SRQ Daily: The Perspectives Edition features analysis, commentary and insight on current events in Sarasota and Manatee counties from regular columnists, local leaders and guest contributors. Readers are invited to submit letters that respectfully share their perspective on a local community topic or issue to: letters@srqme.com. Submissions received before Thursday of each week will be considered for the immediate Saturday edition. Editors reserve the right to fact-check and edit. SRQ MEDIA does not house an editorial board and as such does not publish editorials or endorsements of candidates. The opinions and analysis of columns and letters shared in this edition are those of the writer who submitted them. The Perspectives Edition serves as a respectful and thoughtful space for readers to share their voices on topics that are important to them. 

A GOP official chuckled at a question I posed. Why would the far right try so hard to take over local party apparatuses. Aren’t these intra-party battles just ego flexes when people should focus on real elections?  “The Republican Party is a powerful tool,” replied Jonathan Martin, Lee County Republican Party chair at the time.

It’s no wonder he laughed at the question. To someone within the system it seemed obvious. Control the local party and you suddenly have access to resources that matter in bigger efforts.

In Sarasota County, a recent attempt by hard right activists, led by Michael Flynn, failed to seize the local Republican Executive Committee chairmanship from Jack Brill, outgoing Chairman Joe Gruters’ chosen successor. In Manatee, there was a similar failed attempt to unseat Chairman Steve Vernon, who ironically had spent years trying to push aside former Chair Kathleen King.

But Flynn and cohorts, including Collier County donor Alfie Oakes and former lawmaker Anthony Sabatini, succeeded in snagging other chairmanships around the state. They have enough power to force Gruters as Republican Party of Florida chair to call a special meeting and maybe pass a resolution saying Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel should go away.

If most of these names mean nothing to you, that probably means you live a happier life than us political junkies. Intraparty squabbles employing byzantine bylaws to compel public statements that someone mildly famous is bad at their job sounds like a serious waste of time.

Except there are higher stakes. The coming resolution is as much a show of force as anything. Flynn’s army of malcontents want control of the state party, indeed a powerful tool. 

Look at the Midterms. Not to take credit from Gov. Ron DeSantis for lifting the GOP ticket statewide, but Florida over-performed other states because of voter registration efforts by Gruters that were not matched by anyone.

Those who followed Gruters' career in Sarasota know his focus on growing raw numbers produces results. He took over the Sarasota party after an election where Barack Obama came a few hundred votes shy of winning the county for the first time since any Democcrat since Harry Truman. Some 14 years later, it’s a solid Republican County. Gruters was rewarded for that four years ago with his elevation to state chair, and expanded his strategy statewide to bountiful results.

Yet to hard right activists, Gruters’ failure to push a red meat agenda mars his time. It’s why Flynn found eager voices among the Proud Boy set who felt they were not heard in the local party. In some counties, enough hardcore extremists bought that message a new set of leaders was elected.

As we sit, Gruters aims to join McDaniel’s team as Treasurer for the RNC. Close Gruters ally Christian Ziegler, while no McDaniel fan, wants to replace him as state chair. But the Flynn set wants none of that. Sabatini notably recruited Evan Power, Ziegler’s chief rival for state chair, to sign onto the petition demanding the special meeting on McDaniel. Many expect Sabatini to run for state chair, if not this year then soon enough.

Those who hate the direction of the state under Republican leadership may hope chaos consumes the organization. A mutiny may sound like good news. But remember the state party still holds power. If it starts passing resolutions demanding statewide election audits, the Legislature and Governor may listen. The state chair could greatly influence a GOP Presidential Primary in 2024.

Never forget. The Republican Party is a powerful tool. Pay attention to who wields it.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor to SRQ MEDIA. 

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” is an observation attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. Since we are well into the season of giving, it seemed an appropriate time to highlight the many ways our students at Ringling College of Art and Design are giving back.

As a former college and law student, and then well into my career in higher education, it has always struck me institutions tend to lose sight of the significance of service and volunteer work as one begins and then climbs the educational ladder. There is typically a heavy emphasis on volunteerism and its importance during a student’s high school years, particularly because college admissions representatives are looking for that as they review application forms. Once students are admitted to college, however, the incentive to continue service work is often diminished, as they move forward with their academic and professional pursuits. 

Ringling College is committed to developing the whole student. This includes providing learning opportunities to help students enhance their leadership skills, build new friendships and facilitate teamwork and collaboration. During New Student Orientation, before the freshman students even begin classes, they are encouraged to participate in a service project of their choosing. This past August, over 400 students participated in 10 different projects across our area. They volunteered their time to work with experts at InStride Equestrian Therapy; cleaning and revitalizing Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point and Siesta Key beaches; working with the Early Learning Coalition, among others. Kickstarting their Ringling College career through volunteerism helps the students get familiar and acquainted with the local community. At the same time, these activities spark a sense of pride and instill a commitment to service that can be life changing and life-lasting. 

Commitment – the word is defined as an ‘agreement or pledge to do something in the future.’ Our students are the creative visionaries of that future. As educators, it is part of our charge to instill and encourage their shared responsibility to make a commitment to make the world a better place. 

A significant service project at Ringling College is our Youth Experiencing Arts (YEA) Program. Following the ease of COVID restrictions (hooray!), we were able to get students back in classrooms around Sarasota County. The YEA Program connects Ringling students with local teachers and their elementary-aged classes. This year alone, the College saw 35 students participate in the initiative. The benefits of this program are immeasurable: young children are exposed to the creative joys of art and design, exploring new skills and enhancing their social and educational development; the teachers get to experience further enrichment for their students; Ringling students can share their knowledge and passion for the arts with others, and benefit from the mental, emotional and physical positives of giving back. We had countless teachers confirm how much they love this program and how meaningful it is to their young students. 

Sometimes, giving back can be as simple as holding a drive and collecting items for people in need. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, our College community came together to provide donated food, water, toiletries, clothing and other necessities to those who lost everything in the storm. Just recently, the team who worked on Code Red, a short film written and produced by Ringling College alumna Jada Wing Hang Poon (’20), was honored and selected by the Always brand as a Period Hero, distributing much-needed sanitary products to local schools and organizations in an effort to end the rife issue of “period poverty.” No matter how big or small the effort, it is the effort itself that holds such significance and worth. 

Part of Ringling College’s institutional mission is to “prepare students to be discerning visual thinkers and ethical practitioners.” We strive to support and foster the aesthetic, intellectual, professional, personal, and social development of our students. Service learning and volunteerism are indelible assets of our cause, as we continue to nurture tomorrow’s creative leaders. 

Dr. Larry Thompson is president of Ringling College of Art & Design. 

Photo of InStride Therapy