To: Interested Parties
From: Jermaine House, South Regional Press Secretary
Date: August 30, 2016
Re: Memo: The Case Against David Jolly
“No Republican can win,” said David Jolly to the Tampa Bay Times, when explaining his decision to abandon the district he represented to run for the United States Senate. This November, Jolly will come face-to-face with his own words.
Pinellas County is Safely Democratic
Florida’s 13th Congressional District is one of the most Democratic-performing districts held by Republican in Florida. Following a court ruling, this district went from one that was competitive to one President Obama carried in 2008 and 2012 with 55 and 56 percent of the vote respectively.
Who Will Help David Jolly Win a Safe Democratic District?
“Republicans say they’re fighting for every seat in the House. Every seat except Florida Rep. David Jolly’s, that is.” – Politico, 8/15/16
David Jolly’s already difficult path is made more dire by national Republicans’ decision to abandon his campaign altogether. When David Jolly gave up on winning Florida’s 13th Congressional District, he betrayed the National Republican Campaign Committee by sneaking media into their headquarters. As a result, the NRCC’s Executive Director called David Jolly a liar. As recently as mid-August the NRCC refused to make any commitment to assist David Jolly either strategically or financially.
David Jolly is a Washington Republican
Despite David Jolly’s relentless attempts to appear independent, his record shows that he is just another Washington Republican. As a lobbyist, Jolly worked with an organization that wanted to privatize Social Security for seniors, he pushed to gamble their guaranteed benefits in the stock market, and he supports raising the retirement age. Jolly’s radical views on women’s health have also been on full display. Not only does he want to overturn Roe v. Wade, he introduced legislation to defund Planned Parenthood, which provides access to critical preventive care, birth control, and cancer screenings for Florida women and families.
Charlie Crist is St. Pete’s Hometown Favorite
Charlie Crist’s prior electoral performances and deep connection to this district uniquely position him to mount a winning campaign against Jolly. The 13th District now includes the entirety of Gov. Crist’s hometown of St. Petersburg, where he currently lives. Crist carried this district in the 2014 gubernatorial race with 58 percent of vote, in the face of unprecedented spending by Rick Scott and in a tough environment for Democrats.
Conclusion
David Jolly said it best: “no Republican can win.”