Tho Bishop: Florida's next Ron Paul

[Rocco]

I believe very sincerely that the Amash blueprint is the best way to get to Washington. Get to the state house, build yourself a noteworthy record and then run for higher office. With the 3 bills he is planning to introduce day one (texas abortion bill, gold tender and recalling sitting US senators) as well as his primary goal (bringing in the REINS Act to Florida) Tho is positioning himself very well to be a leader of not just the liberty movement in Florida but the greater conservative movement generally. In a couple of terms he'll be in great position, this combined w/ his experience in DC, to run for house, senate or even governor.

This thread is not being posted because I think Florida State House District 6 is an especially important seat for liberty. I posted it due to Tho being one of our movements most impressive candidates nation wide.This is a race that we have a serious interest in winning.

The state legislature in fl is notoriously full of liberal republicans. Not saying this guy has no leadership qualities. Also not saying zoller will be able to lead in DC, I'm saying if a liberty guy in Florida wins a us house seat he would have a bigger soapbox to speak from to change the state GOP.

 

[CG1976]

Ok, well that's a good point. Although I don't really favor anyone making a career out of working in government positions. This guy does look solid though, how's his fundraising going? I'll look at sending him
some $ today or tomorrow.

 

[compromise]

The state legislature in fl is notoriously full of liberal republicans. Not saying this guy has no leadership qualities. Also not saying zoller will be able to lead in DC, I'm saying if a liberty guy in Florida wins a us house seat he would have a bigger soapbox to speak from to change the state GOP.

The US Congress is also notoriously full of liberal and moderate Republicans.

 

[CG1976]

Very true. Also has far more conservatives now, though.

 

[muzzled dogg]

Thanks for sharing. I am very interested in our state rep candidates. I will keep an eye on this one

Cover photo has to go

I thought this was interesting:

The state legislature in fl is notoriously full of liberal republicans. Not saying this guy has no leadership qualities.

and Rocco, your response was:

3 bills he is planning to introduce day one (texas abortion bill, gold tender and recalling sitting US senators) as well as his primary goal (bringing in the REINS Act to Florida)

Can these realistically be passed?

 

[CG1976]

Shem,

no no they can't be passed - the current system won't even have them get to the floor. And even if somehow a miracle got them through the house, the jack Latvala caucus would kill them in the senate.

 

[Rocco]

Not sure on the fund raising question, will ask him and get back to you!

As for the FL legislature, I hear you, but I think if nothing else having these bills be voted on will help us see who's with us and who is not in the state. Not to mention the guaranteed Rand endorsement in one of the reddest districts in an early primary state.

Ok, well that's a good point. Although I don't really favor anyone making a career out of working in government positions. This guy does look solid though, how's his fundraising going? I'll look at sending him
some $ today or tomorrow.

 

[Rocco]

I do wonder if the abortion bill may have a chance, though.

 

[opal]

His cover photo is hideous. Make him change it.

he's not the only Florida candidate with an unfortunate picture..

ya gotta wonder what they were thinking

 

[Rocco]

I am getting reports that Tho KILLED IT in the candidate forum tonight. Hopefully there will be a video soon!

 

[jurgs01]

I am getting reports that Tho KILLED IT in the candidate forum tonight. Hopefully there will be a video soon!

Tho is awesome, but did his campaign get over the DUI in January?

 

[Rocco]

If the reports I hear are true, tonight was the defining night of the race to this point, and Tho came out on top.

Tho is awesome, but did his campaign get over the DUI in January?

 

[Okaloosa]

I wouldn't say he is the next Ron Paul in Florida. As I had all the campaign lists that covered his region and he was either from somewhere else, or did not sign up for e-mails, volunteer, or donate. On the other hand there are Ron Paul supporters elsewhere in Florida that truly were Ron Paul supporters running for office. Tho strikes me as someone just working us.

 

[Okaloosa]

http://m.newsherald.com/news/crime-public-safety/state-house-candidate-charged-with-dui-1.265894

A 24 year old in Panama City, FL of all places with a DUI and no record is no Ron Paul. Voters do not want a young man with a recent criminal record, sorry but Liberty candidates need to live a cleaner lifestyle without drugs or adultery as this has taken out two past liberty leaning republicans with one being a Congressman in Florida and now this.

State House candidate charged with DUI

By MATTHEW BEATON | The News Herald
Published: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 20:40 PM.
PANAMA CITY — A state House candidate was arrested and charged with driving under the influence last month but says he plans to stay in the race, despite the “great embarrassment.”

Tho Bishop, 24, was pulled over by the Florida Highway Patrol at 11:32 p.m. on Dec. 27 while driving on Laurie Avenue and booked into the Bay County Jail, according to law enforcement records. He received a DUI uniform traffic citation and refused to submit to a Breathalyzer test, which results in a one-year automatic loss of license.

The Panama City Beach Republican is running for state House District 6 this year, which includes most of Bay County. The district is represented currently by the term-limited state Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City.

Bishop said Tuesday he would not speak about the case and had a lawyer handling it for him. He said he was “contesting the charges.”

Despite a possible trial and sentence looming over his head, Bishop said he was staying in the race because he saw no other strong candidates who could represent the county and make a difference.

“If I thought that there was someone in this race who could do the job that I think Florida needs, that I think Bay County needs, I’d be glad to step out, but I don’t,” he said, “so I’m going to fight on.”

Bishop said he can’t change what happened, but he would if he could. He said the arrest doesn’t alter who he is or why he’s running.

“It’s a very difficult personal thing. It’s a great embarrassment,” he said.

