Sen. Travis Hutson, who represents all of Flagler County, is concerned that internecine brawling among Flagler Republicans is hurting the party’s ticket and may intimidate voters away from voting lines, where he’s had reports of aggressive and inappropriate interference from campaign volunteers and others telling voters who to vote for, especially in Palm Coast’s mayoral race.
Hutson contacted Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart and the Republican Executive Committee’s Dave Sullivan, who is also a county commissioner, urging them to intervene to compel Republican candidates to dial down aggressive tactics that could be intimidating voters away from polls. The tactics haven’t been the result of overly aggressive Trump volunteers and supporters, as has been the case in many parts of the country, but of candidates or their volunteers for the Palm Coast City Council, and specifically in the mayoral race.
“It’s our volunteers and our candidates, it’s our REC men and our REC women, there’s a lot of fighting going on and it needs to stop,” Hutson said. “There’s a lot of candidates being super aggressive and there are ballots being handed out that have people being circled and crossed off.” Huston–who’s in a reelection race of his own–said no such infighting takes place among Republicans in St. Johns or Volusia counties. He wants Flagler Republicans focused on the Trump vote and is concerned that down-ballot infighting could weaken support for the top of the ticket if voters are turned off.
The conflict reflects a deep split within Flagler County Republicans, some aligned with incumbent Mayor Milissa Holland, some with challenger Alan Lowe. Both are Republicans in a supposedly non-partisan race that has turned into the single-most partisan race in Flagler aside from the top of the ticket.
Hutson was sent a slate card showing the Republican candidates running for Palm Coast City Council and mayor (among them Lowe, Danko, Victor Barbosa and Nick Klufas), but with Holland’s face crossed off. Both he and Lenhart have heard claims that individuals posing as poll workers have approached voters and told them that their vote wouldn’t count if they voted for Holland because she’d be going to jail–itself a false hood echoing, in Hutson’s words, “signs that are out there that may be slanderous that accuse candidates of certain things that are blatantly not true.”
Whether people posing as poll workers have in fact approached voters or not to tell them how to vote, Lenhart took the possibility seriously enough to produce signs posted at the Flagler County Public Library, one of the three early voting sites, informing voters that no one associated with her office will tell them how to vote.
“He called me yesterday morning and wanted to know the rules concerning election workers advising voters and helping them choose a candidate on the ballot,” Lenhart said of Hutson. “We discussed that, I agreed to create a sign for the library, because of course our workers are not there to do that.”
At times voters seek help from poll workers for no other reason than because they’re not sure how to vote, particularly on amendments. But Lenhart said voters are responsible to make their own choices. That in turns makes voters vulnerable to being influenced by candidates and their volunteers, who fill campaign tents on the approach of voting sites and whose tactics can lack subtlety. Some were filling out sample ballots produced by the supervisor’s office, making it seem as if the supervisor’s office was making the recommendations. That’s not acceptable, Lenhart said: the parties should rely on their own slate cards. She addressed the parties to that effect as well.
“The last thing I want is for people not showing up to our polls to vote for our president,” Hutson said, especially in a county with a significant Republican majority among registered Republicans. “I’m hoping our leaders within our organization can, if the volunteers aren’t listening, get them out.” If volunteers are in voters’ faces, “you’re doing more harm to the president than you’re doing good.” He added: “The only sign that matter si Donald Trump.”
Sullivan doesn’t buy it. “That’s BS. That’s BS,” he said of the fear that voters would turn away. “I guarantee you in Flagler County you could probably find two people who are Republicans who’ll say I’m not going to vote for Trump because of the way the mayor’s race is going. That’s not going to happen. Give me a break.”
Sullivan attributes the local tensions to the fact that two Republicans have ended up in the runoff for Mayor, creating natural competition. “There are strong feelings, it’s very unfortunate, very unfortunate when we end up with two Republicans running for the same office,” he aid. But he’s not seeing issues beyond the normal voting-time tensions. “I’ve had no proof of that. We have poll watchers, and then we have volunteers. There are very few REC members who are out there doing what Travis is implying.” Sullivan himself endorsed Lowe. He said the REC itself has not endorsed, but REC members who have endorsed Holland are out at the library, too, like former Clerk of Court Gail Wadsworth.
