School “choice” supporters this week dumped a hard-hitting negative mail piece against Rep. Reggie Fullwood.  The Jacksonville-based State Rep. is locked in a battle for reelection against a more conservative Democrat who is being backed by school voucher groups and covertly by  the remaining elements of the small dissident faction in the House Democratic Caucus. Fullwood has steadfastly opposed school “choice” schemes in the past two legislative sessions. The Democratic Primary is this coming Tuesday, December 16th.

TFS sources indicate that the funding for this mailer came from a political committee that is funded by Step up for Students and All Children Matter. These organizations bankrolled by corporate out of state interests and Tampa venture capitalist John Kirtley.

Fullwood suffered from an administrative snafu during candidate qualifying in June and was forced into a Special Election. This gave the Republicans who had not filed a candidate at the time an opportunity to find someone to run. It also gave the dissident Democratic faction and business/insurance interests an opportunity to plant a candidate in the Democratic Primary.

The threat posed by school voucher supporters in a Democratic Primary is massive. It is critical that these forces who seek to continue using Florida’s schools as a laboratory for various for-profit schemes be exposed. In addition to school “choice” supporters, other business interests are seeking to move the Democratic Caucus in a direction where several representatives serve as rubber-stamps for the Rick Scott agenda. The Chamber of Commerce, the insurance industry as well proponents for corporate schools all have worked with the dissident elements in the Democratic Caucus to cultivate them and attempt to deny Florida’s citizens the vigorous debate on issue only a true two-party chamber can provide.

We will watch this race closely over the weekend for further shenanigans.