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New Bonita mayor surprised by Democratic Party accolades
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Following a victory at the polls Tuesday, congratulations have been flowing in to Ben Nelson, the former city councilman and future mayor of Bonita Springs.
Among the thrilled well-wishers: the Florida Democratic Party.
Chairwoman Karen Thurman congratulated the "new Democratic mayor of Bonita Springs" in a press release the party sent out the day after the nonpartisan city election.
That’s a title Nelson said he didn’t request.
"I think anyone who knows me knows I’m not a real partisan person," he said.
And as for being a "Democratic mayor," he said, "well, I guess I’m the new Methodist mayor of Bonita Springs and the new bald-headed mayor of Bonita Springs."
He didn’t dispute that he’s a Democrat. He said that’s how he registered at 18.
It’s an affiliation he shares with 5,132 other city residents — a group that accounts for less than a quarter of the city’s 21,321 registered voters. There are 11,134 registered Republicans.
Party distinctions are ones Nelson said clearly matter to some, but he downplayed the importance of party affiliation for those on City Council.
"It doesn’t have anything to do with city business as far as I’m concerned. It’s not going to affect my decision making," he said.
During the campaign, when he received questions about which party he belonged to, his answer was that the race for the mayor’s office was nonpartisan.
He’d prefer to see city elections stay that way, but he acknowledged it’s hard to keep party politics out entirely.
He has told people who are involved with the Democratic Party that he intends to "avoid partisan politics" — but he also said he doubted this would be the last time someone decides to call attention to any candidate’s party status.
"Some people are highly partisan. They have their opinions and they’re allowed to express them," he said. "I don’t know that there’s anything I can do to say: stop outing me as a Democrat."
The release that congratulated Nelson was "quite innocent" and also quite routine, said Alejandro Miyar, press secretary for the Florida Democratic Party.
Congratulations would go out to any winning Democratic candidate in the state, he said, as they have to about a half dozen municipal candidates in the past few months.
"You have some of these various conservative districts that are electing Democrats," Miyar said, adding that was what the party was trying to play up. "We look at these things as potentially encouraging things."
He also said that city government can also be a "breeding ground for officials for other parts of the ticket."
In a nonpartisan race, candidates’ party affiliations may not appear on any ballot, but political parties are free to support candidates of their choosing.
That’s happened already this year.
Ahead of the city elections on Jan. 29, the Republican Party of Lee County mailed out cards to potential voters trumpeting Bill Lonkart as a Republican candidate, while the January newsletter for the Democratic Party of Lee County had an item noting that City Council "has an opportunity for a Democratic majority" and that "the election is nonpartisan but the underlying politics are not."
When asked about what was in the newsletter, Nelson said he hadn’t heard of it, but that if that’s what it said, it was "unfortunate."
In the Bonita Springs mayoral contest, Miyar wasn’t aware of anything put out by state-level party officials that would have identified Nelson as a Democrat before election day, and "we had nothing to do with whatever the local party sends out."
But across the state, political parties play a role in promoting candidates with a shared affiliation in nonpartisan races, he said, noting that party affiliation is often reflected in the policies a candidate promotes, even down to the level of a municipality.
"This comes up quite a bit with these races," he said. "Look, the Republicans more than anybody else make these partisan."
If some candidates on both sides get "gun-shy" about being identified by party affiliation, he said, he has never heard of any candidate complaining about it to the state party. And he said he had not heard of any complaints from Nelson.
Comments
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One's underlying philosophy as to political affiliation and principles always come through loud and clear for most, if not all, decisions made by elected officials.
Like... is anyone surprised????
#1 Posted by beneyw on April 12, 2008 at 6:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bonita Springs holds non-partisan elections. There are many different philosophy's and principals held by people of both parties. Being a member of one party or the other should not be the determining factor of who gets your vote. I always vote for the best person and that is the intention of having non-patisan elections in Bonita.
When I moved here 26 years ago, both Lee County and Bonita Springs had Democratic majorities. People who grew up in Bonita Springs were generally Democrats.
#2 Posted by JohhnyB on April 12, 2008 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Like i said last week, last month, last year and eight years ago "non-partisan Bonita Springs is poppycock."
Mr. Benny asked "is anyone surprised?" Yes, a s***load of real Republicans not bothering to scratch the veneer.
#3 Posted by BonitaSprings1 on April 12, 2008 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Perhaps when Hillary visits Barako Springs, council meeting will have armed guards to protect her from those imaginary snipers she keeps mispeaking about.
