- April 16, 2024
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Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower has called for the resignation of Volusia County Republican Executive Committee Chair Paul Deering, charging Deering called an “unprecedented emergency meeting” of the membership to endorse “his hand-picked” candidates.
But Deering said the endorsement vote on June 30 was neither unprecedented nor an emergency meeting.
He also objected to the charge that the membership’s endorsements were his hand-picked candidates.
He said the VCREC followed the Republican Party of Florida’s rules in endorsing seven candidates in Republican primaries and non-partisan races.
Rule 8 of the state GOP’s Rules of Procedure says county executive committees may endorse registered Republican candidates in a contested Republican primary or a non-partisan election with an affirmative vote of at least 60% of voters if at least 50% of the membership participate in the vote.
The members and the candidates must receive written notice of the meeting at least 10 days in advance.
Deering said the rule was followed.
“We currently have 217 members and 155 were at the meeting. Of all the races, the voting low was 149 and the high was 154. Some people chose to not vote,” he said.
Brower charged that Vice Chair Tom Coriale’s wife emailed their committee leadership with approved voting preferences. Deering said any member can endorse candidates, just as Brower does.
“Deering’s goal is clearly to defeat the ‘Volusia Values’ ballot of Republican candidates.”
JEFF BROWER
The executive committee, which is essentially the state GOP’s official Volusia County affiliate, endorsed seven candidates: U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz in the 6th Congressional District; Cory Mills in the new 7th Congressional District; Chase Tramont in the Florida House 30th District; Jake Johansson in the Volusia County Council at-large race; incumbent County Councilman Danny Robins in District 3; David Santiago in County Council District 5; and Jamie Haynes in Volusia County School Board District 1.
Brower objected to the county council picks over his “Volusia Values” candidates: Doug Pettit (at-large), Ted Noftall (District 3) and Julio David Sosa (District 5).
Brower is also endorsing Ken Smith in District 4. Deering said he chose not to endorse District 4 because two of the four candidates — Rob Littleton and Troy Kent — are currently serving in elected office. Both are Ormond Beach commissioners. Deering said the decision on which races to endorse is the role of the committee chairman.
Brower said in an email that “Deering’s hand-picked candidates for the Council are status-quo, big-government, high-tax politicians.” Brower referred to them as "RINOs."
He said Pettit, Noftall and Sosa have signed pledges to oppose further property or sales tax increases, curb over-development and traffic gridlock and clean up the county’s water supply.
“Deering’s goal is clearly to defeat the ‘Volusia Values’ ballot of Republican candidates,” Brower said.
Brower also charged that Deering has packed the committee membership with his hand chosen allies. That’s a charge also made by longtime party member Peter Kouracos, who filed a request for a grievance proceeding with the Republican Party of Florida. He has not heard back and doesn’t expect to, because, he said RPOF Chair Joe Gruters, a Sarasota state senator, “has his head buried in the sand.”
An email by The Observer to Cody McCloud, the state GOP’s political director, asking about Kouracos’ request has not been answered.
“Gruters should be removed because he doesn’t hold people accountable,” Kouracos said.
Unlike Brower, Kouracos has no complaints about who was endorsed, just the fact that the county GOP was doing it at all.
He said Rule 8 was only meant to be used in “dire circumstances” such as if a candidate is facing criminal charges and the committee wants to sever ties by throwing its support to the opponent.
The Volusia County executive committee has been endorsing candidates in every election cycle since 2012 with the exception of 2020.
In his email, Brower said the endorsement vote “is not commonly done in a non-partisan primary. It is the general practice to place all candidates in good standing on the primary guide.”
Deering said he does not know how many other Republican county executive committees endorse but said he has heard of two south of Volusia that also do it.
Deering said the endorsements, which will be listed on the committee’s primary voter guide, allows the public to know who the county executive committee considers the best candidate and to make sure “we’re not endorsing a candidate that’s not qualified.”
Not all the candidates are happy with that assessment. At the meeting, an attorney for Charles Davis, Waltz’s opponent in the Congressional District 6 race, handed Deering a cease and desist order.
“The gentleman dropped papers on my podium,” Deering said. “He wanted the meeting not to occur. But the meeting had already begun.”
