Former Leon County Commissioner Bob Rackleff will officially launch his campaign for Congress on Sunday with a rally, concert and fundraiser in Tallahassee.
The “Rock and Rally for Rackleff,” featuring a number of local musical acts, will be held 1-4 p.m. at the American Legion Hall on Lake Ella. Suggested donations are $8 for students and $20 for everyone else.
Rackleff, a Democrat, acknowledges the uphill battle he faces against incumbent Rep. Neal Dunn, a Republican who won the seat in 2016 after redistricting put the 19-county district in solid GOP territory. He’s counting in part on a blue wave to win the district, which voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump and Dunn in 2016.
“It’s a long shot, of course,” said Rackleff, who served as a county commissioner from 1998 to 2010. “I know that. But I also grew up here. I moved to Tallahassee in 1952. So I know a lot of these voters. And I served in office and have a strong record of representing working families.”
Rackleff, 74, said he’s fed up with Dunn, a physician who he said has voted in lockstep with House Speaker Paul Ryan and President Donald Trump to undermine job creation and dismantle health care for working families.
“His vote last year to repeal the Affordable Care Act would have thrown 63,000 people in the 2nd District off of their health coverage,” he said. “And that’s an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. Of course, a few weeks later, he voted to defund the Congressional Budget Office. And I just hope he doesn’t practice medicine the same way he practices public policy, which is to ignore verifiable evidence.”
Rackleff said he would work to strengthen the ACA and bring decent jobs to the district. He opposes the massive Republican-backed tax cuts but said he would support tax cuts that help working families.
“We deserve someone who puts people above ideology, who will vote to advance the national interest, not his private financial interests, and to strengthen the vital safety net that so many North Floridians depend on,” he said in a news release.
Dunn said his record reflects his campaign promises, adding he doesn't plan to give up on any of those commitments.
"I’m particularly proud of the tax cuts we were able to get done," he said in an email. "We put money back in the hands of tax payers and we are seeing immediate economic growth as a result. Apple alone repatriated $252.3 billion dollars just this week, which is a little over one quarter of the entire stimulus plan under Obama Administration, and better yet this is private money not taxpayers money.”
Rackleff, a former naval intelligence officer, has worked as a speechwriter since 1974, with gigs in both the Carter and Obama administrations and with the chairman of Time, Inc. After three terms on the County Commission, he sought a fourth but bowed out after a second-place primary finish. He moved back to Tallahassee last year after spending several years in Washington, D.C. He's been campaigning full time since his return.
“The reason I moved back here from D.C. is I concluded Neal Dunn’s seat is one of those seats that party leadership was just giving away to Republicans,” he said. “And I didn’t want him to waltz back into office with just token opposition."
Speakers at the rally include his wife Esther Moring, his son Durward Rackleff, former Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell, Democratic Party activist Dianne Williams-Cox and musician Mike Rychlik. Performers include Bill Wharton, Grant Peeples, Belle and the Band, Belmont & Jones, Adventures of Anabelle Lyn, Labamba Brothers rhythm section and friends and The Rackleff for Congress Panhandle All Star Dance Band.
Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.