Candidates attend VFW rally

Published 2:30 pm Thursday, August 23, 2018

JASPER — The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #8095 hosted the Nonpartisan Political Rally on Aug. 16.

The event was free to the public. 

The candidates were given three minutes to address the audience. 

Candidate for state wide and national office who spoke include: State Representative District 10 candidates Chuck Brannan, Marc Vann, Ronald W. Williams II, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Fred S. Martin and United State Representative District 5 candidate Virginia Fuller.

“I offer my candidacy as a continuation of public service that I have always held so important in my life,” Brannan said. “My campaign is build upon a positive, hopeful, conservative message.”

Vann wants to help communities grow and improve, 

He wants to improve the community. 

“We want our grandchildren to feel like they can come back home and they can have something that gives them an opportunity to succeed and not think they need to be somewhere else,” Vann said. “I can promise you as your representative, I will do everything humanly possible to hep your community grow and improve.”

Malwitz-Jipson said she has not been a party affiliate member for 15 years. 

“I am actually very proud of that,” Malwitz-Jipson said. “I don’t take PAC money, I am not taking corporate money, I am working for you if you elect me to this position.”

She said that North Florida needs leadership that  will recognize what is sustainable for the next generation.

Martin said he is against fracking and off-shore drilling. 

“I am not a nice person,” Martin said. “You see my truck out there, a nice person could not that truck, they would be killed, pulled over and killed. I am not a nice person. So I work real good with people who don’t like to do stuff. I just tell them what to do and beat the hell out of them if they don’t want to do it.  

“As far as I am concerned, Governor Rick Scott, I was asked about him the other day, as far as I am concerned, he ain’t nothing but a n*****. He has wasted our water. He has screwed our property values.”

Williams responded to Martin at the beginning of his speech. 

“Sir, let me tell you something, your words are very hurtful to me and they belong nowhere on this platform,” Williams said.

“Battle for our water, battle for our environmental law, things that we should be upholding but we are not. We have got to think smarter and do the right thing.” 

Fuller, a candidate for United States Representative District 5, also spoke at the rally. 

“I am an immigrant,” Fuller said. “ I immigrated from the Netherlands more that 40 years ago. In the Netherlands, I was trained as a registered nurse. Since I have lived in the U.S., mainly in California, I worked as pediatrist nurse.”

She thanked the VFW for inviting her to participate.

“You should know I am a hard worker, I am not afraid to face adversity and I am certainly not afraid to stand for what I believe in and what is right for America,” Fuller said.

The candidates for local office that spoke included: Sandy Hurst for County Commissioner District 2,  Suzette Wiggins for School Board District 5, Randy Ogburn for County Commissioner District 4 and Johnny Bullard for School Board District 4. Ogburn and Bullard were unopposed this election.

“Folks, tonight I want you to know that I have a heart for the citizens of Hamilton County and a desire to serve and to see Hamilton County move forward,” Hurst said. 

“With the support of the District 5 voters, I hope to continue to be a part of helping to meet the educational needs of our children in a safe environment,” Wiggins said. 

Several candidates had people speak for them at the rally. Attorney General candidate Ashley Moody, Commissioner of Agriculture candidate Denise Grimsley and United States Representative Al Lawson had representatives speak on their behalf.