The numbers are in and not only has President Obama been reelected, but we have many new representatives for our portion of Broward County.
This has been an exciting election season where we have a few winners and losers.
OFA
If you don’t know what OFA is then you may be a Republican. OFA, which stands for Organizing for America was created in 2009 by President Obama. OFA is the grassroots ground team which operates in all 50 states and their goal is to get the president reelected. Their duties included holding conference calls with volunteers, sponsoring events, holding house parties, making phone calls and using social networking. The Florida OFA worked relentlessly to get people registered to vote, and then to go out and vote during early voting and election day.
If Broward County had to depend on our local Democratic Executive Committee to get out the vote, then we may have seen lower numbers, or may have even lost Florida.
Ted Deutch
Totally smeared NPA Candidates Mike Trout and Cesar Henao with 74% of the vote. The Republican’s didn’t even try to put a candidate against this popular congressman.
Scott Israel
With 45,852 more votes, Scott Israel is our new Broward County Sheriff. Not even Sheriff Al Lamberti qualifying by petition could stop the Democrats from voting him out.
Hey Israel, can you finally change those awful uniforms that BSO wears?
Jared Moscowitz
No question here that Parkland Commissioner Jared Moscowitz had no problem out-earning and out-voting Republican James Gleason to win the open State House seat that covers parts of Coral Springs, Tamarac, Sunrise and Plantation, by earning 69% of the votes.
Stacy Ritter
Stacy Ritter won by a landslide against Bob Sutton with 67% of the vote for reelection to the Broward County Commission. Although Sutton, king of the bear hug, had his heart in the right place, he was clearly lacking knowledge of the job. In his interview with the Sentinel, he was clearly out of his league not comprehending some of the bigger issues that were asked.
Vincent Boccard
Coral Springs City Commissioner Vincent Boccard has worked tirelessly on his Mayoral campaign. A family emergency kept Boccard from his Sun-Sentinel interview. The Editorial Board would not reschedule and gave opponent John Arnold the endorsement. Even with this endorsement, Arnold was still unable to defeat Boccard won with 56% of voters in Coral Springs.
Dan Daley
This young, energetic, former Legislative Aide to State House Representative Ari Porth worked over a year for the open City Commission seat that Boccard would leave. Not only was he campaigning at every event, attending every City Commission meeting, Daley was a constant presence on Social Media as well. At 22, this young man packs more maturity than most people twice his age winning 56% of all voters in Coral Springs.
Abby Freedman
Freedman came out of nowhere after there was already a crowded field of School Board Candidates. Self-funding her campaign, Freedman would take no money from special interests. Working like a machine, she covered neighborhoods without stopping. Focused and unwavering, Freedman never changed her message and never compromised her integrity even after being bullied by right-wing bloggers during long days at the polls. Freedman won with 54% of the voters in Parkland, Coral Springs, Tamarac and parts of North Lauderdale and Margate.
BREC
BREC stands for the Broward Republican Executive Committee. After an across-the-board loss for the BREC, DeNapoli should step down after this mess. BREC had unqualified candidates, little funding, and no game plan which made them one of the biggest losers.
Stupid AM Radio Hosts
You know who they are. If you don’t have the luxury of Satellite Radio, then you may fall victim to hearing their right wing, hate-filled ranting including calling President Obama a “Kenyan Commie.” They appeal to those with little ability to think for themselves. Fortunately, many people did not listen to them and voted intelligently at the polls.
Sun Sentinel
After endorsing Mitt Romney for President, many threatened to cancel their subscriptions and did. After creating a “Pay to View” website last spring and political advertisers dropping off after the elections, the Sentinel will be hurting come 2013.
Rick Scott
Scott had the authority to extend early voting hours and didn’t. By not doing this, he caused voters to stand in line up to six hours to place their vote. Voters will remember this, and vote him out in 2014.
The Residents of Tamarac
Two Commission seats were up for reelection in 2012; Pamela Bushnell and Diane Glasser. Not one resident filed to run against them and both won without competition. Obviously content with the status quo, there will be no fresh ideas or new advocates for the residents of Tamarac.
Allen West
Although Republican Tea Party Candidate Allen West ran to greener pastures to the north after Congressional redistricting, West looks like he’s the loser with 49.6% to Democrat Patrick Murphy’s 50.4%, and now our Congress may have one less radical right-winger in its midst. Hasta la vista, baby! Maybe you can get a gig on Fox News as a commentator, or work with your pal Joyce Kaufman on AM radio.