Democrats in District 49 have a clear contrast in their race between Joe Saunders and Shayan Elahi on August 14, unlike in many of the primaries occurring across Central Florida this primary year. The differences have less to do with what they stand for, both are progressives; emphasizing closing corporate loopholes, funding public education, and civil rights issues. The difference between these two candidates has more to do with how they have handled this election.
Elahi was the first to file for the newly drawn district in East Orlando where he has called home for the past 24 years. Saunders followed shortly after, although he lived a full 45 minutes from the district and had never lived within its boundaries.
Elahi is a very well known civil rights attorney in the area, taking on some of the biggest issues in Central Florida. Most famously, he defended those who were being arrested for feeding the homeless in downtown last year and got the charges dropped. He has been featured on CNN, BBC World News, NPR, and was even called a “patriotic volunteer” by Keith Olbermann for his work in the community. Saunders didn’t have these kind of credentials, but he does know how to raise money, as his job since graduating from U.C.F. in 2005 has been fundraising for LGBT issues.
After raising $50,000 in his first quarter Saunders had all but written off Elahi. Hosting fundraisers from the LGBT community across Florida and collecting from numerous special interests, Joe clearly believed that money would buy his way to victory. He started using his own 527 to skirt financial laws called the “Florida Fairness Alliance,” which he officially solicited as his personal piggy bank super PAC. At a fundraiser in St. Petersburg, Saunders told a group of potential donors, “I’m in a primary but we’re not too worried about it . . . we’re strategizing for the general.”
While Saunders was hosting fundraisers from rich donors, Elahi was putting boots to turf in East Orlando. Knocking on thousands of doors across the area and talking with voters, Shayan was running a truly grassroots campaign talking about the issues. By the end of the second fundraising quarter, Elahi showed he had what it took to be a serious contender, raising more than almost any other Democrat in Central Florida, all special interest free.
That’s when people began to pay attention, and Elahi started picking up the endorsements from all across the spectrum: Public Defender Bob Wesley, Central Florida political heavyweight Dick Batchelor, The U.C.F. Professors Union, and in a particular blow to Saunders’ LGBT credentials, long time LGBT activist, Jeff Horn.
By the time Saunders realized what was happening, Elahi and his group of young volunteers had already knocked on every Democratic house in District 49 and were preparing to go for their second pass. Mail ballots had already been sent out, and Saunders hadn’t even ordered yard signs yet.
Although Saunders showed quite a bit of promise at the beginning, it looks as though he may have been taken down by the old Greek downfall of “hubris.” However, playing catch up is a lot easier with $100,000 in special interest money and your own 3rd party 527 at your disposal.
It will be interesting to see how this race turns out.
Doesn’t Saunders also have the endorsement of almost every union? And the woman who ran for the seat that encompassed the majority of the district before this cycle, Amy Mercado, and countless others. Moreover, someone from Joe’s campaign has knocked on my door 3 times already. So I don’t know about all this “truly grassroots” stuff. Did Shayan list this article as an in-kind contribution, because it’s practically a campaign ad? And according to the Orlando Sentinel, Joe does live in the distinct. I would have appreciated some actual journalism here, instead of a hit piece.
PS: If you take away the unions who have donated to Joe and only calculate individuals, he has still significantly out raised Shayan, including in the second quarter, when he almost doubled Shayan.
Joe Saunders actually lives close to Sea World which is around 40 minutes from the district. Shayan Elahi has shown that he is truly the candidate committed to serving his community
I find it odd that the Saunders campaign constantly talks about how much money he raised and his endorsements. It’s like they have nothing else to say even though voters couldnt care less about money. In fact, this is a whole article written about how Joe only cares about money, and the only comment you make is “He’s outraised Shayan!” It’s like a broken record. But while we’re on the subject, in the last filing didn’t Shayan outraise Joe about 3 to 1? I think he did…
That’s because Joe was too busy communicating with voters. He has all the money he needs to win the primary. And wait, didn’t Shayan give his campaign $10k? You all can whine about fundraising all you want, but you guys seem to imply that Joe hasn’t been knocking on doors, when I know that’s not true because they have come to my house three times, and I’m proud to support him because he’s talking about what my district needs, while Shayan is talking about Joe. I heard this rumor about Joe living near Sea World. So I asked him about it when he came to my door. He showed me his ID. He lives in the district.
This is getting interesting. Of course when you raise money, you brag about it to your supporters. The only time candidates don’t, is when you aren’t raising any in comparison. I Google’d Mr. Elahi. Almost every article which came up quoted him talking about Joe. I have yet to find the article when the Saunders campaign is talking about their opponent or their money.
When I google Joe Saunders I find that he’s a pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. That’s impressive!
When I Google “Joe Saunders Florida” (since Joe Saunders) is relatively common name, I find his website, Facebook pages and links to videos of him speaking a city and county councils as Equality Florida’s spokesperson on Domestic Partnership in Central Florida. Didn’t his stewardship on those get Orlando and Orange County to implement DPRs? Yeah, I think it did. Shayan has done some stuff too, but quick pretending that Joe has accomplished a lot in helping liberal causes.
