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Broxson, Hill Senate Race Turns Nasty
August 14, 2016
Four months ago, state Reps. Doug Broxson and Mike Hill said they were friends who intended to run a “civil” race for our local Senate seat.
But weeks before the Aug. 30 primary that will almost certainly determine the winner of the Senate District 1 seat, the gloves are off in a brutal battle to replace outgoing Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker.
The Senate district, which includes Santa Rosa, Escambia and portions of Okaloosa counties, abuts the Alabama border in one of the most conservative regions of the state.
Hill, 58, joined the Florida House in a special election in 2013. Broxson, 67, of Gulf Breeze, was elected to the House in 2010.
As with most Republican candidates in the Panhandle, Broxson and Hill are closely aligned on the issues. They’re both pro-guns and anti-abortion. They favor tax cuts and oppose the president’s health care overhaul known as “Obamacare.” They’re against illegal immigration and Common Core.
Professionally, the lawmakers are also connected: They’re both in the insurance business. And both men even attended the same church at one point.
But with absentee ballots already in the mail and early voting starting Monday in Santa Rosa County, the race has taken a nasty tone.
Hill is painting Broxson as a “liberal” who is “colluding with Tallahassee special interests” in his election effort.
Broxson’s campaign is accusing Hill of fraud regarding a homestead exemption he claims on a home in Pensacola.
In recent interviews, both men blamed each other for the mudslinging.
“When someone carelessly paints you different than you are, and knows that his voting record is almost identical to yours, it takes time and energy to kind of unravel that image. That’s what we’re doing. It’s unfortunate,” Broxson said.
Hill has branded Broxson as a liberal for supporting a $250 million economic incentives package — one of Gov. Rick Scott’s top priorities — that died in the Legislature during the session that ended in March. Broxson was also targeted by the Koch brothers-backed group Americans for Prosperity for voting for the incentives package.
Broxson joined Scott, who is overwhelmingly popular with voters in the area, in Gulf Breeze earlier this month at a jobs-related press conference. At the event, Scott, who hasn’t endorsed either candidate, praised Broxson for his efforts in helping to create jobs.
Broxson, who has outraised Hill by about a 2-to-1 margin, has the support of the Florida Chamber of Commerce — which gave both legislators an “A” grade for the 2016 session — and a political committee that has paid for mailers, radio and television ads critical of Hill’s opposition to the economic incentives package.
Hill, a veteran whose grandfather and father also served in the military and whose son is a Marine, is a tea party activist who is black but who quickly corrects anyone — including MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, who hails from Pensacola — who refers to him as “African-American.”
“I’m not African-American. I’m an American,” Hill says.
Broxson’s campaign has raised questions about Hill’s residence. Hill receives a homestead exemption for a home in Pensacola, but is registered to vote at a Pensacola Beach condo, which is also the address used on his financial disclosure form, according to documents provided by Broxson’s campaign.
When asked about the homestead exemption issue, Hill responded with a text message accusing “Dirty Doug Broxson” and his supporters of stopping “at nothing to try to destroy my conservative values.”
“I don’t know what that means. How can you destroy someone’s conservative values? I’m not out to destroy anybody. What is he talking about? He’s running an ad that says I’m a liberal,” Broxson said.
Hill also said in the text message that he has not been notified of any complaint from the property appraiser, “but will review it” if it should arise.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Comments
18 Responses to “Broxson, Hill Senate Race Turns Nasty”
The only mudslinging I’ve seen is the relentless attack on Hill by the Conservative Leadership Fund. Their mailers are misleading at best and deceptive at worst. If Broxon was really such a “stand up guy” he would denounce these ads. For this PAC to be throwing so much money into defeating Hill you have to wonder why. There must be special interests who want Broxon elected really bad. I get tired of seeing the local “big money guys” get anything they want (building their house IN Escambia Bay (Levin) or getting a taxpayer funded stadium (Studer)). I’m voting for Mike Hill. (BTW, I’m not related to him or campaigning for him. I’m just a voter.)
I guess I missed something. I don’t see where Mr Broxson was mudslinging; however, Mr Hill accuses Broxson of being a liberal. Sounds like Hill is feeling desperate. Mr. Broxson’s voting record speaks for itself that he is not a liberal. He is also not part of the “establishment,” and ALL politicians are not liars – because I have known Mr. Broxson for years and he is not a liar! Mr. Broxson is a Christain man that genuinely cares about others! You won’t regret it if you vote for Mr. Broxson!
John Broxson is a devoted politician that cares about the people.
Ok, when I was in high school, I had the hots for Broxson’s daughter (allot of us young bucks did). Then later in life, I taught the son of Mr. Hill. So I know both of these men. They’re both good men and I absolutely HATE to see them flinging mud at each other. I wish that they would just stop it. The way things are going, I will probably support Mr. Hill, simply because I think he is less connected to the local business cronyism that runs up and down this area. Not that Broxson is polluted…I just think Mr. Hill is more forceful and more of a force to be reckoned with in that regard. Again, both are fine gentlemen and I wish them both luck.
I know Mr. Broxson is a Very Good MAN !!!!
