Tom Walsh Takes Senate Exploratory Committee Message to Panhandle Leadership

NAPLES, FL – In a marathon introductory 4 day swing through Florida’s Panhandle last week, Tom Walsh was on a mission to appraise his candidacy for the US Senate seat of Mel Martinez in 2010 as an integral part of his Senate Exploratory Committee. Tom’s goal in this and future swings through the State of Florida is to gauge the Republican sentiment in each country and to meet as many of the leading Republicans and their members in each region, as possible.

Mr. Walsh believes that the most important element for any potential candidate in gauging his candidacy is to truly understand what the constituencies believe is important to this State and how best to represent those voters in the Senate.

“When I’m traveling around, I’ll make as many stops as I can in the various counties.”, Walsh stated. “The Panhandle is an important region because of the strength of the Republican Party in this area. My home in Naples may be a long way geographically from Pensacola, but I found out we are very close when it comes to solid, conservative Republican principles and ideals. I intend to visit with the Republican leaders and community leaders and organizers in every county to determine what their goals for me would be, should I become the Republican nominee for the Senate seat. In future visits, I would enjoy the opportunity to meet with as many of the members as possible to lay out to them what I have heard their collective voice say and do my level best to represent this State in the manner Florida voters deserve. ”

Mr. Morgan Lamb, the Republican Executive Committee Chairman of Santa Rosa County states,

“I found Tom Walsh to be an exceptional person with a sincere personality. I especially liked his message and the fact that he has had successful past experience.”

Tom Walsh was a highly successful two-term Senator for the State of Ohio 30 years ago who has lived and worked as a Realtor and small business owner in Florida for the last 24 years. He has remained active with the Republican Party including co-founding the first Republican Men’s Club of Naples among other things.

Mr. Bob Jones, the Republican Executive Committee Chairman of Holmes County held a similar sentiment saying,

“Tom Walsh struck me as a very sincere individual and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with him.”

Tom Walsh will be on the road again in short order as he seeks to visit each region within the State as he compare notes on what he believes are important issues with the leaders and voters, and what they themselves feel are important issues we need to address in both our State and our Country.

Naples broker considering run for Martinez seat in U.S. Senate

By TARA E. McLAUGHLIN (Contact)Originally published 5:31 p.m., Friday, April 10, 2009Updated 5:31 p.m., Friday, April 10, 2009

NAPLES — A Naples real estate broker has his eye on some Washington, D.C., real estate – the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by Mel Martinez in 2010.

Tom Walsh, a 24-year Naples resident and owner of Walsh Real Estate Services, is testing the waters and may decide to run by mid-May.

He plans to meet with as many county Republican Party leaders as possible to make his case and see how he is received as a candidate.

“I think the public is ready now for a basic guy, not a professional politician, not a lawyer, just a family man concerned about the future who embraces the principles of the constitution,” said the 65-year-old father of four and grandfather to 11.

While not a career politician, Walsh has experience as an elected official.

In a long-shot race in the 1970s, he won the Republican primary for the Ohio state Senate, beating out an established politician and a well-known business man, Walsh said.

He then went on to unseat a Democrat in the heavily Democratic Stark County, Ohio. Walsh served from 1978 to 1985.

Key platform issues include illegal immigration, states’ rights and fiscal responsibility.

The lifelong Republican has spent a couple of months talking with contacts throughout the state.

“The support and enthusiasm is pretty high,” he said. “Typically, the first question is, ‘Well, gee, who is this guy and why does he think he can run?’ I go back to my days in Ohio. Nobody knew me from a hole in the ground.”

In January, a poll of likely candidates for Martinez’s seat showed Attorney General Bill McCollum with a 40 percent favorable rating, followed closely by U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, Fort Myers, with 37 percent, the Quinnipiac University (Connecticut) poll reported.

Today was my first radio interview by local talk show host, Mandi Connell. She is one of my favorite personalities. I have had a few reports from listeners who felt everything went very well. Thank you for that.

Whew, what a week I had. I drove to Atlanta to help my daughter build a staircase off her second floor deck. My son Rob also came from North Carolina and my old college roommate from Alabama. We knocked out the staircase in one day. Kathlyn was thrilled. We had a delightful Easter together starting with early mass and then on to a delectable brunch in historic Ackworth. I spent the next day just visiting and off to Florida. The next 4 days were spent touring the panhandle of Florida to meet with as many party chairman as possible to test the waters for a potential candidacy. The reception was good. Friday afternoon I traveled to Tallahassee to visit the Statehouse. Met with several people including our State Senator Garrett Richter. Was delighted to re-acquainted with with a gal that I had worked with on Economic Development from 10 or so years ago.