Final on Larry Byrnes

In what several of our Club members feel is yet another example of the Republican controlled dirty politics in Florida, Larry Byrnes's suit to have his name listed on the 14th Congressional District ballot for the August primary ended in failure.

You may remember that despite having gathered the 5,400 signatures necessary to have his name listed, the Florida Division of Elections in Tallahassee issued unclear instructions regarding additional requirements, including a loyalty oath, which is clearly a flag-waving reminder of the right wing Republican party of the 60's and beyond.

The judge's decision in his case which was handed down on June 11 smacks of earlier Republican efforts to manipulate the law, including the judiciary, for its own purposes. Larry Byrnes was undoubtedly the stronger candidate of the Democratic Party to oppose Connie Mack III, who is a tool of the developers and other wealthy constituents of our congressional district. Rather than lose an election, the easiest course of action is to deny the stronger candidate the right to run.

We have learned that since this decision was announced Larry has suffered a heart attack and is hospitalized. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope that next time around he will be available to run for this office which has been occupied for too long by a Republican.