Nov 18, 2011

Contact: Rina Shah

rina@fredkarger.com

202-507-9583

Fred Karger Calls Florida GOP Chairman the

“Ayatollah of Florida”

 

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Florida GOP Chairman Curry

MANCHESTER, NH – Lenny Curry, the Republican Party Chairman of Florida, personally handpicked the 9 candidates to be on that state’s Republican Primary Ballot.  He left one out.

Californian and former Reagan aide Fred Karger was not included on Chairman Curry’s list, and feels that he was purposely left off the ballot.  Karger fired off a letter to Mr. Curry earlier this week right after Michigan announced that he would be on its February 28, 2012 Primary ballot.  Michigan chose its Presidential candidates based on who was, “generally advocated by the national news media.”  In his November 15th letter, Karger once again asked Curry to be included in the all-important Florida Primary (letter below or click here).

“We reached out repeatedly to Mr. Curry’s staff and him for several weeks prior to his announcement of who would appear on the Florida ballot and who would not,” said Karger.  “This guy is acting just like the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme leader of Iran.  That may be okay in Tehran, but the voters of Florida should have the opportunity to vote for all the serious Republican candidates for President, not just the ones Lenny Curry picks.”

“I have been heavily involved in politics for over 35 years and I have never seen anything quite like this.  I support full marriage equality, am pro-choice and believe in immigration reform.  I would hope that there is a place for an Independent Republican on the Florida ballot.”

“This is not the way our democracy is supposed to work,” concluded Karger.

So far, Karger will appear on the New Hampshire (January 10, 2012) and Michigan Republican Primary ballots.  He was invited to be in South Carolina’s Primary and is currently accessing all other state primaries and caucuses.


Letter to Florida GOP Chairman Curry

 

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November 15, 2011

Mr. Lenny Curry

Chairman

Republican Party of Florida

420 E. Jefferson Street

PO Box 311

Tallahassee, FL 32301

VIA FAX  (850) 681-0184

Dear Mr. Curry:

I am deeply disheartened that you and the Republican Party of Florida decided to keep me off the Florida Republican Primary Ballot, especially in light of the fact that Michigan just announced that I will appear on its Republican Primary ballot next year.

My campaign staff and I called and emailed your office and you repeatedly for several weeks before you made the decision which candidates to include on the Florida ballot and which to leave off.  Our phone calls and emails were never returned.

I have been extremely active in Republican Party politics for over 40 years.  I ran dozens of GOP races.  I was a part of nine Presidential campaigns including those for President’s Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Gerald Ford.

I have been campaigning for President full time for the past 22 months.  I was the first serious candidate to announce his intention to run in April 2010, the first to establish a Presidential Exploratory Committee in July 2010, the first to file with the Federal Election Commission in Washington, DC in March 2011, the first to run campaign commercials beginning in September 2010 and the first to hire staff way back in March 2010.   I have campaigned in over 25 states including several visits to Florida.  I have been featured and profiled in most major newspapers and appear frequently on national and international television and radio.

According to news reports, you chose to only include those Presidential candidates who participated in the most recent Florida Fox News Debate.  I qualified for that debate.  I met the criteria of achieving 1% in five national polls.  I filed a 158-page complaint with the Federal Elections Commission against Rupert Murdoch and Fox News because I was excluded.   By your criteria, I should be on the Florida Republican Primary Ballot as well.

Last Friday, Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson created a list of Presidential candidates who will appear on its February 28, 2012 Primary Ballot.  Her criteria: candidates who were “generally advocated by the national news media.”  I will appear on the Michigan Republican Primary Ballot as well as the January 10, 2012 New Hampshire Primary Ballot.

As you are undoubtedly aware, my candidacy is historic.  I am the first openly gay candidate to ever run for President of the United States from a major political party.  I am also the first Jewish Republican to ever to run for President and appear on state ballots.

Florida is an important state in the Presidential Primaries and in the general election.  These two constituencies may well be key to our success.

Mr. Curry, please do the right thing.  Discrimination has no place in the party of Abraham Lincoln.

There are 2 ½ months until the Florida Republican Presidential Primary.  The ballots have yet to be printed.

I urge you to do the right thing and let me on the Florida Republican Primary Ballot next year.  Help open up and grow our Republican Party.

Best regards,

Fred Karger

cc: Chairman Reince Priebus, Republican National Committee

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