One of the these you hear repeated often about Bill Gunter, the Republican front-runner in the special election in House District 36, is that he’s a lot like the guy he wants to replace, Mike Fasano.
“If anyone can step up and fill the void that Mike [Fasano] left in the Florida House,” said Speaker Designate Richard Corcoran, “it is Bill Gunter. Like Mike, Bill is a dear friend whose life revolves around serving. I know he will be an authentic voice for the people of Pasco County,” said Corcoran.
In his endorsement of Gunter, Speaker Will Weatherford alluded to the legacy of leadership left by Fasano, “I know Bill will carry on the tradition of selfless service that this community has received.”
Okay, so Bill wants to be like Mike. If that’s really so, Gunter needs to be as open and as accessible as Fasano, who would not let twelve hours, much less twenty-four, pass before returning a reporter’s phone call.
In contrast to this, Gunter is playing hide-and-seek with Tampa Bay Times reporter Adam Smith. On Wednesday, Smith tweeted that Gunter “won’t respond to request to appear on Politcl Connectns (Political Connections).”
That doesn’t sound very Fasano-like.
C’mon, Bill, do the right thing. Call Smith back.
