GOP congressional candidate Babits suspends campaign, endorses Hearton over Haridopolos
Republican congressional candidate Joe Babits announced Monday evening that he is suspending his campaign, and is endorsing another GOP candidate, John Hearton, in the race for the District 8 seat.
Babits and Hearton are running against Mike Haridopolis in the Aug. 20 Republican primary. The seat now is held by Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, who isn't seeking a ninth two-year term.
House District 8 includes all of Brevard and Indian River counties, plus part of eastern Orange County.
The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of a Democratic primary between attorney Sandy Kennedy and West Melbourne City Council member Daniel McDow.
Not enough traction
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Babits said he got into the race to help spur change in Washington, but he has come to the realization that he cannot win the primary.
"I haven't got as much traction as I would like" in the campaign, said Babits, a corporate attorney who lives in Indian River Shores, near Vero Beach.
Babits said he believes Hearton has similar values and a similar campaign platform to him, and would be a better choice than Haridopolos.
Babits said he and Hearton are "just two sides of the same coin. At the end of the day, John wants the same things I want," and is "a man who is in it for us."
Hearton is the chairman of the board of GeoWireless, a wireless infrastructure and cybersecurity company. He lives in Satellite Beach.
Haridopolos, a resident of Indian Harbour Beach, is the most well-known of the three, having represented Brevard County in both the Florida House and Florida Senate, including two years as Senate president. Since leaving the Florida Legislature in 2012, Haridopolos has owned and operated MJH Consulting, a business and political consulting company. He says, if elected, he will sell that business.
Babits and Hearton held a joint news conference Monday evening outside the Brevard County Government Center in Viera to make their announcement, in front of about 30 supporters.
Hearton said he is humbled by Babits' endorsement. He vowed to end the corruption in Washington.
Haridopolos reacts
Haridopolos indicated that he did not believe Babits' announcement would have much of an impact on the outcome of the primary. He pointed to the results of a July 23-26 poll his campaign commissioned of 532 likely primary election voters that indicated 56% would vote for him, 6% would vote for Hearton and 4% would vote for Babits, with 33% undecided. When the undecideds were asked to choose a candidate, Haridopolos took 59% of them, compared with 31% for Hearton and 10% for Babits.
"I am proud to be the only proven, tested conservative in this race endorsed by President Trump, Gov. DeSantis, Congressman Posey and the NRA," Haridopolos said in reaction to the Babits/Hearton announcement. "In Congress, I will always put America first and fight for our conservative values."
Babits' announcement that he is suspending his campaign will not affect the voting process itself. Ballots will not be changed, and more than 18,000 registered Republicans already have voted in the GOP primary through vote-by-mail ballots and in-person early voting. Ballots cast for Babits in the coming days still will be counted for Babits.
Campaign financing data
According to his latest campaign financing report with the Federal Elections Commission, Babits raised $155,797.15 for his campaign and spent $146,452.30, leaving $9,344.85 cash on hand. Of the money raised, $151,100 was from Babits himself.
In comparison, Haridopolos raised $1,242,645.38, spent $478,074.40, and has $764,570.98 cash on hand.
Hearton raised $334,517.88, spent $326,197.75, and has $8,320.13 cash on hand.
Members of Congress serve a two-year term, and have an annual salary of $174,000.
Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at [email protected], on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Babits suspends GOP congressional campaign, endorses Hearton