@Slockman…When I first voted for Hill, I didn’t even know he was black. In a white majority district, this fact might be used to one’s advantage, but I would think that it would need to be done with some subtly. Now a days, a person can’t just say, are you white folks going to vote for this black guy? It might be possible to use imagery, a photo, or just a text statement to inform us about race and let some latent thoughts do the rest. The image that I can’t get out of my head is the one with the two black faces of Hill and Obama joined together in one of the attack mailers.
I do think that Broxson will be constantly helping you in Santa Rosa. The writer of the article was right on target by mentioning Broxson’s efforts to create jobs in Gulf Breeze in Santa Rosa. This is where Broxson hails from, but it also makes me suspicious, being from Pensacola in Escambia, as when I think of Gulf Breeze, I think of a rich place where some are not above poaching jobs from Pensacola and not above putting a major bridge project benefiting the entire community at risk. I could be swayed, I could still vote Broxson, however I would like his public pledge that he is going to work for Pensacola and Escambia as hard as he is going to work for Gulf Breeze and Santa Rosa. So if you are from Santa Rosa, especially Gulf Breeze, yes, vote for Broxson, I think it’s a no brainer to vote for Broxson as he is going to bring home the bacon for y’all over there. If you are from Pensacola or elsewhere in Escambia wait until Broxson makes a commitment to us too.
Doug Broxson has my vote! There is a reason a good man raises so much money. People trust him. I trust him. I have small children and I know he is working to keep Florida conservative and safe for their future. Mike Hill is so far right that he alienated himself in Tallahasse accomplishing little.
> I am glad to see Mr. Hill acknowledge that he is an American. Is he leaving his family his and African American history behind?
> Broxson’s history of service to his Christian beliefs, community services and professional integrity is a lifestyle based on his Santa Rosa county upbringing. The son of two incredible parents, they laid the foundation for each of their children’s success. Doug is not a black sheep to our community or state politics. He knows how to get things done for the families and children in the Florida panhandle, while maintaining his personal principles and the conservative principles of the residence of the Florida Panhandle.
> Broxson will has not turned his back on the panhandle. Hill, however, has shut the door on his effectiveness through his actions or lack thereof as a State Representative. Why would we want to put an uneffective Hill in the Florida Senate as our Senator. Broxson has my VOTE!
Thanks to the News Service of Florida for the writing the article, but I did have a few comments about it:
-The article mentions the Koch brothers-backed group Americans for Prosperity, but I not seen one political item attributed to this group during this race. However, the Conservative Leadership Fund, evidently the “political committee” referenced (with the apparent preponderance of attack mailers and tv ads in the race) was not named and its location not provided. If the writer of this article had mentioned the Fund’s location, Tallahassee, Mr. Hill’s argument of “Tallahassee special interests” would have made more sense.
–In the article, Broxson says that he and Hill had virtually the same record. My concern wasn’t mentioned, that some of the Conservative Leadership Fund attack mailers used House voting records as proof that Hill had done bad things. When I checked three of these votes, Broxson had voted exactly the same on those votes. I guess they figured no one was ever going to check the record.
-That Broxson has also branded Hill as being against jobs wasn’t mentioned and the article doesn’t really explain the failure of the $250 million economic incentives package. Since I got an attack mailer from the Conservative Leadership Fund, I was able to at least partially look-up events. This was actually voted on the House of Representatives where Broxson and Hill currently reside. The vote initially was 114 Yeas 0 Nays then 6 minutes later it still passed but the vote was 79 Yeas 39 Nays. What changed that 39 representatives (including Hill) decided to vote against it? The bill later died in Senate committee. Why? I would be interested to know what happened, but it sure looks like Hill didn’t stop this “jobs initiative” bill.
Why did he see the need to bring up his race ? Also ALL politicians are liars. they just say what they need to so the sheep to follow them. ,, I personally will note vote for either ,, one main reason insurance is the biggest rip off and both theses are in it. Hmmm.
How about their talking about how they will improve our way of life. I am fed up with hearing how rotten the candidate running against them is. I don’t mean just these two, I mean all of them. It’s hard enough to explain to children why they should not be bullies, then they see and hear adults acting like this!
Voting for Broxon is just another vote for capital cronyism. I will be voting for a true conservative, Mr Mike Hill!
Broxon is part of the “established elite”. He will not get my vote. Hill appears to be more sincere in representing us, instead of himself!
Mike Hill is a veteran. He attends and supports many veteran programs in the area. I don’t recall ever seeing Doug Broxon at any of the events I have attended. So for that reason alone Mike Hill will get this veteran’s vote.
Ever since Mr. Hill has came on the political scene in our district I’ve gained great respect for him. He came to Century after the Tornado dressed to help as our own Commissioner District 5 came in dress slacks and tie no intentions of helping. I have heard with my own ears Mr. Hill take a stand on a National Talk Show (Cross Talk) against abortions and transgender and not ashamed of his stand. I like this guy!
Politics: The only plus I got out of this read is Mr. Hill calling himself an American. If born in the USA the birth certificate read American. Not Asian-American, African-American or any other—-YOU are American!!! Your heritage can be cleared in conversation……………..or other reports. But you are American First.
One has to wonder why so much money and energy is spent on a part time, low paying elected position.
“…the gloves are off in a brutal battle…”
now THAT’s some fine political journalism, I don’t care WHO you are, with apologies to Larry the Cable Guy.