#4 Posted by Naplestango on April 12, 2008 at 2:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's about time the Dems started making some inroads into this inbred Rethuglican area.
#5 Posted by 12gauge on April 12, 2008 at 5:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You would think Pure-TAG would be for Democrats since they balanced the budget and fixed the welfare system. The current Republican president just spends and spends. In less than 8 years, we went from balanced responsible spending to the biggest deficit year after year. The dollar is almost worthless, and the economy is almost in a depression. The cost of the bus is nothing compared to the wasted trillions in Iraq. Howard Dean's plan is working - Democrats are contesting and winning elections all over the red states. Millions of voters have changed their registrations to Democrat in 2008. Democrats have a real chance to not only win the Presidency, but also a veto proof majority in the Senate and many more House seats. The best news is that young people are joining up in droves. It is only a matter of time until Democrats will once again be the majority in Bonita Springs.
#6 Posted by JohhnyB on April 12, 2008 at 10:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't hold your breath Jonnhy. Voters are fickle a lot of the time and vote for change, just for that reason and not much else. Maybe this year will be a democrat sweep, maybe not.
Congress allocates funds, not the President, by the way.
"Being a member of one party or the other should not be the determining factor of who gets your vote. I always vote for the best person and that is the intention of having non-patisan elections in Bonita." Johnny B.
I guess those earlier quotes were not indicative of how you really feel. As I keep saying, one's true political philosophy comes through, even in supposedly 'neutral' Bonita Springs elections. There is nothing wrong with that per se but why not admit it? I do not believe any election for public office is party neutral or they occur in a vacuum when it comes to the 'behind the scenes' endorsements.
#7 Posted by beneyw on April 13, 2008 at 6:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yea, right, He was surprised???????????
#8 Posted by SassyGal on April 13, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe before anyone believes this story they should read "Phil Lewis`s" story in the "surprise, surprise" Naples Daily News. And, I may be wrong, but I don`t believe Jay Arend is a Republican.
#9 Posted by SassyGal on April 13, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Vote for the best person regardless of party. That doesn't conflict with what is happening nationally in politics today. The neocons that control this administration blew it big time. Approval ratings are in the 20's.
I have voted for Carter, Reagan, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Gore, Kerry and Obama. All of whom I thought and still think were the best choice.
Political parties change. All of the South was mostly Democratic in the 60's. Now, it is mostly Republican. People and parties change, Bene, we agree.
#10 Posted by JohhnyB on April 13, 2008 at 12:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope none of you plan on holding on to any guns that you own if Obama wins the election. According to his Friday speech on guns and God: He's going to outlaw guns so that only outlaws will carry.
He'll probably let his ranting racist pastor address the other subject.
#11 Posted by Naplestango on April 13, 2008 at 9:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
But NEVER vote for TAG - check this out - Tanner arrested. He is one of only two people who admit they are members of TAG.
Sheriff Mike Scott got a pre-election grilling from Lee County’s oldest Political Action Committee this past week, including some questions a little more personal than most.
They weren’t personal for Scott, who’s facing former Sheriff Rod Shoap in a 2004 rematch that saw current sheriff unseat his former boss with 62 percent of the vote. They were personal for local Libertarian Party treasurer Jack Tanner, who questioned Scott about how he was treated when he was arrested a few weeks before Christmas.
Tanner was part of a group carrying Ron Paul signs and handing out campaign literature outside the Lee Civic Center during a gun show in December. Ordered off the private property by the center manager, they took up posts along the road where a line of cars waited to enter.
Later, deputies told them they were obstructing the street, but Tanner refused to budge. He was arrested for failure to obey a lawful police order and obstructing a public street, according to a sheriff’s office report.
#12 Posted by JohhnyB on April 13, 2008 at 9:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This thread has just about outlived its usefulness...don't ya think?
#13 Posted by beneyw on April 14, 2008 at 5:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Didn't want anyone to miss the latest about Arend's and Lonkart's biggest contributor, Jack Tanner.
What purpose do guns have in Philly or DC? Obama never said what NaplesTango wrote. Watch the Moore's movie "Bowling for Columbine". We are the only nation with the number of shootings and murders on the planet. The comparison between Canada and the US is unbelievable and the only difference is a little gun control in Canada. I'm from a hunting family in PA and this isn't about taking guns from sportsmen. We should ban hand guns, automatic weapons and cop killer bullets. Aitomatic weapons and cop killer bullets were once banned before this administration. The regulations to buy a gun and to dispose of a gun must be tightened and enforced.
#14 Posted by JohhnyB on April 14, 2008 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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