This article is spot on. Everyone knows the first candidate to have a yard sign wins every time! Joe needs to figure out his priorities.
Sources are right. Who came up with Saunders pathetic strategy of raising boatloads of money first so that people would take him seriously, defining the race on his terms from the get-go? I’ve never heard of such a crazy plan. He should fire whoever is giving him advice……….Wait. I’ve just received word that winning campaigns have been doing this effectively since the beginning of time. Who knew?
Truly amazing. A Democrat called on unions, teachers, and gays to fund his campaign? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Has this ever worked? If so, we should really make sure Democrats in the future look elsewhere for support so they aren’t so committed to working families, our schools, and equality all the time. We’d all be better off. Why not hit up the Chamber for money instead?
Yeah well that “boatloads of money” comes with a political price. “Florida Together PAC”, “Wholesalers” “1776 Government Relations” “Homecare PAC” I could keep going. I mean if you’re gonna raise a lot of money from special interests and have your own 527 to skirt financial laws then your gonna take a hit on it. Maybe the “person giving you advice” should have been savvy enough to know that.
Has the 527 broken state election law? Cause if they haven’t, I don’t see how it’s skirting anything. And I’m sure Shayan would have happily excepted those contributions if they had been offered to him, just like he pursued those union endorsements and the contributions that came with them and when he didn’t get them, he criticized Joe for getting them.
Joe is supported by disloyal Democrats who supported right wing Dean Cannon for the same position. I think that says a lot about what Joe stands for and his character. And no Joe does not live in the district and the ID that you are talking about was probably fake, is he breaking the law now too? Maybe the police should look into this.
Didn’t the woman Dean Cannon ran against, Amy Mercado, also endorsement Joe? Is she a disloyal Democrat? Now, you people think Joe is making fake IDs? Man, you guys are desperate.
Amy Mercado?? Really?? The woman Scott and Susannah Randolph convinced the entire local Democratic Party to throw out of her position of party chair? The same Mercado who had to run and hide instead of defend herself and quit the party because she couldn’t handle showing up anymore? Then her schedule magically lightened up as she could take pay for services again.
Yeah, I would say she’s a disloyal Democrat, but really she’s worse, she’s for sale. Took money to support those who ousted her. Her whole family did, so what does that say once again about money and this game some are trying to play. Nice try, NEXT!
This is hilarious. It appears the haters have their excuses locked, loaded, and ready to fire off in preparation for a dismal outcome. Nothing is fair to them. Earned endorsements aren’t fair. Raised money isn’t fair. Democratic supporters are disloyal. Media coverage is biased (except West Orlando News) Achievements are non-achievements. Facts aren’t true. Good campaign strategy is bad campaign strategy. Common sense makes no sense. Democratic values no longer matter. The LGBT community is a ‘single issue’ special interest. Joe Saunders = Dean Cannon….still trying to figure that one out! With this type of pretzel logic being used to take down Joe, the agitators who claim to be loyal Democrats will surely support the Republican nominee in the general. It would only be logical.
I’m sure Mr. Saunders is a nice man deserving of a position in the state legislature, but in this race, at this time, Shayan Elahi is the man for our district. Joe Saunders wouldn’t know the first thing to say or do in a congressional room full of lawyers in Tallahassee. Trust me I worked there for many years. We need a steady eye and ear in this community, District 49. Joe absolutely does not live in this district and anything you were shown that indicates otherwise is false. (and horribly sketchy) Joe’s endorsements are not “earned” unless that means saying whatever it takes to get a donation. Getting money out of people is his profession and while that profession has its place in politics, it’s not as Representative from District 49. Shayan, you have my vote, my husband’s vote, and our two children’s as well. Good Luck to you!
Except that Joe has worked in Tallahassee advocating for Democratic values. If you support Shayan, that’s a perfectly reasonable choice, but let’s not lie about Joe’s record. And Joe voted for himself today. So apparently that ID he showed me was real.
First of all let’s clear things up. Other Side you’re either a Joe Saunders plant or you just don’t know what you’re talking about. Joe just registered in the district yesterday. The only unions that have endorsed him are the city unions loyal to Buddy Dyer. The State AFL-CIO refused to endorse either candidate at the request of the Central Florida AFL-CIO. The SEIU and AFSCME endorsements are from totally outside Central Florida and the FEA is a sham since neither the Orange County Teachers nor the Osceola County Teachers have endorsed him either. In fact the Central Florida AFL-CIO just issued an e-mail blast that disavows any member union endorsement of Joe Saunders.
Amy Mercado’s endorsement would’nt buy a pack of matches, and as far as voter contact he’s way behind Shayan Elahi on that score. How did you get so lucky?
How do you know where the Saunders campaign is on voter contact? Joe knocked on my door back in March. They’ve been canvassing a long time. So the individual unions endorsed Saunders and the AFL-CIO is saying they didn’t. Sounds like you’re either making stuff up or misrepresenting what that email blast says.
this article needs to be fact checked for accuracy. There are many mistakes and this is shameful that you are putting out false information and calling this news.