Taking back Citrus County

By John Labriola - Citrus County has one of the most conservative voting populations in the state, but liberals have lately dominated our local government – bringing us higher taxes, wasteful special interest spending, and taxpayer-funded celebrations of the LGBT lifestyle. 

Much of the blame for this paradox can be laid at the feet of the liberal Citrus County Chronicle, which has helped shape the local political landscape by awarding its endorsements to the most liberal candidates in the county's critical biennial August primaries  – leading to the election of such infamous leftists as current County Commissioners Holly Davis and Ruthie Schlabach.

But if last month's primary elections are any indication, the Chronicle's days as kingmaker may be coming to an end, as all three Chronicle-endorsed candidates for County Commission and School Board were soundly rejected by the voters on Aug. 23. 

Much of the credit for this recent political awakening goes to new conservative online outlets like the Citrus Eagle and the Citrus Crusader, as well several local conservative clubs that stepped up their efforts this year to smoke out the liberals by forcing candidates to answer questions on fundamental values issues so voters could know where they stand before casting their ballots. 

But the Chronicle apparently hasn't gotten the message that its insidious influence is waning, because it continues to treat local candidates like aspiring employees who need to pass a job interview with the leftist publication instead of with the voters. 

As some of you may have heard, I have decided to run for Inverness City Council in the upcoming Nov. 8 election against liberal Councilman David Ryan, who is probably best known for his passionate support for LGBT propaganda displays in our public libraries. Last week, the Chronicle's executive editor Jeff Bryan called me to invite me to come in for an interview with the newspaper's editorial board to answer questions about my candidacy. I declined, telling him I have nothing to say to the anti-Christian liberal rag, which spent the last 15 months smearing critics of last year's "LGBT Pride Month" library displays as bigots and haters. 

If the Chronicle wants to report on what I stand for, it can visit my campaign Facebook page at fb.com/john4inverness, read my platform online, or listen to me speak at local political clubs over the next two months. But I'm not going to bend the knee to their editorial board and the leftist agenda they represent, because I don't want their endorsement.

So why am I running for Inverness City Council? Because our community's conservative Christian character is under attack by liberal elites who are actively working to undermine our values, and we need to fight back at every level of government – starting with our cities. I will oppose the radical LGBT and CRT indoctrination agendas in our libraries and HR departments and will work to make Inverness a Sanctuary for the Unborn by prohibiting abortion clinics from coming into the community. I will also be a voice for the taxpaying citizens in these inflationary times by rejecting higher taxes and wasteful spending, and I will actively oppose any and all unconstitutional Biden mandates on our local government and residents.

The Chronicle and their liberal friends at the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce are terrified of me winning this election and can be expected to heavily back my opposition, so please give what you can to support our people-powered campaign as we fight to take back Citrus County and America this November. Please click the link below for more information or to make a donation.