If you don't live here in Central Florida, you might be wondering, "why should I support to a campaign that is not in my district?" The answer is simple. As a member of the Republican leadership in the House, Adam "Howdy Doody" Putnam will be the obstructionist in chief to anything President Obama is trying to accomplish. Putnam's role in the House doesn't just impact FL-12, it impacts all working families throughout the nation. The result of the FL-12 race has an effect on all of us! We need your help to get Doug Tudor elected to Congress in Florida's 12th District!


Howdy Doody is the nickname given to Adam Putnam, the third ranking Republican in Congress, and the current Representative for Florida's 12th District. Another nickname he's been called is "Opie," after the adorable son of Sheriff Andy Taylor played by Ron Howard on the the fondly remembered Andy Griffth Show.

What do you think about Adam Putnam? Is he the adorable Opie Taylor, who always does the right thing after learning lessons from his father, Sheriff Taylor? Or is he Howdy Doody, a puppet for the Republican Party?

Do you want to see Putnam re-elected to Congress for another term? Do you want him to have the opportunity to be the obstructionist in chief to anything President Obama is trying to accomplish? Do you really want to see another "Opie Won" picture after the election on November 4?

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Adam Putnam seems to be fixated on Nancy Pelosi. First he unapologetically lied about her travel arrangements after the 2006 elections that elevated her to Speaker of the House. Now he tries to convince his soon-to-be ex-constituents that his opponent in the District 12 race is not enough like them and more like the Other people that Frank Rich so eloquently described in his Sunday column.

Doug Tudor is a man of all the people. Unlike Adam Putnam, Doug Tudor has served his country honorably for 20 years in the US Navy doing things Adam Putnam only knows how to vote to send others to do. Doug Tudor gave up the security of his Naval career to challenge Adam Putnam for his seat in Congress in 2008. Let's make sure he succeeds in his quest!

Previously, in a candidate summary at Lakeland's newspaper, The Ledger, Putnam's quote about his opponent stated:

I respect my opponent's past military service. Politically, however, I think he's running in the wrong district. He is more in step with Nancy Pelosi and her San Francisco district than with our Polk County values.

Incumbent Leaves Nothing to Chance

Another Polk County newspaper, Winter Haven's News Chief, published separate articles about the candidates on Sunday. The article about Putnam reveals:

Though Polk County, the greatest slice of the District 12, historically has more registered Democrats than Republicans, Putnam said the views of his Democratic opponent, U.S. Navy retiree Doug Tudor, aren't in sync with the more conservative residents of the district, regardless of party.

"My opponent is more like the (Nancy) Pelosi model of national Democrat rather than the Lawton Chiles- or Spessard Holland-model Democrat from Polk County," Putnam said.

Putnam says economy, energy are top priorities

District 12 Voters won't be fooled by Adam Putnam's desperate attempts to characterize Doug Tudor and Nancy Pelosi as people that are not like them. Doug Tudor is a Progressive Democrat and exactly the type of person we need to elect as a true representative of the people! All you have to do is talk to him for a few minutes, or read what those who know him have to say about him, to be convinced.

As it turns out, Nancy Pelosi, is not necessarily a big fan of Adam Putnam, either. In a March 2007 New York Times article that extols Putnam's abilities as a leader in the Republican Party, comments from Pelosi's office were not very flattering:

"I think in the minority, the challenge is to get noticed," Mr. Putnam said in an interview. "In a presidential election cycle, the novelty of a new Democratic majority, the historical nature of a woman speaker, it becomes very hard to be heard above all the noise."

His tactics, however, have earned him the enmity of the speaker's office, as well as others who accuse him of partisan showboating.

"It is up to Congressman Putnam's constituents to decide if he is an effective representative," said Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for Ms. Pelosi, "but a key question to ask is whether his priorities are delivering for his district, helping our troops in Iraq and our veterans, or trying to get his name in the newspaper by resorting to cheap partisan tactics and over-the-top rhetoric. Unfortunately, the latter seems to be the case."

A Fresh Face Vows to Revive the G.O.P.

