August 25, 2022
Dear Friends and Supporters:
My apologies for not responding to you sooner. I am more of a doer than a talker. I spent the first day after the election beginning to close down the campaign and developing a plan for the future.
So, I was thinking more of my duties and responsibilities than of thanking you for your financial support, your vote, your moral support, and most especially, your help with my campaign. A successful campaign is a team effort. It was a lot of work for me, but I never would have come close without the efforts of many volunteer supporters, and of course, the voters who trusted me. Please do not lose faith because of the result of this election.
First, as most of you now know, the election results showed another candidate to have received more votes. I have not conceded, and I am considering a legal challenge to the election. But, do not take this as poor sportsmanship. I am seriously disappointed with the outcome, but not depressed. If anything, I am angry that a Bit Money Special Interest was able to BUY this seat. Although I honestly expected to win, I was emotionally prepared to lose, should that happen. I have always believed that the outcome was in God’s hands – ready to fully accept whichever outcome presented itself to me.
This contest was always a David vs Goliath contest. And, I don’t mean the three opposing candidates. They were NEVER any serious competition to me. It was always the political machinery and the money behind the candidates that I was battling. That is why I paid so little attention to the candidates themselves, personally.
One of the principal reasons I decided to run for this office was to make an effort to improve our flawed election system. I tried in 2021 to inform our government officials in Tallahassee that there were problems with our election system. Our government in Florida is not taking this issue seriously enough. Both Republicans and Democrats are guilty of creating and preserving a system with massive security vulnerabilities. I will not stop this battle. If we lose our elections, we lose our freedom and our country.
The second principal reason I chose to enter this race, was to help stop corruption in our government. For the past several years, we have heard the phrase, “Drain the Swamp.” Here in Florida, we love our swamps. But, there is a political swamp in this state that needs to be drained – just as badly as the political swamp in Washington, DC. I will continue to fight this battle, also.
We ran a very successful campaign. I filed to run for this seat on February 17, 2022 because I KNEW that I COULD win. In January, I began discussing with my wife the POSSIBILITY of running. It is largely because of her that I was able to do this. She was the strength behind me, both at home and on the campaign trail. And, our two teenaged sons were always there to help.
This may seem a little technical, but I would like to show you some of the facts of this race.
Elections are won by votes. There are two main ways to win votes: advertising and direct contact with voters. My opponents chose to spend their money on mail advertising to inform voters. My wife, Vara, and I have been directly contacting voters for several years, encouraging people to become engaged in our political system and civic life, in order to preserve our freedom. Our campaign continued that focus on direct contact with people. The US Constitution begins with the words, “We the People.” This has become a trite phrase, but it is truly We the People who OWN this country and its government. We need to ACT like it.
Two of my opponents filed to run for this office 18 months before the Primary Election. For most of that time, they were absent from public view. On election day, and after, people were still coming to me asking who these candidates were. In my opinion, they were hiding from you, the voters, because they did not want to expose their true nature. I have been out in public for all to see, my strength and my weakness. I will not stop. I am the REAL DEAL.
My campaign ran for 6 months. I spent NO time preparing my campaign prior to filing to run. Yet, I was able to attain enough support in that time to place second in a four-way race, WITHOUT mailing ANY campaign material to voters. My opponents spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat me. They paid political consultants to organize their campaigns and develop their messaging. I around $12,000.00. I managed my campaign, and developed my messaging myself. One opponent spent more than $300 per day in this campaign. Another spent more than $600 per day. This does not include money spent by separate entities (PACs) that are not reported with the candidate’s donation and expenditure disclosures. My expense was around $60 per day. In summary, two of my opponents (including the winner) spent more than $30 for each vote obtained, while I spent $3. Who would you rather have in Tallahassee deciding how to spend YOUR tax money? Who would you rather have in Tallahassee AKSING for your money (aka raising taxes and fees)?
My campaign slogan was, “Your voice in Tallahassee.” I meant that. I believe that most voters in Lake County would have preferred me over the other candidates. Had I spent a few more months campaigning, I am SURE that I would have won.
Without actually winning, this campaign has elevated my stature in the eyes of both my supporters and my opponents. I will use that stature to continue to deliver results for the citizens of Florida.
I expect to win my next campaign. Expect me to make an announcement in 2023.
My campaign website will remain active: www.Tom4Florida.com. If you have not yet signed up there, please add your email address and name, so I can keep you informed of new developments.
Tom Vail