congress. |Reuters

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    By BYRON TAU | 11/15/13 12:45 PM EST Updated: 11/15/13 3:03PM EST

    Many congressional candidates say on the stump that they want to workacross the aisle.

    But David Jolly, a Republican candidate for Congress running in a Floridaspecial election, has taken it a step further hes given nearly $30,000 tothe Democratic Party and Democratic candidates since leaving the Hill in2006.

    His biggest contribution to a Democrat went to former Illinois Rep. JesseJackson Jr. now serving time in a federal prison for campaign financeviolations. But hes also given thousands to liberal Democratic stalwarts like

    Sens. Dick Durbin and Barbara Mikulski, as well as the late SenateAppropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye, according to public records.

    David has been a strong Republican supporter as the numbers show.David also has personal relationships with Democrats and Independents,and in non-competitive races he has supported them, said Sarah Bascom,a spokeswoman for Jolly. David has said from day one that this race isabout working together with Republicans, Democrats and Independents allfor the betterment of Pinellas County.

    He has also given plenty of Repulicans over the years includingconservative favorites like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). His donation historyleans slightly towards the GOP with about $36,000 in campaigndonations to Republican committee and candidates since 2007.

    But his long donation history as well as his time as a registered lobbyistfor Three Bridges Advisors and Van Scoyoc Associates underscores thechallenges that any K Streeter faces in running for office

    While a bipartisan schedule of fundraisers is simply the cost of doingbusiness for most lobbyists looking to have influence on Capitol Hill and inthe White House, theyre a potential liability in any partisan primary, wherevoters are more likely to want aggressive confrontation not bipartisaninfluence peddling and access seeking from their nominees.

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    According to Federal Election Commission records, Jolly has donated tomore than a dozen Democratic campaigns and leadership PACs during histime on K Street.

    His most recent donation to a Democrat was in the summer of 2012, whenhe gave $1,000 to Rep. Michael Michaud a liberal Democrat from Maine.Since 2010, Jolly has given $2,250 to Michaud who is now running forgovernor of Maine against conservative firebrand Paul LePage.

    Hes also backed Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) with two donations totaling$2,165. Shes now running for governor of the Keystone State againstRepublican Tom Corbett.

    He gave a $1,000 contribution directly to the Democratic Partys Senate

    arm, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 2007.Jolly has also backed members of his states Democratic delegation. Hesgiven $2,500 to Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) over the years, plus another$2,000 to Nelsons leadership PAC Moving America Forward. Hes alsogiven campaign cash to Allen Boyd and Kathy Castor both FloridaDemocrats who served in Congress at the time of the donations.

    He also backed Charlie Crist when he was a Republican. Crist is now aDemocratic candidate for Florida governor.

    Other donations to Democratic members include checks to Reps. ChrisCarney and Peter Visclosky and Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin.

    Jolly is running to replace his former boss, the late Rep. Bill Young. Thespecial election will be held in March.

    David Jolly campaigns as a C.W. Bill Young Republican, but which

    one?

    Adam C. Smith, Times Political Editor

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    Monday, March 3, 2014 7:37pm

    LARGO David Jolly, the Republican nominee to succeed the late Rep.C.W. Bill Young, says he is "a Bill Young Republican."

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    What does that mean? It's an important question because David WilsonJolly has roughly even odds of being elected next Tuesday, and he remainssomething of a mystery four months after announcing his first campaign forpublic office.

    For much of his four decades in the U.S. House, Young showered TampaBay with federal spending projects. Jolly won't be that Bill YoungRepublican; the money and earmarks are gone.

    Jolly, 41, seemed to suggest at the start of this Pinellas County specialelection that being a Bill Young Republican meant being a staunchconservative, even in a district that twice elected Barack Obama.

    In the primary, the lawyer-lobbyist-businessman scoffed at his main rival for

    wanting to have an alternative to Obamacare in place before repealing it. Ata televised debate after easily winning the nomination, that Bill YoungRepublican called for military action in Syria, overturning Roe vs. Wade ,pulling out of the Common Core education consortium, and opposing apathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

    More recently, Jolly's campaign messages suggest he's the independent-minded, maverick Bill Young Republican.

    He says he would be one of the few Republicans to support raising thedebt ceiling this year and would have voted against House Republicanbudgets.

    This Bill Young Republican prefers to talk about the exceptions he supportsfor abortions rape, incest, life of the mother. Instead of invoking the OldTestament when asked about same-sex-marriage, he says he is fine withstates allowing it.