The News Chief article goes on to explain:

As a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and a member of the subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, Putnam said he sponsored legislation in 2002 and 2004 when the financial dealings of national mortgage buyers Freddie Mac and Fannie May [sic] were in question.

"I wanted to put it (Fannie Mae) under a real regulator and release executive compensation, but there were not enough votes (in Congress to pass)," Putnam said. "The prevailing pressure in Congress at that time was to up the homeownership to the record levels for minorities and single women. Lenders were pushed to give credit loans to less credit-worthy borrowers."

Putnam says economy, energy are top priorities

Isn't that special? Adam Putnam wanted to pass legislation to regulate financial dealings of national mortgage buyers in 2002 and 2004. A funny thing happened back in 2004. The Bush Administration had other ideas, and the Republican-controlled, rubber-stamp Congress that Adam Putnam was a part of, did nothing to exercise oversight and stop the deregulation:

So in recent months, two of the nation's four bank regulators -- the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, both headed by Bush appointees -- have published formal proposals seeking to reduce the number of banks subject to the law. Under the proposal, only banks with $1 billion in assets would have to comply, meaning that 1,100 smaller banks would be subject to less scrutiny. The thrift office has already put its proposal into effect; the F.D.I.C. is a few months away from acting, although today is the deadline for public comment on the plan.

The two other bank regulators -- the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Board -- appear inclined to loosen their rules as well.

The F.D.I.C. proposal alone would mean that the number of banks required to comply with the toughest provisions of the law would drop to 227 from 1,138. In New York, the number is estimated to decline to 20 out of 81; in New Jersey, 12 out of 76. Some states, like Minnesota, New Mexico, Idaho and West Virginia, are projected to drop to zero.

U.S. Set to Alter Rules for Banks Lending to Poor, October 20, 2004

We learn even more from Down With Tyranny:

Putnam's subcommittee also "oversees the Securities and Exchange Commission and self-regulatory organizations, such as the New York Stock Exchange and the NASD, that police the securities markets." What did he do? He became the subcommittee's #1 advocate for the irresponsible deregulation that has brought the country to the brink of financial collapse. Putnam led the charge to wreck the federal regulatory agencies that have been carefully put in place to protect the middle class and society at large from the kinds of powerful financial predators who he has been taking bribes "donations" from.

This year alone Putnam has taken a whopping $298,340 from the industry that finances insurance and real estate, $40,000 from the securities and investment industry, $35,150 from commercial banks, $30,940 from sleazy lobbyists, $24,050 from shady "miscellaneous" finance operations, $18,000 from finance and credit companies, and another $12,500 from mortgage bankers and brokers. Just this year alone he's taken in close to half a million dollars from the very industries he's supposed to be providing with oversight. That is the definition of corruption. And that alone is why the DCCC should be pounding him.

Why Does The DCCC Allow Adam Putnam To Waltz To Re-election Without Lifting A Finger?

As much as Adam Putnam would like to paint himself as a hero during the financial crisis that is hitting our country, citizens of District 12 aren't buying it!

When Adam Putnam first ran for Congress, he said "I am one of you." In 2000 he was worth $781,000. In 2006, Adam Putnam's estimated fortune had climbed to $7.9 Million.



Senior citizens who have watched their savings evaporate are angry at Adam Putnam for voting on the bailout package. They blame Adam Putnam for his contribution in creating the financial crisis in the first place! They recognize that he his part of the problem. They are going to hold Adam Putnam accountable at the polls! As Swing State Project sees it:

Senior citizens (aka: those that lost large investments courtesy of Putnam tailoring the Republican agenda) compose a large percentage of the population within the district. Lakeland, the stomping ground of former Governor Lawton Chiles, is the epicenter of the district. To Howdy Doody's disadvantage, Democrats have a 20,000 voter registration advantage over Republicans. However, to his advantage, or to the dismay of Polk County Democrats, a strong Democratic challenger had not stepped forward to challenge Howdy Doody. Democrat Doug Tudor has attacked Putnam for vacationing in Nantucket, yet with very few funds in the bank, Tudor will have a hard time getting his message out. His only hope, which is probable due to Putnam's position in the Republican caucus, is to hope that Democrats and independents vote against Putnam, thereby giving Tudor their vote.

