This Friday, June 18th, I will be attending the Quarterly Executive Committee meeting of the Republican Party of Florida in Tampa, FL.  More than 200 representatives from every county of Florida will be in attendance.

I will be blogging during the meeting, so watch this blog on Friday for my observations and reports.  When this many good Republicans get together, it’s bound to be interesting!  Feel free to email me at jeff@christohera1.sg-host.com — check back early and often!

Do you ever get the feeling that nothing ever gets done in our town?

The Gaines Street Revitalization Project was funded more than ten years ago and all we have to show for it is a funky statute in Cascades Park and some broken ground—ripped up asphalt along Gaines Street. Remember the one penny sales tax? Whatever happened to that money? Does traffic seem to get worse each year? And doesn’t the City seem to demand more and more each year in utility rates and other fees? How do we know our taxes are being spent properly?

One man has been following what happens down at City Hall. During the past two years, Steve Stewart has challenged the powers that be downtown by questioning city expenditures. Thanks to Steve’s hard work, you can view how the city is spending our tax dollars at TalGovSpending.com. Steve has also urged that lobbyists register with the City of Tallahassee and that City Hall abide by a Code of Ethics.

Steve is a practical guy who keeps his eye on the bottom line. I prefer a candidate who will look after our money, over one who needs an entourage to travel across town. You can learn more at VoteSteveStewart.com.

I love watching YouTube – whether a funny clip or an important political message, I am amazed at how communication has changed over the years. I’ll be building up my YouTube channel: youtube.com/gopjeff as a place where you can go to see videos and clips from Florida politicians. If you have any to add, let me know! You can contact me at jeff@christohera1.sg-host.com, at any time.

Between work and politics, I am really looking forward to the summer. What fills the time?

First, trying to get to the beach. I grew up on the Atlantic side so I love the ocean. Something about swimming in the waves and currents of the sea that focuses the mind. Kind of like meditation.

Second, reading……This summer I am reading “Faust” by von Goethe. This good friend of mine who is trying to make me into an intellectual recommended it. I’m halfway through. A second book which I started last year is a biography of General William Tecumseh Sherman……sorry Bradley, I know he burnt your family’s barn in Gadsden County down. But he was a great Republican with a first rate strategy for winning…..gotta like that!

Third, I’ve resolved to leaving the yard work to the professionals this summer.

Oh, yeah…. did I mention I love the mountains in North Carolina?

I do not mean to sound too negative on this blog. Generally, that’s not good in politics.


But for my political red meat friends, recent events have shown that we were right all along. FDLE took Elvis into custody relating to alleged crimes committed while he occupied a position of trust. A month earlier his buddy left the GOP for a No Party Affiliation race for U.S. Senate.
Elephants have long memories.


But let’s resolve to move forward. Let’s get behind a Real Republican for U.S. Senate – Marco Rubio. Everyone who reads this blog should commit to helping Marco Rubio….volunteer for his campaign….put a yard sign in your yard….make a contribution to his campaign.


Let’s WIN this election and relegate Elvis and Chuck to the trash heap of history.

When I ran for Leon County State Committeeman in 2008, I ran with a message of “Let’s get the GOP back on track!!”

The position of State Committeeman (SCM) has no real defined job duties. Contrary to what many of my friends and family thought, the position I occupy pays nothing. I am of the opinion that anyone who holds a Party leadership position from precinct committeeman/committeewoman on the local level all the way up to State Party Chairman should do these jobs out of a sense of passion for the cause……not avarice.

There is no real definition of what an SCM’s duties are or what is expected of us. The Constitution of the Republican Party of Florida boiled down to its essence says that the role of the “State Committee” is:
• To develop a strong and informed Republican Party in Florida
• To support principles of the GOP and secure the election of candidates running under our Party banner
• To encourage all able and qualified Republicans to seek office at all levels of government.
• To regulate the use of the name “Republican” on organizations and clubs through a formal process of chartering.

My philosophy is that the job of State Committeeman is what you make of it. Whether one is successful depends on the person’s intelligence, drive, passion, and political savvy.

My view is that an SCM is a leader within the Party but also a servant. My role is not to serve the GOP establishment but rather the rank and file Republican voters who elected me to this position. Whenever I am called to make a decision I do not think of the Party bigwigs, bosses, consultants, or “Blackberry toting lobbyists” but rather the moms, dads, working families, business owners, 2nd Amendment protectors, people of faith, military, veterans, and countless others who vote and support our conservative ideals. This Party belongs to THEM!

It occurred to me that Tallahassee and Leon County needed a central source of up-to-date information on the Republican Party and local activities that involve Republicans.

That is not to say that other new and innovative websites or upgraded ones should not be encouraged.
I am an activist and by definition an “activist” is ACTIVE.

When I see something that needs improvement I get involved. And there are others that like me locally are tired of the “same old, same old” in local politics. So after nearly two years as Leon County’s Republican State Committeeman, I determined that rank and file Republicans were not getting the up to date information. People who believe in the Republican Party in Leon County deserve better!

Ronald Reagan once said “If not us, who? And if not now, when?”

Someone needed to step forward. So I did.
If not us, who? If not now, when?