    Jolly insists he has not changed a single position since the campaign

    started, reporters are just asking different questions. To him, being a BillYoung Republican mostly is about civility.

    "When I talk about being a Bill Young Republican," Jolly said, "that isabsolutely true both on civility and when I talk about being a gentlemanand when I talk about wanting to represent everybody in Pinellas County:Republicans, Democrats and independents."

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    Barely an hour earlier, Jolly had declared Democrat Alex Sink unfit foroffice because she had referred to undocumented immigrants filling hotelhousecleaning and landscaping jobs in Pinellas. "Bigotry," he called it.

    The youngest child of a Baptist minister, Jolly was born in Dunedin in 1972,moved to Miami at 3, then to Dade City for eighth grade. He was PascoHigh's student body president, and his oldest sister, Jennifer Rothschild,recalls he always had a keen interest in current events.

    Rothschild is a bestselling author, Bible study teacher and inspirationalspeaker. She lost most of her sight at age 15 to retinitis pigmentosa andbelieves that had a lasting impact.

    "I can remember him just as a little kid walking me places, always lookingout for me," said Rothschild, who lives in Missouri. "It demanded thateveryone in the family becomes other-centered. That was definitely a tenetof our faith already, but then it became more personalized."

    After Emory University, Jolly in 1994 had hoped to land a job with one ofthe conservative, young barn burners eager to upend Washington withNewt Gingrich. Instead, he got an entry-level job with Young.

    The congressman became a mentor, and Jolly's responsibilities increased.Some family members dispute it, but Jolly says Young told him privately hewanted Jolly to succeed him.

    Jolly is a well-informed and often thoughtful candidate. He does not smileeasily but is polished and amiable. He looks like a congressman, rightdown to the graying temples, but also like the quintessential Washingtoninsider his critics depict him as. He dons well-pressed suits, shirts with cufflinks, and flawless half-Windsor knots. (Even, oddly enough, at a Philliesspring training game last week.)

    This may be his best shot at winning the seat in Congress he has beeneyeing at least since his former boss flirted with retiring in 2009: more

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    prominent Republicans took a pass, and a special election generally meansmuch lower Democratic turnout.

    Amid a torrent of goodwill, Jolly grabbed the Young mantel, advertising hissupport from Beverly Young, the congressman's widow.

    Since the primary, Mrs. Young has been invisible on the campaign. Sherecently lamented in an email to dozens of friends that Jolly seemed toview her as a liability since a Tampa Bay Times article about Young'sestrangement with his children from an earlier marriage. People keepasking her, she wrote, "Why did David kick me to the curb."

    Jolly declined to discuss Mrs. Young's role in the campaign.

    In some ways, Jolly is an unlikely candidate, an intensely private man in anationally watched campaign. "Oh, come on! I'm not going to let you talk toany of my friends," he said.

    He announced his candidacy while in the midst of divorce proceedings withhis wife of 15 years. He has been dating a former employee at his lobbyingfirm, 27-year-old Laura Donahoe, but declined to say whether thatrelationship had anything to do with his divorce.

    Jolly owns a condo in Indian Shores, as well as a larger apartment inWashington that he calls his secondary residence. Because Sink onlyrecently started renting a condo in Pinellas, he suggests she's an outsider an outsider running against the closest thing to another Bill Young.

    "If you put Bill Young and I next to each other on paper, in most areas weare in agreement, and in some areas I'm probably more moderate than hewas," Jolly said.

    Young, though, almost never faced serious opposition over 43 years andrarely faced questions about hot-button issues.

    "As a first-time candidate, I have been asked questions across the boardthat I have had to answer," Jolly said. "It would be a mistake for myopponent's camp or in the media to simply take where I stand on the issuesand suggest that's going to paint me in a corner. We didn't do that to BillYoung."

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    David Jolly campaigns as a C.W. Bill Young Republican, but which one?03/03/14 [Last modified: Tuesday, March 4, 2014 7:46pm]

    2013 Tampa Bay Times

    The Race Democrats Cant Afford to Lose

    By Stuart Rothenberg Posted at 5 a.m. on Jan. 9

    27

    Israel is chairman of the Democratic Congressional Ca mpaign Committee.(Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

    Its rare in politics that anything other than a presidential contest is viewedas a must win but the special election in Floridas 13th District falls intothat category for Democrats.

