FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – There has been drama and allegations of deception in a South Florida State Senate race.
Democratic voters in the southwest Broward County district have a choice of three primary candidates, but one campaign is distributing a list that eliminates her opponents.
In the sea of signs and campaign ads to incoming voters, an “Official Democratic Voting Guide” distributed by candidate Barbara Sharief’s campaign to voters lists only her name for District 35′s Democratic primary.
The two other omitted candidates Rodney Jacobs and Chad Klitzman raised alarms.
“That is unfortunate and misleading,” said Jacobs.
“So deceptive to voters that doesn’t say the whole story,” added Klitzman.
Klitzman complained to party leaders, and on that day in late July, the complaints went all the way up the chain to the state party leader.
“Within the course of about five hours, it was resolved,” said Klitzman. “The card that was blasted out to the full email list for the Broward Democratic Party included all three of us.”
“I don’t know why people do the things they do here in politics,” said Jacobs.
The official guide now lists all three candidates on paper and on the county party’s website.
But Sharief’s campaign is distributing the short-lived, incomplete first version with only her name.
Her attorney said the Broward Democratic Party gave her permission to do so.
Broward Democratic Party Chair Rick Hoye did not respond to a request to confirm that.
This Week In South Florida