Bishop, who touts libertarian economists Frédéric Bastiat and Ludwig von Mises as his influences, said he took the “constitutional” approach by refusing to cooperate with law enforcement after he was arrested. He said U.S. citizens have the right to have a lawyer present to advise them and not say anything self-incriminating.

Bishop has not been a fundraising force since he entered the race in July, taking in just $2,750 in donations so far. He came back to the county to enter the race after working in Washington, D.C., as a U.S. House Finance Committee staffer. He said he never gave up his Bay County residency.

Once the case wraps up, Bishop said he could talk about it, but for now, he’ll stay in.

“I’ll continue on with the race,” he said.

 

[Rocco]

Quite frankly, you are severely misinformed in regards to Tho. I cannot think of any new candidate running currently with deeper connections in the liberty movement. Tho graduated from LVMI, he has written for mises.org in the past and he has consistently outlined a pro liberty platform. During the Paul campaign Tho was working on Capitol Hill, and he was very much a part of the liberty crowd during his time there. I have SEVERAL pictures of Tho with Ron during his time in congress, here are a few:

As far as the DUI, listen, I wouldn't be putting my neck out for Tho if I didn't believe he was one of the most talented people in our movement. The DUI was a mistake, even Tho would agree that it was a stupid mistake, but that mistake does not represent the man and what he brings to the table. This is somebody who has a plan (outlined by compromise above) to take on the Tallahassee establishment and accomplish real conservative goals. This is somebody who articulately and passionately advocates for our ideas in a way that very few candidates can. In 10 years people won't remember the DUI, and those that do will chalk it up to youth, but what they will remember is electing a libertarian reformer to go fight the battles that the GOP establishment in Florida has refused to fight. Writing Tho off as not truly with us or not someone who lives a clean lifestyle is a *serious* mistake.

 

[Rocco]

"I attended last night Republican Roundtable for their House candidates' first forum -- an Infidel in their midst? Not really since I know and respect Thelma Rohanand Melissa Rogers Hagan as well as several local Republicans. It was enlightening. Of course, they all hate Common Core and decry the ACA. The winner might have been dark horse Tho Bishop for FL House - District 6, obviously the candidate of choice for Burnie Thompson, who I also met last night. Enlightened!" -Jamie Shepard, the Democrat nominee for District 6.

Burnie Thompson, FWIW, is the most popular conservative radio host in the area, and he has endorsed Tho.

 

[Rocco]

Burnie Thompson live tweeted the event, and revealed some of Tho's pro liberty positions in the process!

 

[Rocco]

"The situation in Nevada going on demonstrates just how important groups like the Oath Keepers are and why I am proud to be a member. When Federal agents and law enforcement overstep the bounds of the Constitution and common decency, it is important for concerned citizens to be willing to stand up and say "No!".

My thoughts and prayers are with the Bundy Family and I hope the example set by them and those who have come to their aid will inspire people across the country to stand up to tyranny and restore this republic." -Tho Bishop

 

[Rocco]

Tho has just shared with me a thank you from Ron Paul printed in the acknowledgements (page xvii) of his monetary policy anthology. If this doesn't prove Tho is one of us, I don't know what does!

http://tobybaxendale.com/ron-pauls-monetary-policy-anthology/

 

[ThoBishop]

I'd like to thank Rocco for his support here.

I wanted to get involved in the forum and introduce myself to the community here.

As Rocco has mentioned, I am a proud Austrian-libertarian Republican who is running for State House in Florida. Prior to this race, I worked for the Financial Services Committee as Deputy Communications Director and worked quite closely with Ron Paul's office during the 112th Congress which was without a doubt the highlight of my time in Washington. I also took great joy in having a bust of Rothbard sitting on my Congressional desk (a fun inside joke between me and Dr. Paul's staff.)

But of course, when it comes to politics one's "Austrian cred" must come secondary to campaign viability. And for the first time since I decided to take a chance and give this a try, I can say with great confidence that this is a very winnable race for the liberty movement.

As Okalossa has highlighted, I was pulled over for a DUI following a Christmas Party at the end of last year. It was a devastating episode and forced me to re-evaluate not just this race but many things about my life. At the time, another young Republican candidate had recently entered the race and after my arrest I strongly considered dropping out and hoped that his youth implied a greater sympathy to liberty than my other competitors had demonstrated. Unfortunately he may, philosophically, be the worst of the bunch. Not only was his first move as a candidate to hire Mitt Romney (and FL AG Pam Bondi's) campaign manager, but at the recent candidate forum - the first event of the campaign that featured all four candidates talking about policy - he said expanding "public-private partnerships" was one of his top economic priorities.

Luckily that idea plays about as well in Bay County as it does on the Ron Paul Forums.

Prior to Tuesday's forum, the bulk of my campaign was based on the endorsement of an influential radio show host in the area - Burnie Thompson - and a small but dedicated group of volunteers. The forum, however, has completely changed the direction of this race. I had multiple people who came in supporting other candidates told me flat out that they changed their vote that night, and after demonstrating a grasp of policy and passion that was unmatched by the other candidates, the campaign has generated a very serious buzz.

Of course it's as easy to speak optimistically of a campaign on a forum as it is for the Fed to expand its balance sheet - so I will not be encouraging anyone here to donate to my campaign until after our fundraising numbers come out for this month. But after April month, I will be able to demonstrate a massive jump in fundraising and likely able to identify a few notable endorsements.

But until I can prove the viability of my campaign, I want to do everything I can to demonstrate my passion for liberty. I will be glad to answer any questions, discuss any points or share any personal stories you'd be interested in.