    A loss in the competitive March 11 contest would almost certainly beregarded by dispassionate observers as a sign that President BarackObama could constitute an albatross around the neck of his partysnominees in November. And that could make it more difficult for

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    Democratic candidates, campaign committees and interest groups to raisemoney and energize the grass roots.

    Fundamentally, the district, left vacant by the death of longtime RepublicanRep. C.W. Bill Young, looks competitive but has a slight Democratic tinge.Barack Obama carried it 52 percent to 48 percent in 2008, but he had amore narrow victory four years later, when he won 50 percent to 49percent.

    But fundamentals are only a small part of the Democratic advantage in thedistrict this year. Campaign-related factors should strongly benefit theDemocrats, as well.

    Alex Sink is certain to win the Democratic nomination in the Jan. 14

    primary. Sink, whose late husband, Bill McBride, was the unsuccessfulDemocratic nominee for governor in 2002, was elected Floridas chieffinancial officer in 2006.

    Four years later, she was her partys gubernatorial nominee. In that toxicpolitical environment for Democrats, Sink lost to multimillionaire GOPbusinessman Rick Scott by a mere 61,550 votes out of more than 5.3million cast a margin of just more than 1 point. In that contest, Scott spent$73 million of his own money (including money from his wifes revocabletrust), according to the Orlando Sentinel . But Sink carried the 13th Districtby 2 points in that race.

    Democrats have rallied behind Sinks congressional bid so completely that2012 Democratic nominee Jessica Ehrlich, who wanted to run in thespecial election, was forced out of the contest.

    Republicans, on the other hand, wont choose their nominee until nextweek. The GOP primary seems to boil down to David Jolly, a longtime aideto Young who left his staff to become a Washington, D.C., lobbyist in 2007,

    and state Rep. Kathleen Peters, who is serving her first term in the FloridaLegislature.

    The Republican primary has not been without rancor (it has even dividedmembers of the late congressmans family), and the eventual nominee willhave to unite his or her party quickly, raise funds for the special electionand immediately start to engage Sink.

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    Money could be a significant problem for the GOP.

    In her Dec. 25 online fundraising report, Sink showed total contributions of$1.43 million, with just more than $1 million in the bank. In his lateDecember report, Jolly showed just under $142,000 on hand, while Petersreported less than $18,000 in the bank.

    The calendar also favors the former Florida CFO, who is clearly moreprepared to launch a top-tier campaign after the polls close next week thanher eventual Republican opponent will be. While a mere eight weeksseparate the special primary and the special election, the window is evennarrower than that, because absentee ballots for domestic voters aretentatively scheduled to be mailed on Feb. 4 and early voting begins March1, according to the website of the Pinellas County supervisor of elections.

    Given all of the advantages that Sink has the district, her experience andproven electoral success, her money in the bank and her united party and the problems the GOP nominee will face, shouldnt the likelyDemocratic nominee be a clear favorite to win the special election, gettingher party one seat closer to the majority in November?

    The answer is yes, and if this seat had become open in 2006 or 2007,there is little doubt that Democrats would have been solid favorites to win.

    But the presidents weak poll numbers nationally and the problemsassociated with the launch of the health care law could undermine Sinksobvious advantages, particularly in this Central Florida district, where 22percent of residents are 65 or older. (Republican strategists believe thatvoters 65 and older could constitute close to 30 percent of the special-election electorate.)

    If swing voters decide to use the special election as an opportunity toregister their displeasure with the president or punish Sink because she is

    a member of Obamas party, the eventual Republican nominees prospectscould rise.

    And Democrats are worried that the composition of the special-electionelectorate will make the contest more challenging for their nominee than itwould be in a regularly scheduled election.

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    Still, all things being equal, Sink has enough advantages to produce anarrow but clear victory. So, while a victory would constitute a takeover andgive her partys talking heads an opportunity to demonize the Republicansin Congress once again, it would not be surprising.

    On the other hand, since most nonpartisan handicappers and analystshave for years expected this seat to go Democratic when it became open, aRepublican victory in March would likely say something about the nationalpolitical environment and the inclination of district voters to send amessage of dissatisfaction about the president. And that possibility shouldworry the White House.

    The National Republican Congressional Committee would love to keep thisFlorida seat in the special election. The Democratic Congressional

    Campaign Committee cannot afford to lose it. Those are two very differentperspectives that reflect the relative importance of this election to the twoparties.