MILWAUKEE, Wis. – On Tuesday at the RNC in Milwaukee, the incoming head of the Florida Senate called on former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar to drop out of a Florida Senate race.
When all the Florida Republicans were gathered, Ben Albritton, a higher-up in state GOP politics, called on him to drop out while he spoke alongside Shoar’s opponent, fellow Republican Tom Leek.
The Leek-Shoar bitter campaign for State Senate has dominated Northeast Florida airwaves for months.
“David Shoar has no place in the state’s upper chamber,” Albritton said. “I’m calling on him to withdraw from the race. Him accomplishing this will allow us to move forward as a state and a nation in unity.”
Leek and Albritton claim Shoar is a handpicked candidate of trial lawyers who are politically opposed to Leek.
“Listen, none of my races have ever been like this,” Leek said. “No one has ever accused me of not being conservative. I knew it was coming. I knew one day they would come looking for their pound of flesh and now it’s my time to fight back and I’m going to keep fighting.”
They are also debating who’s really the Trump-endorsed candidate.
While Shoar’s ads might imply it, Leek said Shoar is not and the Trump campaign told News4Jax that they have not endorsed any candidate in the race.
“He is not endorsed by President Trump,” Leek said. He tries to make you think he is endorsed by President Trump. That’s the difference. That’s the deception that they’re putting out there to put out their candidate that will do whatever they want.”
News4JAX tried to reach Shoar for comment but he did not respond.