There has been a lot of speculation about the strength of Jack Latvala as a political force in Pinellas County. In fact during the Republican primary for Bill Young’s seat, Latvala’s chosen candidate Kathleen Peters was expected to be a real challenge to David Jolly. The final result was surprising when Peters campaign tanked and Jolly beat her by nearly 14 points.
So how does a Jack Latvala candidate do so badly? A poll from the primary might explain it.
A source shared with me a polling question that was asked about Peters and Latvala during the Republican primary in CD13. As you can see, Republican voters in Pinellas were asked to say what difference it would make if “Kathleen Peters is endorsed by Jack Latvala.”
By more than a 3-to-1 margin, those who said it mattered explained it made them “less likely” to support Peters. Those who had more intensity of either “much more likely” or “much less likely” favored “less likely” 19 to 3.7 or more than 5-to-1. While about half who were asked said it made no difference, for Republicans who recognized Latvala’s name, a big majority saw it as bad for Peters to be associated with the bully of Tampa Bay politics.
Lots of the areas’ political observers talk about Latvala, his mini me son, Chris, and their cheerleader Peter ‘Big Boy’ Schorsch like they matter. But this poll tells us something that a lot of people in Florida politics already know, Latvala and his gang are toxic for Republicans.
After all, Latvala was caught lying about who he pays. Click here.
