Jeb Slammed By Righteous Florida Senator

Update: Villalobos won!

In Florida’s meanest and most expensive state Senate race, Miami Sen. Alex Villalobos was reelected Tuesday night, overcoming the millions spent by third-party attack groups and the ire of Gov. Jeb Bush, who helped run a candidate against the moderate Republican.

I have a new hero and she’s a Republican.

Florida State Sen. Nancy Argenziano has never been accused of hiding her feelings, but a masterpiece scathing email she sent about Jeb Bush last week is too fun not to share.

First, a little background. Fellow Republican Florida Sen. Alex Villalobos was in the queue to be the Senate majority leader until he parted ways with Big Boy on two initiatives the Florida governor has refused to abandon, despite being overruled by the people of Florida and the state supreme court: lowering class sizes (duh) and furnishing vouchers to public school students for private school tuition (no way).

After Villalobos, who would have been the first Cuban-American to lead the Florida senate, sided with his constituents over Jeb, he found himself the subject of a Jeb-led coup. And as Michael Schiavo could tell you, there is no pettier or more vindictive bully than a pissed-off Jeb Bush.

But Nancy’s on the case. When Jeb sent a fundraising letter to state legislators on behalf of Villalobos’ opponent, Frank Bolanos, Argenziano had enough. She emailed back, and cc’d her missive to the Tallahassee Democrat.

Full text:

Mr. Bolanos:

You are grossly in error in presuming to send me this garbage, especially through my legislative e-mail.

I am a strong supporter of democracy and, consequently, a strong supporter of Senator Villalobos.

Governor Bush’s suggestion that Villalobos caters to special interest, while you accept millions of dollars from de facto special interest groups, is hypocritical and bizarre. The Governor has a history reflecting accommodation of special interests as evidenced by his agencies’ contracts, and his flexible Republicanism is at odds with both America and actual Republican principles. In his heart of hearts, the Governor prefers dictatorship to democracy. As far as courage and conviction is concerned, Senator Villalobos has demonstrated that he has the courage to do what is right, in the face of the threat of millions of special interest dollars sent to the light-weight, Kool-aid drinking toady poseur proposing to unseat him. Just what we need to make good public policy: another blind follower.

Senator Villalobos’ appointment as Majority leader was as a consequence of fourteen years of strong Republican dedication. His forced resignation from that position was as a result of his refusal to sell out or become the Governor’s lackey. It is remarkable that up until the time he refused to conform to the governor’s demands, he was a notable Republican. Now he is suddenly a “liberal” who has “lost his way”.

I am appalled by the Governor’s disingenuous letter, an unusually public gubernatorial tantrum occasioned because he couldn’t intimidate a member of the Senate.

The Cuban community, more than any other, values democracy – including that principle which so troubles the Governor, the separation of powers – over a dictatorship. And I trust that this will be validated in the results of the District 38 primary election.

Senator Villalobos has always been for less government and less taxes, so cut the bull. He was instrumental in writing the Jessica Lunsford Act, the toughest law in the nation, locking away those perverts who sexually molest children. The legislature has always turned to Villalobos for the tough crime bills, and he has always come through.

No one has stood up to the special interests like Senator Villalobos; naturally, they want him out of their way. I noticed that those special interests, including the insurance industry, have in this last week bought one million dollars of TV time against Villalobos. And you have the nerve to send a letter like this, talking about standing up to the special interests. You are either an idiot or an abysmal hypocrite.

The chair of the Florida GOP, Carole Jean Jordan, quickly issued a statement in defense of Jeb.

“…[Argenziano’s] comments today regarding Gov. Jeb Bush crossed many lines.”

Jordan said “personal attacks on the sitting governor of Florida, questioning his character, are far beyond the bounds of responsible dialogue.”

Did our girl back down? Hell no.

Argenziano wrote back to the party chairman, saying state policy was more important than party loyalty.

“But that is the crux of the problem, Madame Chairman, where you see blind allegiance to the party at the expense of the country as a virtue, I see it as the party’s ultimate downfall,” Argenziano wrote.

She was also quoted as saying, “Carole Jean Jordan can kiss my ass.”

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