The latest pro-Will Newton flier is out today. Targeted voters in St. Petersburg received a mailer paid for by the Council for Stronger Neighborhoods advocating on behalf of Newton. He’s running for St. Petersburg City Council, District 7.
The mail shows a smiling picture of Newton next to the bullet points, “involved,” “knowledgeable,” and “prepared.”
“Will Newton … has a solid resume of public service,” the address side of the mail quotes from a Sept. 28 article in The Tampa Tribune endorsing Newton.
The paper had endorsed Newton’s opponent, Lisa Wheeler-Brown, during the Primary Election, but rescinded its backing after reports of potential campaign finance violations emerged.
The words “Will Newton, proven leadership” line the bottom.
The other side is headed with the statement, “Will Newton – a proven leader ready to keep fighting for St. Pete.”
Newton’s former opponent, Aaron Sharpe, is quoted endorsing Newton for the seat.
“Will has the … experience with City Hall and the budget, he has the skill set, the demeanor, and the ability to understand the complexities of the issues,” Sharpe’s quote reads under the statement that “Will knows the problems we face.”
The mailer also lauds Newton for knowing “how to get the job done.” The mailer references a SaintPetersblog article by this reporter highlighting Newton’s candidacy shortly after he entered the race.
“He has plenty of experience working with lawmakers to get things done,” the excerpt reads. It’s referring to Newton’s experience as a union negotiator in Tallahassee.
That skill has been called into question by the Wheeler-Brown campaign because there were three years as a negotiator for the city firefighter’s union where negotiations were not met.
But the mailer claims Newton has “the record to back it up.”
“His life’s work demonstrates his commitment to making our neighborhoods safer,” reads a quote from State Rep. Kathleen Peters who endorsed Newton.
The bottom of the mail asks voters to call him and “thank him for serving us so faithfully.”
The race between Newton and Wheeler-Brown has been heated. Wheeler-Brown came under fire for questionable campaign finance activity and careless reporting errors.
Meanwhile, her campaign contends Newton should be further scrutinized for a $32,000 tax lien that was paid off by Newton in 2012. The campaign has only given vague explanations about how Newton racked up such a large tax bill. They say it’s the result of 1099 work as an independent contractor for the city firefighter union.
The two face each other at the polls Nov. 3.
