Tales from the Mark Side: The Conservative Voice in Manatee County

President Trump endorses Vern Buchanan and so do I. Here’s why

As the Conservative movement continues to steam full speed ahead, we have to be careful not to miss the forest for the trees.

What that saying ultimately means is to put yourself in a position where someone doesn’t understand the bigger picture because one is too caught up in the smaller moment.

That has been the case for some in the primary race for the 16th Congressional District, held by Vern Buchanan since 2013.

Martin Hyde is challenging Buchanan in the August primary for a chance to win the seat in November. Hyde has strategically taken advantage of Donald Trump’s red-meat popularity, but it’s time to pull the car over, take a breath and appreciate the beauty of the trees we already have.

I have nothing against Hyde. In fact, I like the guy for the most part and he’s a journalist’s dream candidate for his unfiltered approach to politics.

But I don’t vote as a journalist. I vote as a constituent and pick the candidate that best serves my political philosophies.

In short, I practice what I preach about voting policy over personality and while the left may fall into their own trap of voting for the loudest candidate, as a Conservative, I know loud doesn’t equal competence.

Hyde has been trying to find his way into a political office for some time now and there are reasons why he has not found success. His somewhat recent brush with law enforcement is one of them.

It’s not so much about making a mistake, because we all do. It’s more about the way he put himself above law enforcement, but that’s just part of the problem.

Buchanan, on the other hand, is misunderstood by red-meat Republicans simply because he has proven himself to be someone who prefers to put his head down and get to work rather than grandstanding in the spotlight.

I was surprised a couple of summers ago during Trump’s Save America rally in Sarasota at the very lukewarm reception Buchanan received when Trump endorsed and introduced him to the crowd.

I knew then that Buchanan’s work in Congress, as well as all he has been able to accomplish for Manatee and Sarasota counties was severely under appreciated.

Having followed Buchanan’s politics as a journalist and a Conservative since his second year in office, I know he’s the rare politician who serves the people and not his own ego.

The fact is, Buchanan certainly doesn’t need the pains of politics to make a living, and he quietly does more than anyone will ever know for the community, charities and individuals.

I know some of the things he has done, but he doesn’t want the attention or recognition. He helps people the same way he goes about the work of politics: with a quiet integrity that contradicts the boisterous self-involved political loud mouths that infest the D.C. swamp.

Unfortunately, for Buchanan, his quiet, hard-working style of politics doesn’t get him the press he deserves. On top of that, he has the obstacle of a liberal press that doesn’t want to acknowledge his efforts because the liberal press disagrees with his pro-American values.

Buchanan is about as pro-law enforcement and pro-veteran as they come.

Buchanan is currently leading the efforts to pass the “Thin Blue Line Act,” which will ensure that anyone who kills a law enforcement officer receives the full consequences that the law allows.

In the age of the left’s crazy “defund the police” movement and this horrendous left-wing attack on those who protect us, Buchanan loves and respects our law enforcement agencies.

It’s the same for veterans. Buchanan was able to get the Department of Defense to reform its military training procedures after the tragic and unnecessary death of Bradenton Army Specialist Nicholas Panipinto.

I watched firsthand this process in action as both a journalist who covered the story and as a veteran. I also know that Buchanan attends every Veterans Day ceremony as possible in the area as a tremendous show of support.

Buchanan loves our veterans and law enforcement and has backed up that love with political action. I’ll take action over talk any day.

When Republicans take back the House in November, Buchanan will likely become the chair of the House Ways & Means Committee.

Only the diligent political junkies will understand the importance of this committee. As Chair, Buchanan will lead the charge in battling the Biden administration’s tax-and-spend policies that have led to the current economic disaster in America.

In short, every lunatic spending bill Biden attempts to get through Congress will have to go through the committee with fiscally Conservative Buchanan at the helm.

In shorter short (if that’s an actual term) Biden’s spending spree will come to an end.

I’d support Buchanan with or without Trump’s endorsement, but the fact that Trump did endorse him should tell you that policies are more important than emotion.

“Congressman Vern Buchanan is a terrific representative of the people of Florida,” Trump said about Buchanan. “He is working hard to lower our taxes, grow our economy, support our military and vets, protect our seniors, and defend our Second Amendment. Vern has my complete and total endorsement.”

Buchanan has done more for this community and American values than can be told in this space. I preach a lot about not being fooled by the noise.

If you are going to sacrifice quiet quality for noisy incompetence, then Buchanan isn’t your guy. I watched Hyde’s popularity grow because he has the gift of gab and said all the right things at various rallies.

But saying one thing and doing another is a different matter. Hyde chose the, “Do you know who I am?” approach when confronting a Sarasota law enforcement officer.

That ended any interest I may have had in Hyde, but we also found out that Hyde once called Trump supporters, “wretched and bigots.”

It’s easy to attach yourself to a bandwagon after the fact. It’s like if the New York Mets go on to win the World Series this year. The seats will be packed, thousands will buy Mets gear for the first time in their lives and tens of thousands will suddenly proclaim themselves “lifelong Mets fans.”

Well that’s just old-fashioned bull crap, and so is any politician who tries to attach themselves to a growing movement they vehemently denigrated before it became popular.

Again, I have nothing against Hyde and I would like to see what he could actually do at the local political level. But as they say, I don’t think he’s ready for prime time.

He simply hasn’t proven himself yet as the red-meat Conservative he proclaims himself to be.

In the meantime, Buchanan is a proven Conservative.

Buchanan has my endorsement for multiple reasons. If you are on the fence, then I’ll simply put forward one last statement: If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

As always my fellow Patriots, stay vigilant, stay aware and more importantly, stay informed.

mark.young@manateeherald.com