Just today, the controversial and embattled head of Florida’s Republican Party told the Orlando Sentinel that the state party would spend no money to help my opponent in the gubernatorial primary.

Hours later, he used the party’s resources to send out an email of support for my opponent, Attorney General Bill McCollum.

This is exactly the kind of double-speak that, under Greer’s leadership, has disenfranchised grassroots Republicans from the state party.

Party bosses shouldn’t tell the people what to do. That didn’t work for the Politburo and it won’t work for the Republican Party of Florida.

Rather than work against fellow Republicans, the party should trust voters to make up their own minds. The so-called “party elders” need to understand that the winds of change are blowing.

The conservative-leaning editorial board of The Tampa Tribune said it best today in noting that “the competition will be good for the Republican rank and file.

“All of this competition should be good for the Republicans, who have held power in Tallahassee for more than a decade. But the party of late has seemed cautious and regimented. Some competition could breathe new life into the GOP,” the newspaper said.

The “People for Paula” campaign will encourage Republican elders to get closer to the people and farther from the special interests. Rather than trying to stifle competition, they should open up the process to a fair and full debate about our state’s future and our party’s direction.

What are they afraid of?
 

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