Earlier today, Orlando businessman and veteran Paul Paulson filed to take on longtime incumbent Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
By Jacob Engels
Most of us, including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, thought there would be no credible challenger to emerge in this years mayoral election… but we were all wrong. After spending several months contemplating a challenge against Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, a Democrat – Paul Paulson decided that it was up to him to take on Buddy Dyer.
Paulson is a longtime registered Republican.
“Orlando is a diverse city of culture, lakes, neighborhoods and entertainment venues,” Paulson stated. Paulson continued, “I strongly believe that city leaders need to put more emphasis on helping our neighborhoods with better roads, faster public safety response time, and rebuilding our infrastructure rather than spending money, time and energy on publicly funded or bonded venues for multi-millionaire businessmen. Preserving our history and heritage is another priority. The destruction of valuable historical properties like Tinker Field never should have happened. Mayor Dyer seems to have his priorities askew. Dyer seems incapable of even keeping the road potholes filled,” Paulson said.
Paulson, a wildly successful businessman, who has a net-worth in the tens of millions, runs a respected charity for veterans aptly titled “Help The Vets”. Before running the charity, which provides medical care and other financial/medical help to veterans, Paulson served as an Assistant Inspector General in the 56th Field Artillery Pershing Missile Brigade in Germany during the Reagan years. Mr. Paulson was also a practicing attorney, and most recently turned his focus to home-building all across the Central Florida area.
Paulson’s release and early campaign literature highlight Mayor Dyer’s consistent tax increases, and seem to predict a populist tone over the next few months until the election in November.
Dyer, who is a gifted fundraiser and political tactician, known to isolate and destroy his political detractors, was not suspecting to have a respected businessman and veteran oppose him on the way to his 4th term.
Sources tell the East Orlando Post that Paulson, a registered Republican, has already pumped $100,000.00 into his campaign coffers… and is expected to lend another $500,000.00 to his campaign in the coming weeks.
“Paul is fed up with the same non-choice for the citizens of Orlando. Buddy Dyer has done some good things for Orlando, but his time as a career politician have polluted his decision making process. More taxes, more regulations. I mean, this is the Mayor who is trying to crush Uber and other private enterprises in favor of high dollar campaign donors in all industries. He has to go,” emailed a well respected advisor to a colleague of Dyer’s on the Orlando City Commission.
Paulson’s vast personal wealth, could make him a serious problem for Dyer – who relies on having no opposition OR grossly underfunded opposition at the ballot box. While Dyer is stuck trading favors and promising sweetheart deals to the elite, Paulson’s wealth will allow him to be beholden to the voters only.
Stay tuned to East Orlando Post for more information regarding Paulson’s well-funded startup campaign for Orlando Mayor.
Jacob Engels, is the Founder of East Orlando Post & Seminole County Post. He is a seasoned political operative who has led numerous statewide political groups and has worked on several high-profile local, statewide, and national races. Jacob has been interviewed on national television & radio programs, with his work having been featured in the Orlando Sentinel, New York Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald and other publications nationwide. He can be reached at info@eastorlandopost.com
