Former mayor challenging Bilirakis

Former Plant City Mayor John Dicks has announced he's challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis for the District 9 Congressional seat. In his first campaign e-mail, Dicks, a Democrat, touches on energy independence, the need for middle class tax cuts and ending deficit spending. Bilirakis has two other opponents. Bill Mitchell, also a Democrat, is an attorney and veteran with a particular interest in helping homeless veterans and improved health care at VA hospitals. Richard O. Emmins, who identifies himself as a member of the Term Limits for the United States Congress Party, has also filed to run against Bilirakis.

Comments

Cong. Bilirakis has no signature achievement to speak of. He also has been silent on a National Catastrophy Fund (for hurricanes) and he has been awol on the mortgage crisis or immigration debates. He will lose his reelction bid and deservedly so.

The role of government isn't to bail people out of foreclosures. What ever happened to personal responsibility? Here is a tip...one shouldn't purchase a home they can't afford.

We also don't believe in hereditary titles here in the United States.

Then get off your a*s on Election Day and vote!

6:41 - Gus has been very active on Hellenic issues. Considering the vast majority of the 9th could be Little Greece, right?

[poetryman69]

Energy Independence Now!

No more Oil Wars!

Stop funding the terrorists!

Drill in Anwar.

Build more nuclear power plants

Use More coal.

Use more natural gas

Turn trash into energy

Double the efficiency of windmills and solar cells.

If France can do nuclear power so can we.

If Brazil can do biomass/ethanol power so can we.

If Australia can do LNG power so can we.

Domestically produced energy will end recession and spur the economy.

Dicks is a pro-choice, tax raising, liberal democrat trying to hide behind a cloak of east hillsborough conservatism. He will vote with pelosi and company every time-
Hang on to your wallet if this guy gets anywhere near congress!

12:16 p.m.
Is that really all you can come up with considering Gus' office is 5863 miles from Athens, Greece as the crow flies!!!

check it out: http://www.indo.com/cgi-bin/dist?place1=Palm+Harbor%2C+Florida&place2=Athens%2C+Greece

Geez 6:41, the guy has been in office barely a year and you want a "signature acheivenment." I just want a guy that votes for less government and less taxes. That Bilirakis has done and Dicks will not.

Like I said 2 years ago to all of those shrill Phyllis Buttinksy people - voters in the 9th will go to their polls, see Bilirakis, and do the same thing they have done every election for the last 26 years.

Gus has done many things. I just went to a foreclosure prevention summit he hosted. Over 150 people were there and recieved help with their options. I think that is pretty strong leadership. Rather than talking about fixing the problem- he took action.

I wasn't so impressed with the congressman--he didn't seem to be doing much while there seemed to be so much that could be done, but when I read he published an op-ed piece in a DC newspaper advocating a permanent UN Security Council seat and veto for India, well than...let me tell you, I was blown away. Now there is a man who knows what his district is interested in!

How could we not reelect a man with such priorities...such vision for what will make a difference here in Central Florida. Why---Gus Jr. is a statesman like Churchill or Kennan or some other great long-range thinker of history.

There's another Democratic candidate in the race as well. Mike van Hoek would have my vote if I lived in the 9th!

www.mikeforuscongress.com

[Jason Straight]

Since the GOP has lost is majority and because it has lied cheated to the American voters ..Gus will never be able to achieve anything for the district..So vote for him anyway it wont matter..

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.... uh....oh.... um.... Mommy, is someone running against me? Can you tell Daddy. Its not fair. I have introduced a pile of Greek-centric legilsation over the last two years. Don't they understand that this is our family seat in Congress. We are like the Kennedy's of Pasco County. Mommy, can they really defeat me?

YAAAAAAAABBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAA

DABBBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[Tom]

I am not so sure it is Gus, I think it is his office staff! I thought his staffing while a state rep lacked professionalism, but his current staffing is not any better. Seriously.

[Layla]

What has Gus done for his constituents? I'm a constituent and haven't been invited to a Town Hall meeting yet.

Gus, are they by invitation only? Do you only want to be asked the "hard" questions of Republicans, or your constituents?

I'll take Gus any day over a tax and spend liberal democrat like Dicks. Check out the reserve monies Dicks delighted in delving into while mayor. Yep, he's tax and spend, tax and spend... your money!! why would anyone vote for a liberal like Dicks?

[Larry the Cable Guy!]

Ya'll be nice to the waterhead! It ain't his fault he's a dripstick!

[Philip]

Gus put a forclosure prevention last week in New port Richey, and a big veterans program in East Lake last year. He is actually getting in the community and helping the common guy.

You can talk about heredity , but I will take Gus over Mike anyday. Gus cares about people