District 12 (FL) voters have clear options

[JohnnyCougar]

Doug Tudor, Navy veteran and underdog, takes on Republican leadership.

BARTOW — After 12 years in politics, U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam knows how to get a crowd going. At a debate in Bartow on Tuesday, many in the audience applauded the Republican candidate for District 12 when he spoke about Social Security, which he says needs reform.

"Where is your plan, sir?" he asked his opponent without making eye contact, his voice raising.

His opponent, Democratic candidate Doug Tudor, just retired after 20 years in the military and doesn't have a background in politics. He may still get nervous while speaking, but he says the ethics and the integrity he gained in the military would help him in Washington.

By many standards, Putnam has the advantage. He's running for a fifth term. He's the third highest-ranking Republican in the House. And he has raised about $1.5-million more than Tudor.

...

"Adam's bought and paid for," Tudor, of Riverview, said.

Tudor says that although he's running on the Democratic ticket, "nobody owns me." He said he'll vote independent of his party when needed.

At Lakeland's "Politics in the Park" event last week, Putnam said he's not worried about taking on someone "who openly runs as an unabashed liberal Democrat."

"I believe that my experience and my conservative values appeal to people in District 12," he said.

Tudor prefers the term "progressive Democrat," and he said he's not afraid to take some progressive stances, including advocating for a single-payer health care system, which he says is like a super-Medicare. He figures his conservative military background will appeal to moderates.

Statistics show the party-line division in District 12 is close, even leaning Democratic. There are about 160,000 Republicans and about 180,000 Democrats registered in District 12, according to July data from Florida's Division of Elections.

District 12 includes Polk County, part of Osceola County, and part of Hillsborough County, including the South Shore area, Brandon and Thonotosassa.

I've been passing out Doug Tudor fliers while canvassing for Obama. Doug is an awesome guy. I wish this race would have gotten more national attention early on, but we really have a good chance of defeating the #3 guy in the Republican House if Tudor can raise enough money. If you want to donate to his ActBlue page, you can do so here:

http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/19447

Thanks!!! Doug needs DU's support!

Also, Swing State Project has noticed this race, as Putnam is getting weak:

http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3423

Adam "Howdy Doody" Putnam (FL-12th)
Putnam has been part of the Republican leadership for the past eight years. His district has also grown more Democratic, in large part to the growing Hispanic population of Poinciana and the college student population of Temple Terrace. Senior citizens (aka: those that lost large investments courteousy of Putnam tailoring the Republican agenda) compose a large percentage of the population within the district. Lakeland, the stomping ground of former Governor Lawton Chiles, is the epicenter of the district. To Howdy Doody's disadvantage, Democrats have a 20,000 voter registration advantage over Republicans. However, to his advantage, or to the dismay of Polk County Democrats, a strong Democratic challenger had not stepped forward to challenge Howdy Doody. Democrat Doug Tudor has attacked Putnam for vacationing in Nantucket, yet with very few funds in the bank, Tudor will have a hard time getting his message out. His only hope, which is probable due to Putnam's position in the Republican caucus, is to hope that Democrats and independents vote against Putnam, thereby giving Tudor their vote.

Doug just needs money to put himself over the top. Donate here!!:
http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/19447