Growing up as a child, my mother often told me, “Once a task you have begun, never rest until it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it well…or not at all!” Since the death of the late Congressman Alcee Hastings in early April, nearly a dozen people have declared their intentions to fill the shoes of a man who can never be replaced—myself included. Many of them, however, have selected the “not at all” option by simply walking away from the voters they promised to represent. In doing so, they have left the vulnerable communities they serve, to fend for themselves, against the wiles of a craven governor.
This fall, as the race to succeed Hastings comes to a crescendo, at least two Broward County Commissioners, Dr. Barbara Sharief and Dale Holness, will be handing their seats over to Governor Ron DeSantis to fill with his loyalists. Furthermore, with the expected departures of State Representatives Omari Hardy and Bobby DuBose, and State Senator Perry Thurston, who all must resign their current positions to run for Congress, DeSantis gets to decide—once again—when (or if) another special election will be held. This looming calamity will leave some parts of South Florida completely without representation at all political levels. One of the candidates, State Rep. Hardy, even suggested that they all resign early, stating: “If we do this together, and if we do it right, the governor should have no choice but to do the right thing.” Sure…and If ‘ands’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts, every day would be Christmas!
While Governor DeSantis is willing to sink to deplorable levels to propel his own presidential ambitions, he is not to blame for this inevitable cluster bomb. We can thank the “Not At All Caucus” for that.
Elvin Dowling
Candidate – US Congress (FL-20)