The race for Palm Coast mayor between the two Republicans has been ugly for a while, with the Lowe campaign baselessly calling Holland corrupt and jail-worthy and the Holland campaign more recently launching an ad blitz implying, beyond a racially-tinged ad it quickly pulled, that Lowe was a criminal. A political action committee backing Holland, called Friends of Palm Coast, recently sent a text to some voters saying “Candidate Alan Lowe denounces USA, aligns with terrorist group. Didn’t vote for Trump.” The text included a link to a video ad tying Lowe to terrorism and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.
None of it is true. Holland is not under criminal investigation from any local or state agency, as Lowe has said in a radio commercial of his own. The claim that the FBI is investigating her is sheer speculation, made more so by the fact that she’s never been contacted by the federal agency. Lowe is not a criminal. What charges he’s faced in the past, for theft or an injunction in a domestic matter in Volusia, were dropped. And while Lowe abjured his citizenship in the early 1990s and called himself a “sovereign citizen,” making himself part of a movement that was (and remains) unquestionably tied to domestic terrorism, including the Oklahoma City bombing, Lowe himself has never been tied to violent acts.
Holland said today she has “no idea who sent that. That has no affiliation with my campaign whatsoever.” Holland said she’s received emails about Lowe’s “sovereign citizen” past, as documented in the Flagler County court record. “I have never once responded to this person nor have I used any of the information and documents they have provided,” she said today. ” My campaign has run one contrast piece, that is all. I adjusted the commercial immediately following our conversation and it has been running without it yet it’s still referred to as racist by him and his supporters.” (The reference to “our conversation” was to her interview with FlaglerLive the day the site broke the story on her television commercial.)
Lowe did not return a call before this article initially published. Danko, who is campaigning alongside Lowe, said he hadn’t heard of the concerns Hutson raised. “The poll workers inside the polls have to be credentialed,” he said. Outside, “They can be anybody, anybody can approach voters as long as you’re outside the 150 mark.” As for intimidation of any sort, “I haven’t seen any of that. There’s plenty of people here advocating for different candidates.” He cited various names. “I’m sure there’s people out here doing stuff like that, but you get all kinds of people showing up out here and telling people all kinds of things. We get people coming out here telling people Alan is a Democrat.”
Holland produced a picture posted by Ed Danko on social media showing a pair of feet from calves down, standing on a Milissa Holland for Mayor sign, under Danko’s Facebook name and the hashtag #WalkAwayFromHolland, But compared to a lot of imagery and allegations flaming the campaign, that one was relatively tame. She rejected the claim today that she’d run a negative campaign. “My social media and digital campaign is based on my accomplishments and endorsements and is very positive,” she said in a text. “Yet I am slammed with continual baseless accusations and have my photo on his van displayed at early voting saying I am going to jail, which he repeats over and over. I have not run a negative campaign but that is all he, Danko and McDonald have done. It’s been slanderous unbelievably cruel.”
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James M. Mejuto says
re: GOP Infighting . . . What an embarrassment republicans can’t even work together within their own clan
to run this city.
This is what happens when there is no opposing political party or views. These republicans
think they can have the whole cake and eat it. From the Danko’s to the Hutson’s.
One wonders if the Palm Coast democrats have run out of ideas and actually represent no
one in this City.
Denali says
So who gave Hutson the map so he could find Flagler County?
Once again it is all about party, not the people. Why is he not busting Scott’s and DeSantis’s chops over the way he fouled up the state unemployment system? Why is he suppressing the vote of returning citizens over a fine or some court costs? Why? I can tell you why, he is more interested in getting his party elected than serving the people of this county or state. Just another sad excuse for a human being who traded his country for a red hat. Time to get rid of the big money from outfits like Florida Sugar Producers, the ‘for-profit prison corporations and Duke Energy. His average campaign donation was $889 – Time to end the suffering in Florida!
Vote Heather Hunter for Senate District 7.
Ryan says
I honestly believe that all candidates and representatives of Palm Coast should be putting their religious, political whether they’re Republican or Democrat and personal beliefs aside you are here to represent the people of Palm Coast. if you cannot put the people of Palm Coast first then you should not be running for any position on any board. You are an elected official and you are too be held accountable for your position in representing the people and the people’s needs period end of story if you can’t do this your position should be resigned.
wallingford says
Put it squarely at the feet of the Lowe Team trying to intimidate voters in the same manner as his hero, Mr. Trump, does. He is a Meme. If all else fails, cite previously debunked, untrue, baseless accusations. Logic is the more you say it the truer it gets. As bad as Mr. Trump saying that we are turning the corner with Covid and the US has had almost 500,000 cases in the last 7 days. Like Mr. Trump who is trying to smear the legacy of Mr. Biden and has failed; the same is true in this race. FYI….more than 50% of Americans believe that the Trump family is far more corrupt than the Biden family.
