White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced yesterday that the White House would no longer focus on “legacy” media and would seek access for bloggers, influencers and other new media.
She designated a seat near the front of the briefing room, usually occupied by a press office staffer, for one new media representative at each briefing.
I put in my application yesterday. Since Pensacola has a direct flight to D.C., I make it with a day’s notice. Meeting ABC White House correspondent Karen Travers in person would be great. Travers was a frequent guest on “Real News with Rick Outzen.”
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GOP Primary Wrap-up
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis easily won the GOP primary to replace Matt Gaetz in Congress, with two out of three voters giving him the nomination. No other candidate received 10% of the vote, though former State Rep. Joel Rudman garnered 9.9%. Former Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino reportedly spent hundreds of thousands on the race and came in fourth with 6%.
| Total | ||
|
Jimmy Patronis
|
33,723 | 65.7% |
|
Joel Rudman
|
5,099 | 9.9% |
|
Aaron Dimmock
|
3,420 | 6.7% |
|
Gene Valentino
|
3,093 | 6.0% |
|
Michael Dylan Thompson
|
2,543 | 5.0% |
|
Greg Merk
|
1,285 | 2.5% |
|
Jeff Peacock
|
742 | 1.4% |
|
Kevin J. Gaffney
|
633 | 1.2% |
|
John Mills
|
572 | 1.1% |
|
Jeff Macey
|
187 | 0.4% |
| Total | 51,297 |
| Escambia | Santa Rosa | Okaloosa | Walton | Total | |
|
Aaron Dimmock
|
1,743 | 769 | 778 | 130 | 3,420 |
|
Kevin J. Gaffney
|
258 | 106 | 232 | 37 | 633 |
|
Jeff Macey
|
65 | 39 | 70 | 13 | 187 |
|
Greg Merk
|
664 | 324 | 252 | 45 | 1,285 |
|
John Mills
|
276 | 121 | 136 | 39 | 572 |
|
Jimmy Patronis
|
13,166 | 8,402 | 9,410 | 2,745 | 33,723 |
|
Jeff Peacock
|
291 | 255 | 173 | 23 | 742 |
|
Joel Rudman
|
798 | 2,409 | 1,590 | 302 | 5,099 |
|
Michael Dylan Thompson
|
1,282 | 747 | 462 | 52 | 2,543 |
|
Gene Valentino
|
1,861 | 545 | 586 | 101 | 3,093 |
| Total | 20,404 | 13,717 | 13,689 | 3,487 | 51,297 |
After midnight, Valentino issued a concession statement: “Tonight didn’t end the way we had hoped, but I want to start by thanking each and every one of you who stood with me throughout this campaign. Your hard work, dedication, and belief in our shared vision have meant the world to me, and I am forever grateful.”
He added, “I want to congratulate Jimmy Patronis on his victory. While we do not always agree, I hope his political relationship with President Trump outlasts this cycle’s endorsement and turns into a true partnership to move this country forward.”
The Special Election will be on April 1. Patronis faces Democrat Gay Valimont, No Party Affiliate candidate Stephen Broden and four write-in candidates—Richard Dembinsky, Stanley Gray, Jonathan Green and Stan McDaniels.
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