The major union for police officers, the Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA), announced they are endorsing Republican Ron DeSantis for governor.
The endorsement comes four years after the Florida PBA endorsed the Democratic nominee for governor, Charlie Crist.
The endorsement also comes amid harsh criticism from DeSantis on how current Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum has handled public safety during his time as an elected official in Tallahassee.
Tallahassee’s crime rate was ranked number one in the state of Florida from 2014-2017 and murders in Tallahassee have spiked during Gillum’s stint as mayor.
The Big Bend PBA chose not to endorse Gillum during his successful run for mayor of Tallahassee in 2014.
Florida PBA President John Kazanjian, said in a statement that, “The men and women of law enforcement want to tell Floridians that Ron DeSantis has our backs. That’s why I’m proud to announce that we have his back,”
Jeff Marano, president of the Broward County PBA, issued his own statement in support of DeSantis. “He has a proven track record of supporting issues relevant to law enforcement officers and their families.”
Gillum’s campaign for governor was endorsed by five current and former sheriff’s – all five are Democrats. These endorsements included Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, who used to serve as Tallahassee’s police chief.
“As sheriff of Leon County, I have personally worked with Andrew, and have watched him work to build a safer community for our kids, work side by side with law enforcement to tackle violent crime, and stand up for common sense gun reform,” McNeil said. “As governor, I know he will carry the same level of integrity and dedication to the safety of all Floridians.”
Others announcing endorsements of Gillum were Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young, Osceola County Sheriff Russell H. Gibson and Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell.
Do not vote for Gillium. He is a socialist and a radical democrat. We do not need higher taxes in Florida to put 200,000 more people on medicaid as he proposes. We live in Florida because the taxes are reasonable. That will end. We will turn into another California with tent cities in all our states because people will flock here just for the purpose of free health care. Anyone with any common sense knows that nothing is free, someone has to pay.
Let's just say this...about the Leon County Sherriff and Gillum.....Birds of a Feather...FLOCK TOGETHER......If you want the State of Florida to degrade and sink to the level that Tallahassee has...then vote for Gillum, and we will be the # 1 CRIME STATE IN THE NATION, THE MOST NEGLECTED STATE IN THE NATION IN INFRASTRUCTURE, HIGHER TAXES...do I need to go on?... Gillum is supported by the SOCIALIST...George Soros...Google that?...And you will vote Republican...don't take my word for it....GOOGLE IT.....GEORGE SOROS...!!!
The PBA endorsement is a very big deal and that alone is likely a very powerful motivater for Dems and NPAs who are not ultra cray cray leftists.
Now let Snidely preach on the Sheriffs:
OK there are 67 counties in Florida. Only 4 of the 67 endorse Gillum. But wait Snidely did you not read that Steve said 5 endorsed Gillum?
Well 1 pf the 5 is good 'Ole Walt who has been in Gillum's corrupt back pocket for years and years. Walt does not count . I stand by my 4 out of 67.
I'm betting Larry Klanbell turned over in his grave when good ol' Walt got elected.
Orange and Osceola County are notoriously high crime and liberal - both of them are very high in violent and other crimes. I know, I lived in that area 25 years before moving here in 2006. I watched Cental FL go downhill from a once-nice region to a traffic-choked, crime-filled ruin. So I pretty much brush aside both of those sheriffs’ endorsements as being meaningful. All the sheriffs endorsing gillum are democrats, and either they know nothing of Tallahassee’s crime rate under gillum or they would withdraw their endorsements immediately. Or they do know of gillum’s high-crime record here in Tally and they don’t care (such as the former local sheriff).
As opposed to five isolated and politically-aligned sheriffs, the PBA is more representative of the entire Florida law enforcement community. Thus, the PBA endorsement carries far more weight and validity.
TR- do you know how many Florida Sheriffs are endorsing Ron DeSantis at this time?
I applaud the Florida PBA for their very responsible endorsement!
Gillums' crime policies or lack thereof are so appalling that it is embarrassing that any sheriff would endorse such an appalling record that is so harmful to the public at large.
Hopefully, voters will remember these sheriffs when they run for re-election and vote them out.
Again, thank you Florida PBA for your endorsement of Ron DeSantis!!
Sherrif McNeil -- multiple people are dead today that would be alive except for Gillum's policies. How about explaining to their families why those people are dead?