Florida GOP chairman Lenny Curry did not mince words when asked by Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times for his thoughts about Dan Tucker, the Pinellas GOP state committeeman who joked online about fellow Republican John Morroni’s struggle with cancer.
Curry said Tucker’s comments were “reprehensible” and that “he’s become a distraction to the ability of the local party to do its job.” Still, Curry stopped short of saying Tucker should resign and noted the party has a grievance process for punishing elected party leaders, Smith writes.
Tucker created a firestorm in local political circles when he took to social media to criticize Morroni’s endorsement of St. Petersburg City Council candidate Darden Rice. Local politico Joe Triolo highlighted on Facebook an article from the Tampa Tribune discussing Morroni’s endorsement of Rice. In response to this, Tucker wrote, “Doesn’t he have cancer of the brain… hmmm?”
Earlier this week, the executive board of the Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee unanimously called on Tucker to step down as State Committeeman, but he refuses to do so. “They’re going to have to kick me out,” Tucker told reporter Danielle Paquette.
