Senate Majority leader Lizbeth Benacquisto is one busy bee these days, as she tries to juggle both her job as a state Senator, and run an effective special congressional election campaign in Southwest Florida.
Benacquisto is being accused of dodging several Republican primary forums between herself, businessman Curt Clawson, former state legislator Paige Kreegel, and Michael Dreikorn.The Benacquisto campaign contends that the reason for the missed forums is because she has been in Tallahassee, Florida, fulfilling the Senate duties she was elected to uphold.
It is understandable that Benacquisto would not be able to attend any forum or debate that is held during the days the Florida legislature is in session, but what excuse does she have for not attending forums on days he is not legislating?
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There is good reason, regardless of how her campaign tries to spin it.
This coming Saturday, a local grassroots organization is hosting a FL-CD 19 candidates forum, and Benacquisto will be skipping it.
According to her campaign press secretary, Benacquisto will not be attending the forum because she will be making campaign walks throughout the district.One would think that Benacquisto would want to share her message with the thousands of voters that will read and see were positions on the issues from the media outlets attending the forum, but Team Benacquisto seems to think that she is better suited knocking on several dozen doors in the time that she would spend at the forum.
Benacquisto is running on her solid Republican voting record in the Florida legislature, but by continuing to dodge debates and forums, she only undermines her candidacy, casting a shroud of weakness over herself, and giving off the perception that she has something to hide.
So, why is she refusing to face here congressional primary race opponents?
Curt Clawson is also refusing to attend debates, but only because Benacquisto is not attending. Kreegel, Clawson and Dreikorn should go ahead with the upcoming forums, because what they will do by attending the forums is frame the narrative that Benacquisto is running away from having to answer the tough questions that voters in FL’s 19th congressional district deserve answers to.
Let’s not forget that this is election is not about selfish political ambition, but about the voting Americans looking for respectful, honest, and accountable representation in the U.S. Congress.