Let’s be civil and unite for a common cause – the Citizens of Palm Coast. Build Back Better
I've seen the light says
I was going to vote for Mayor Holland and Ed Danko. I will vote for our Mayor
Due to your association and support of Alan Lowe, a self proclaimed Sovereign Citizen.
And the AG is considering filing a contempt of court motion, I will not be voting for you Ed.
Pay your damn taxes Mr.Lowe ! What makes you so better than us who work for a living and pay our due share.
Contented Democrat AND Good American says
So now their ill-temper and divisiveness even permeates their own party. Have at it repugs; you keep going LOW and we will continue to stay HIGH ! Hopefully the BLUE WAVE will drown out the” bottom feeders”
WILLIAM NELSON says
You go for it Blue. And remember, If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.
Perturbed NPA Voter says
Kaiti Lenhart deserves a raise after all she has put up with this year!
You so-called “adults” who are running for office need to dial down the nasty, and rein in your volunteers. Completely uncivilized behavior on many accounts. Whatever happened to character? This whole election cycle has been ugly.
Jimbo99 says
Let’ not get carried away with the raise thing. That job pays quite well as it is, anything really comes with the territory of the position in general. They may be in the middle of this, but they’re the one’s doing it to each other, the rest of us are the real victims here. As taxed, we’re paying for the sh*t show of 2020. And look at the prize we’re getting Nov 4th.
A.J. says
This is what we get for rep. Fight in repubs. I love it.On a serious note, the more people fight less work is getting done. We elected them to work for us not right against themselves. Tax dollars being wasted what a shame.
Mike West says
I will be voting BLUE in the county commissioner race which includes Ed Danko for his slanderous actions towards a fellow republican, If the Flagler County Republican Committee allows Ed Danko continue bashing fellow republicans who isn’t even facing him in this election, then yes, mayne some of us Republicans may vote BLUE further up the line.
Sherry says
Hopefully our actual “Election Day” will be peaceful and safe at the polls. I do fear otherwise because there are so many crazies with guns out there. So very happy I voted by mail about 3 weeks ago.
If the Democrats win, maybe the “healing” can begin. . . and, not just with Federal “LEADERSHIP” to final get control over this terrible, tragic pandemic. Our divided citizenry needs to come together again for the common good.
Cherry says
Exactly WHAT are democraps going to do if they get elected with the Covid-19 pandemic ? I will tell you what they will do……. NOTHING. They will close down the country and send America into a GREATER DEPRESSION. And Civil War will evolve due to the democraps failure at leadership……..
NO THANKS…..I will vote straight REPUBLICAN down the Ballot
Mary Arnoff says
I was extremely active in Republican politics until I moved to Atlanta during Newt Gingrich tenure. I moved here 10 years and avoided organized Republican politics for the infighting. It would be fun to be active again but not in this situation.
Percy's mother says
A lot of what’s mentioned in the article started directly with Alan Lowe way back many months ago with his disgusting posts on Facebook about Ms. Holland, and it’s gone downhill from there.
As a Republican, I will be crossing party lines this time:
I will vote as follows:
1. AGAINST Ed Danko (a Mullins man). I will cross party lines and vote for the Democrat, Mr. Jones for Palm Coast City Council District 1.
2. AGAINST Alan Lowe (a Mullins man) who lost my vote many months ago when he started posting garbage and false accusations against Holland.
3. AGAINST Victor Barbosa, Dennis McDonald AND David Alfin, and will vote for the Democrat, ex-military man.
That’s how disgusted I am with the fringe Republicans this time around.
By the way, the FREC aka Flagler Republican Party head, Pastor J, is another loudmouth who needs to go.
Here’s the future plan for this county:
1. Mullins is planning to run for higher office in 2 years. He doesn’t care about this place. His eyes are set on more lofty political goals.
2. Danko, who ran for county commission in Dare County but was run out of town and county 2 years ago AND forced to resign from the Dare County Republican Executive Committee and then ended up here in Palm Coast, will then run for county commission in Flagler County.
As for Victor Barbosa, aside from running an illegal bar out of his “Man Cave” business, he has really nothing to offer.
