The ongoing water crisis in Florida continues to spread, and just as toxic blue-green algae is plaguing Florida’s Treasure Coast, toxic brown water run-off is affecting southwest Florida waterways.

Governor Rick Scott (R) has now added Lee County to the state of emergency decree for the toxic algae that is affected Florida’s rivers, lagoons, and estuaries.

The algae bloom has become a hot political topic both on the west coast and east coast of the state.

Florida’s 19th congressional district, the district in which Lee County is nestled in, is ground zero for the water crisis.

There are three Republican congressional candidates vying to replace outgoing Representative Curt Clawson (R)-Dan Bongino, Francis Rooney, and Chauncey Goss.

The winner of this GOP primary will all-but become the next member of Congress, as the seat Clawson currently holds strongly leans Republican.

While all three candidates support cleaning up Florida’s waterways, Francis Rooney, the presumptive frontrunner in the contested primary race who has been racking up high-profile endorsements (Gov. Rick Scott, Carly Fiorina, and Dr. Ben Carson), finds himself in a bit of a political pickle, as his position on clean water is being called into question.

First off, Rooney sits on the board of the off-shore oil drilling company, Helmerich & Payne, Inc. While H&I has a number of oil rigs sitting off the Texas and Louisiana coastlines, none exist off the Florida coast.

Rooney responded to our request for some clarity of his position on off-shore oil drilling.

“I am completely and unequivocally opposed to offshore drilling off Florida’s coast. I’ve seen the disastrous effects firsthand, and when I’m in Washington, I will defend Florida’s shorelines. As I have stated repeatedly, I believe next to our children, water in Southwest Florida is our most precious resource. Our quality of life, local businesses, and tourist economy depend on our shorelines and we need to be strong in our fight to protect them. Exposing our state’s most important environmental resource to offshore drilling is not a risk we can support.”-Amb. Francis Rooney

Even though his company does not drill off Florida, couple the fact that he supports off-shore oil drilling with the state’s current water woes,  and this one-two clean water punch is  enough to make Rooney’s opponents sense  blood (oil, toxins, or both) in the political water.

But what could be Rooney’s biggest water challenge is his refusal to sign the Now-or-NeverGlades petition that would allow nutrient-heavy water to flow south to The Everglades. Rooney is not alone in not signing the pledge, as Florida Governor Rick Scott has also refrained from signing the pledge.

At several recent candidate forums conducted throughout the congressional district, Rooney has stated that he supported the passage south of the affected water, and has apparently spent millions of dollars in campaign television ads doing the same.

You see how saying one thing, and not backing up those words by not signing a pledge could anger voters, right?

Some of these disgruntled voters have even decided to protest Rooney’s campaign events and appear to have been successful in disrupting at least one that was slated to have taken place last Saturday at the Sea Gypsy Inn on Fort Myers Beach.

Team Rooney posted the event on the Facebook page last week, but later took it off the page just before Saturday morning was to take place. When it was time for the event begin, sources say that only a few protesters showed up, and that the Rooney for Congress campaign was missing in action.

Like we mentioned, Rooney’s political opponents are circling in the brown water.

Chauncey Goss, a southwest Florida native and son of former CIA Director Porter Goss, has already called out Rooney for not signing the pledge he himself signed weeks ago.

Here is what Goss posted on his Facebook wall:

Cape Coral, FL–Today at the Cape Coral Republican Club, Francis Rooney refused to sign the Now or Neverglades declaration. In doing so, Rooney chose to side with special interests over the interests of all Floridians. The declaration, which has been signed by over 200 scientists and 18,000 people states “we must use Amendment 1, and other funds to identify and secure land south of Lake Okeechobee.”

“Ambassador Rooney has spent millions of dollars convincing Southwest Florida he takes our water issue seriously. As soon as he had the opportunity to sign this declaration of support, however, he showed his true colors and opted for political expediency. As a local Southwest Floridian, I am disappointed anyone running to represent this area would pay only lip service to protecting our way of life.”

The question was brought up during part of the forum where candidates were allowed to ask their opponent one question. Chauncey asked Rooney if he would side with Southwest Florida and sign the declaration. Rooney declined.

Chauncey signed the declaration weeks ago.

 

Dan Bongino could not be reached for comment, so we are not sure where he stands on this issue.

Stay tuned for more on this growing oil slick of a congressional race…