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State House candidate answers opponent's flier
By ALEX LEARY, Times Staff Writer Charles Dean, the subject of a critical mailing to registered voters last week, fired back at GOP primary opponent Michael "Joey" White with fliers of his own Monday. "Joey, Joey, Joey . . . you're young and desperate to win, but that's no excuse for lying about Charlie Dean," one of the response mailings says. Dean, a Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives District 43 seat along with White and Nancy Dunwoodie, said White had misrepresented him as a liberal turncoat. A longtime Democrat and friend of former Gov. Lawton Chiles, Dean switched parties in 1998, saying the GOP was more in line with his conservative values. White's mailings, which reached voters in Citrus, Hernando and Levy counties on Friday, implicitly questioned Dean's loyalty, noting he sued the Republican Party after losing a state Senate race in 1996. The mailing also pointed out that Dean this year received a contribution from the teachers union, which also supports Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride. "I did some consulting, and people told me you really don't want to leave that (White's mailers) unattended," Dean said in an interview. "They said, "At least answer it to let people know you are concerned about it.' " Dean, a former Citrus County sheriff, said he had been endorsed by the teachers union because he used to be a teacher -- "not a substitute, like Joey." Dean also noted that he has been a Citrus County Republican longer than White, who had moved to Crystal River from Dunnellon in 2000. Dunnellon used to be part of District 43, but that changed this year when the Legislature redrew political boundaries. A second mailing shows Dean, 63, next to Nancy Argenziano, who left the District 43 seat to run for the state Senate, and Gov. Jeb Bush. Under the photo montage reads this message: "Three great conservatives working toward a common goal." The flip side, trying to draw a distinction with White, who is 31, states: "Charlie Dean has the experience, maturity and the stature to continue the fight." White contends he stuck to the facts with his mailing. "I can't believe he called me a liar," he said. White said the response mail pieces indicate Dean is concerned going into today's primary. "I don't think he would have responded like this if he thought he had it in the bag," White said. "I think it will be very close."
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