Regarding voter intimidation, I remember back to the last time Jason DeLorenzo was running for something or other, he had some very verbally abusive, verbally coercive and verbally intimidating women working for him at the Flagler County Public Library voting station. I still remember it to this day.
Virgil F says
Danko, Barbosa and Lowe are minor political thugs in bed with Flagler’s politically corrupt Republican leadership’s Sharon Demers, David Sullivan and BLM-affiliated chairwoman “Pastor” J. Dennie. Thankfully, this gang of foul balls has only temporarily besmirched one of the best Party operations in the state of Florida. These six have betrayed all 40,000 Flagler Republican Voters by bringing public embarrassment and Voter confusion to this election cycle. Danko is an ill-tempered fraud with a Napoleon complex, ready to explode into anger and in-your-face intimidation in an instant – unfit to govern anything. One of your responders has it all wrong about Danko: If elected, he will spend the next two years running for congress, not serving Palm Coast. Mullins is this gang’s super thug and cheerleader couldn’t win a dog catcher election in Flagler (no offense to dog catchers intended) and will be history well before his present term is up. Demers as Party state committee woman is a continuing debilitating force with her own close public support and clear action endorsements of the three thugs, this to her complete abandonment of the Party Trump effort. The Flagler Republican Party will emerge next year with fresh new leadership committed to decency and to the tremendous responsibility of fostering, growing and putting forward qualified candidates for elected offices here.
Rich Santomassino says
Good for you for crossing party lines. I am an independent and will always be one. Partisan politics is destroying the fabric of our nation. Trump is also destroying this country with his incompetence, hate and mishandling of this deadly pandemic.
Shara's Dad says
Seriously ? That is the saddest reason for switching one’s party affiliation I have every heard. Put your BIG BOY panties on and vote REPUBLICAN.
Not fooling Me says
Active Republicans turning blue. Yeah right.
Kathleen Bolanos says
I stood in line the 1st Tuesday of early voting at the Palm Coast Library. There was a Republican tent right next to the cones. The Republican volunteers were asking everyone if they knew who to vote for. Then, those same volunteers asked people if they wanted them to fill out the Sample Ballots for them. While I was standing there, they filled out no less then 6 Sample Ballots for people. I was shocked.
I’m an Independent & I research everyone on the ballot to decide who to vote for. But to think that others would trust anyone else to tell them who to vote for was appalling to me. Are they even allowed to do that?
James M. Mejuto says
re: Kathleen . . . Amazing ! You mean to tell us you stood there next to a Republican
tent in neutral territory while those Republicans were telling people how to vote and
actually filling out their sample ballots ?
What the hell is wrong with you ? ! ! ! Did it ever occur to you to call the police ?
I guess you didn’t want to get involved . . . Huh !
akathleen B says
The Republican Tent was on the other side of the orange cones, but next to the sidewalk where eveyone waits in line.
My son voted yesterday & the Republicans from their tent were doing the same thing, asking him if he know who to vote for, but he waved them off. Maybe the tents shouldn’t be allowed next to the sidewalk where people have to wait in line at the library. That would solve the problem.
Btw, I wasn’t aware that I needed to call the police on these people. That is why I asked the question, “Are they even allowed to do that?” I guess next time I’ll call the police. But instead, I hope that they change the tent set up at the library.
Celia M Pugliese says
We need to retain Mayor Holland in office to continue with her responsive government to the city taxpayers to preserve our quality of life and safety added to our pursuit of happiness in Palm Coast. She sure cares for our health as opted for the mask wearing mandate in city limits and also organized fund raises to provide much needed food banks to the unemployed.
Concerned Citizen says
All of this uproar for a race already decided.
Look at all the money raised for Holland. That was insurance money from builders and special interests. She has this locked in. And the main reason is she had enough muscle to intimidate and slander any opponent that decided to challege her. Granted Lowe did most of the damage himself it has still been one sided.
I am dissapointed in our local media outlets. Somewhere along the line Holland was able to quiet them. There has been no in depth articles on Holland beinging up her tenure at City Hall or past issues. Like they have on Lowe.
That hush money must have been pretty good.
Unfortunatley for this race neither candidate gets my vote. Not that it matters.
4chan says
The photo of the repubs says it all. There’s a new party emerging in the republican party, the Q party spearheaded by DJT. Clearly, Lowe and Danko are card-carrying members. The Q party has some very odd conspiracy ridden followers, shall we call them extreme? Whatever you do, do not eat a slice of pizza or a hot dog around a Q partier! You’ll get much worse than a sharpie-gate.
