Matthew Falconer for Orange County Mayor won a straw poll in a landslide on Saturday at a candidate forum. The Supervisor of Elections conducted a poll with all Mayoral candidates on the official ballot. I won 73.3% of the vote while all six of my opponents collected only 26% of the vote combined. Only Marco Rubio had more votes (277) to Matthew Falconer (242). Below are the official results;

http://www.teapartypatriotslive.com/2010/02/13/orlando-tea-party-candidate-hob-nob-straw-poll-results/

What is clear from the vote is taxpayers are fed up with government of career politicians serving special interests. The Mayoral opposition candidates on the ballot included four incumbent commissioners with 28 years of “experience.” All four commissioners voted in unison for the taxpayer funded arena, corporate welfare programs, and the $3 billion commuter rail program they still do not know how we are going to pay for. None of the opposition candidates managed 9% of the vote.

In what may be the truest statement in the local media all year, Jane Healy from the Orlando Sentinel said Teresa Jacobs “might be in the wrong party.” I have called Teresa “Pelosi” the most liberal Republican in Florida, see the column below.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-jane-healy-column-021410-20100212,0,3501971.column

I also received an email on Sunday that Mildred Fernandez is on her fifth campaign manager in as many months. The email stated “The Spanish community feels abandoned by her; they think she only wants to deal with rich white folks.” I have heard that statement many times in the past few months.
It is clear the era of “progressive” Republicans, or Republicans in Name Only, is over. I call on my “republican” opponents, Mildred and Teresa, to withdraw from this race and help me defeat the fiscally irresponsible Bill Segal-bama.

With your help, this will be the “Year of the Taxpayer.” Please join me at our precinct walk Saturday February 20th  at 9am in East Orange County (by the Chipotle on Alafaya). We will knock on 700 doors and get out our message of lower taxes and more responsible government. It is time for the taxpayers to get off the couch and take back their government.

There are now five candidates for Orange County Mayor but only two choices; Matthew Falconer who will put Taxpayers First, and all of the rest who will put their special interests first.