After two weeks of silence, Vice Mayor David Sturges on Friday issued a denial of any involvement with a GOP attack operative's smear campaign against his opponent for election to the city commission.
Sturges, who is running for re-election for Seat 2 against Genece Minshew, has repeatedly ignored requests for comment from the Observer regarding three attack flyers against Minshew received by city voters.
The flyers, the most recent of which was received by voters on the first day of early voting Wednesday, are from GOP attack operative Stafford Jones, who lives in Gainesville.
The flyers wrongly cast Minshew as pro-development, and the latest mailer attacked her for being involved with the local LGBTQIA organization and activities with Democrats such as "taking dirty Democratic cash."
Sturges issued the denial to a limited audience of 350 followers on his Facebook page "David Sturges For Fernandina Beach City Commission Group 2." Sturges has blocked access to the page to some Facebook members. There are 8,000 voters in the city.
"It has come to my attention that a political committee has released an advertisement targeting my opponent. While these committees are allowed to participate in the political process, I want to reaffirm my commitment to running a clean and positive campaign.
"I want to make it clear that I have no control over others, or their messaging. My goal is to earn the trust of voters by focusing on solutions, not insults. I urge all groups involved in this race to do the same," Sturges wrote.
While Sturges issued the denial, a review of state records and published reports show his campaign involvement with Jones and Alexander Pantinakis.
Jones, the former chair of Alachua County Republican Party, is involved in more than 175 Political Action Committees contributing millions of dollars to disrupt local election campaigns.
State elections reports show that Sturges is directly linked to Jones through a Jacksonville company On Target Messaging run by Pantinakis, a Republican political strategist.
Pantinakis and Jones
Sturges reported spending $2,000 on Oct. 2 with On Target Messaging, and a Jones PAC called True Conservatives reported spending $230,000 with On Target Messaging since 2021.
Lloyd Brown, the former editorial page editor for the Florida Times Union, reported in 2023 that "Jones is connected to former mayor Lenny Curry and political consultants Tim Baker and Andrew Pantinakis."
Jones and Pantinakis joined forces earlier this year to work against grassroots candidates in contested Florida primaries. Pantinakis runs a Facebook page called Republicans Voter Alert that ran attack ad posts against opponents from Jones' PAC Serious Conservatives PC. That PAC also spent $18,000 with Pantinakis' On Target Messaging.
Pantinakis serves on the Republican Party of Florida as Political Director, and Jones sits on the Rules Committee.
Sturges would not comment to the Observer about his involvement or if he even knows Jones or Pantinakis.
Pantinakis offered this response about Sturges, "I'd refer you to public campaign finance records for that information. Beyond that, I don't have any interest in responding to your liberal blog, which doesn't seem particularly well read," he said.
Jones did not respond to requests for comment about his involvement with Sturges.
Jones has been involved in Nassau County and city elections dating to 2012.
A Jones PAC contributed to the state senate race of Aaron Bean, now a U.S. Congressman.
Two Jones PACs are helping to fund the current re-election of Mayor Bradley Bean, the congressman's son. Bradley Bean also received Jones PAC money in 2020 and 2022 city elections.
City Commissioner Darron Ayscue contributed $2,500 to a Jones PAC this year.
Ocean Highway and Port Authority Commissioner Danny Fullwood received $1,000 from True Conservatives, a Jones PAC, in his failed bid for re-election last August.
City Commissioners Chip Ross and James Antun have denounced the attack tactics being used against Minshew. Bean and Ayscue have remained silent.
"Since the 2022 city commission election, the local Republican Party has had complete control of all government in Nassau County. The arrival of a third anti-Minshew mailer is a clear sign that the local Republican Party in Nassau County is terrified of losing their three-vote majority on the Fernandina Beach City Commission," Minshew said. "But I believe that the voters of this city are ready for a change and want a city commission that is focused on residents and not political agendas. I stand ready to be a city commissioner that is not bought and controlled by outsiders but speaks for and represents the interests of our local community."
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