Knowing this, people, please do not vote for Q partiers!!
Steve says
Cant believe this guy is even in the running Even somewhat significant. What on Earth is wrong there. Where are the Leaders.? Is it just so far gone the inflection point is already passed. Exhausted just following the Drama that is FPC. Cya next year maybe. VoteAccordingly
justbob says
The Mayor’s job is supposed to be non-partisan. Alan Lowe, sporting his MAGA hat demonstrates that he will be no such thing.
Trailer Bob says
“There’s a lot of candidates being super aggressive and there are ballots being handed out that have people being circled and crossed off.”
I have been working the polls for Sheriff Staly, and I can tell you we are abiding by all the rules at the Government Building on Rt 100. We have a tent right next to the Democrats and other than one whacked out right winger, we have a decent relationship.
People come by and ask us for info on the candidates…that’s why we are there…to provide assistance to voters with questions.
But don’t tell me that providing suggestions as to who the party’s candidates are is wrong. Both parties provide literature as to who the candidates are and some folks ask us who we would vote for when given a choice between Republican candidates.
What do you think both parties do in commercials on TV and Radio? Come on man…Really scraping the bottom here.
Kathleen B says
I personally witnessed the people in the Republican tent at the Palm Coast library asking people if they were Republicans, if they knew who to vote for & then filling in the Sample Ballots for the people waiting in line. It didn’t help that the tents were set up right along the sidewalk where we had to wait in line. As an Independent who researches everyone on the ballot to make my decision. It made me cringe.
Dennis C Rathsam says
I have one question…. Why is our mayor, taking all this money from outsiders? This is our city! Having outsiders, with deep pockets try to influence this election is not in the best interests of Palm Coast. Folks that dont give a rats ass about our city, they dont even live here, yet they may swing the ellection. Palm Coast is going in the wrong direction, its time to clean house(city hall). Lets start fresh! We need a DO OVER, in the worst way!
Concerned Citizen says
The answer is quite clear.
Notice how she didn’t feel the need to campaign.She knew she was invincible. All that money came from builders and special interests. So that when the time comes she can’t say no to anything. Because they own her. Insurance money if you will disguised as “campaign contributions”
Palm Coast will end up looking like Orlando before it’s over. And Coastal Cloud will have their hands in everything.
Only Me says
I have lost faith in politics, to witness a president of our country not caring about the lives of its people, and his Republican Governors following everything he tells them to do. Whatever happened to integrity, character, honesty, and passion for the people you represent? That is gone now, people thinking it is their right not to wear masks to save others’ lives and their own, what is wrong with people? And people think it is ok their politicians lie to them on a daily basis, what is wrong with people?
What is really sad these adults that lost their character and ethics to protect the people they represent, are leaving this country in a huge mess for their children and other children. They’re ignoring climate change and have turned it into a political issue instead of a humanity issue for the safety of our planet and the young children growing up.
So, yes I have lost faith in politics, and when you have someone being honest and sincere to change things he is attacked and humiliated as a female Democrat Governor whose life was threatened by thugs that the president of our country supports.
Yes, this is why I have lost faith in politics and mostly because of what the Republican party now represents.
And, I have and did vote Republican in the past but no longer, not what they represent now, the old Republican party is gone.
carol says
Melissa got to go. A do nothing politician.
Whathehck? says
Hey! The billboard on I-95 was right, Flagler County is der strumpenfuhrer land, its ugliness is spreading to the bottom of the swamp.
Vote for the people who will restore dignity to our beloved country. If no republican candidate fill the bill vote for decency.
David Schaefer says
Get rid of these republican fools vote BLUE………
Sammy J says
If you do some research on Ed Danko, you will find he does he got ran off from his last attempt at running for office in Avon, NC for intimidating voters. You should look this up and investigate him–he’s just drumming up trouble again.
Sherry says
Percy’s Mother. . . Good For You! Voting for the “person” rather than the “party” is the intelligent way to go! Thanks so much for the information and thoughtful analysis.
Filling in a ballot and giving it to someone as they stand in line to vote is vastly different than simply campaigning, and should NOT be allowed! It is certainly morally reprehensible! Is it even legal? Wouldn’t that be considered vote tampering? If such things are happening already, I cringe to think of what election day will be like. Stay Safe Everyone! VOTE!!!!!