Not content in trying to put his own puppets in political office, which he miserably failed at last year anyway, automobile industry mogul Norman Braman is now endorsing candidates for local party leadership.
District committeeman Emmanuel “Manny” Roman, who is credited with getting the Miami-Dade Republican Party to condemn the Dolphins Stadium deal and is now suddenly up for vice president of the local GOP in tonight’s vote, has been officially blessed by Braman. And this, for some reason, is trumpeted as a good thing expected to sway votes.
“I’m proud of patriot Manny Roman who was endorsed by multi-billionaire Norman Braman,” posted party activist Hector Roos on the Republican Party of Miami-Dade’s facebook page. “We need people who have influence and interest in our community to back our efforts of expanding the reach of the Party and contributing to its success.
“Manny is bringing such people into the Party’s sphere of influence. Go Manny!”
Not everyone is drinking the Kool-Aid, however.
Fellow political blogger Christian Camara, who writes the right-leaning Reaganista blog, is apparently not a fan.
“I congratulate Manny Roman on his new found conversion to Republicanism. However, just because someone recently joined the congregation, doesn’t mean they’re ready to be preacher,” Camara wrote. “Just saying.”
To which, Roos responded: “How much time is enough? Ronald Reagan was preaching to vast crowds in support of Barry Goldwater for President within a year of changing his party registration. When the message is right, the preacher is right! Manny has been a Republican longer than Reagan when he started his advocacy… Read your history. A Time for Choosing was given in 1964 after a year on the road in support of Goldwater. Reagan became a Republican in 1962.”
Apparently, Roman, 27, was once a Democrat who helped President Barack Obama in 2008. He also worked on the local primary campaign for Ron Paul and helped orchestrate last year’s near takeover of the local party by libertarian-leaning Paul supporters — losing only by two votes. He became a Republican in 2010. And, while he also seems to have support of the college Republican club leaders, he is going up against lifetime Republican Bryan Avila, a 28-year-old that teaches English at Miami Dade College and sits on Hialeah’s planning and zoning and scholarship committees (already suspicious right there).
Roxanne Greene, a noted Republican from Hialeah (and former girlfriend of “Great Corruptor” Alberto San Pedro) sent out a blast email that pointed out Roman voted for and contributed to Barack Obama in 2008, that he became a Republican less than two years ago and that he “DID NOT VOTE in the 2012 general election!”
He called the financial advisor “a fresh breeze in stale air. He’s up-and-coming. … [He] gives me a wonderful feeling as far as the future is concerned. Roman is a successful business person and he would be a great asset as vice chair of the party.”
I don’t know about you, but Ladra hears sirens. Like a warning alert.
Norman Braman now meddles with local GOP leadership added by Ladra on
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