Adam "Howdy Doody" Putnam (FL-12th)

This year a strong Democratic challenger has stepped forward! With your help, Doug Tudor can get his message out to the voters of District 12! Polk County residents learned more about Doug Tudor in Winter Haven's News Chief companion article to the one published about Adam Putnam on Sunday.

"The bottom line is, I just got fed up," said Tudor, 46, who settled in Hillsborough County after retiring in February from the U.S. Navy. He finished his career as a master chief petty officer, the Navy's top enlisted rank, and served as an aide to the commander of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

Tudor argued that his opponent in the Nov. 4 general election, Republican incumbent Adam Putnam of Bartow, has been more a follower than a leader in Congress.

"Adam Putnam voted 98.7 percent of the time with his party over the eight-year period," Tudor said, referring to the incumbent's career in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"I will not vote along any party lines because I owe them (the Democratic Party leaders) nothing, I haven't received any contributions or support from the Democratic Party," Tudor said. "I will reflect back to my military experience to be true to self, ethical and speak truth to power."

Tudor says district needs a fresh face in Congress

My husband was listening to Jerry Hughes on Accent Radio Network yesterday afternoon. A caller commented that he was voting for Doug Tudor, and Jerry Hughes responded "I am too." Jerry Hughes broadcasts from here in Lakeland, and promotes Republican candidates, but he's voting for Democrat, Doug Tudor! This is not unusual. There are a lot of Republicans in District 12 supporting Doug Tudor, and with a 20,000 registered Democrats advantage, Doug Tudor can win!

Below are things you can do to help Doug Tudor in his bid to unseat Adam Putnam!

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ASK THE THE DCCC TO SUPPORT DOUG TUDOR

Please take a few minutes to either call or write to the DCCC:

Who to Contact: Brett Wask at the DCCC

Phone Number: Office:(202) 863-1500; Cell:(202)607-1595

email Address: wask@dccc.org.

What to Say (Politely): "Please support Doug Tudor in FL-12 and get involved in the campaign to restore representative democracy to Central Florida."

It is not necessary to go into long explanations as to why. We just want Brett to get hundreds of calls saying the same thing.

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WATCH, AND ASK YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA TO WATCH, THE DEBATE BETWEEN DOUG TUDOR AND ADAM PUTNAM TONIGHT!

What: Debate between Doug Tudor and Adam Putnam

Where: PBS WEDU, Channel 3

When: 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 28!

If you can't meet Doug Tudor in person, this is your opportunity to watch him make his case!

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MEET DOUG TUDOR

What: Meet and Greet DOUG TUDOR, Democratic Nominee for the
U.S. House of Representatives, Florida's 12th Congressional District

When: Sunday, November 2, 2008, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Where: 301 Hernando Road, Winter Haven, FL

RSVP: 863-318-9905

Dessert / Refreshments Served

Donations are Appreciated, but are Not Required

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DONATE TO DOUG TUDOR'S CAMPAIGN IN FLORIDA DISTRICT 12

If you don't live here in Central Florida, you might be wondering, "why should I support a campaign that is not in my district?" The answer is simple. As a member of the Republican leadership in the House, Adam "Howdy Doody" Putnam will be the obstructionist in chief to anything President Obama is trying to accomplish. Putnam's role in the House doesn't just impact FL-12, it impacts all working families throughout the nation. The result of the FL-12 race has an effect on all of us!

If you are able, Please Contribute to Doug Tudor for Congress. Any amount is greatly appreciated. Every dollar puts Doug closer to victory in his race against Adam Putnam.

I sincerely believe that Doug Tudor, a man who has dedicated his life to this great country through his actions and deeds, not just words, deserves our support. He's so close to the ultimate goal of financial support from the DCCC. We can make a difference!

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Be sure to stop by and post a comment in Doug Tudor's Diary at DailyKos and let him know you support his Campaign for Congress against Adam "Howdy Doody" Putnam!