Dean Cannon's Credibility Challenged

State Representative Dean Cannon’s claim that he did not have a credit card belonging to the Republican Party of Florida is being questioned by his Democratic opponent, Amy Mercado. Court records recently disclosed that indicted former Republican House Speaker Ray Sansom racked up nearly $200,000 in expenses on a Republican Party credit card, including a trip to Europe, expensive meals and hotels around the country and electronic equipment.

In response to press inquiries, Rep. Dean Cannon claimed that he did not have a Republican Party credit card. However, in a recent interview with his hometown paper, The Northwest Florida Daily News, Rep. Sansom stated that other Republican House leaders, including Dean Cannon, were issued credit cards from the Republican Party of Florida. Sansom said his spending was “not out of line” from other Party leaders. “I was right in order with anyone with a credit card,” Sansom stated, “That’s how we conduct business to be successful.”

“Dean Cannon has a credibility problem after misleading voters by signing and then breaking a no-tax pledge,” Mercado stated. “Unfortunately, Ray Sansom, who is under indictment for perjury, may be more believable on this issue than Dean Cannon.”

Mercado has issued a public challenge to Rep. Cannon to give the voters a complete and honest answer as to whether he has ever possessed or used a credit card on which the charges were paid by the Republican Party of Florida. “The public deserves to know whether Cannon had such a credit card and whether his charges were similar to Sansom’s,” Mercado said.

Amy Mercado is the first serious challenger Cannon has faced since he was elected to the Florida House in 2004. Mercado was active in the campaign of President Obama who received over 56% of the vote in Cannon’s legislative district in 2008. “People are tired of what has been going on in state government and I offer a chance to make a change,” Mercado stated.