It's Going To Be Wicked Awesome, Y'all...

Sunset at the SW Florida ranch of a family friend

The weather in Orlando today is in the high 70s with a light breeze. Florida is an incredibly beautiful state, and in my opinion, it is at its best in the springtime.

It is pretty much heaven on earth here right now.

So what could possibly entice me to leave Florida?

It would have to be something really amazing, a great challenge, a worthwhile cause.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the passing of Andrew Breitbart, and commented that "the greatest honor for his legacy would be for each of us to take up his fight...we can each make a difference in local elections." I am holding myself accountable to my own words, and have found a campaign where I believe I can contribute my skills and energy to make a difference.

I am proud to announce that I have accepted a position as the communications director for Sean Bielat's campaign for Massachusetts' Fourth Congressional District. Sean ran a spirited campaign in 2010, giving long-time Democrat incumbent Barney Frank one of the few real challenges he had faced in decades. The recent redistricting of the Fourth District included more of the Republican-leaning suburbs south of Boston, and Frank's decision not to seek reelection has been attributed in no small part to not wanting to face Sean again.

I will miss so many things about Florida over the next few months, but most of all the many wonderful friends I have across the state. Please stay in touch with me here or on the Sunshine State Sarah Facebook page.

(And, yes, this blog is not going away, and any Florida elected officials - or those who aspire to be - who think they might be getting off the hook, rest assured I will still be paying attention. You know who you are. XOXO.)

It's going to be a wonderful, exciting campaign, and I can't wait to get started. The Democrats have drafted Joseph P. Kennedy III (grandson of Robert Kennedy) to run for the seat. Just like Scott Brown proved in 2010, Americans believe that elected offices should be earned, not inherited, and while going up against the "Kennedy machine" will surely be a challenge, I'm looking forward to contrasting Sean's qualifications and ideas against what so far seems to be little more than empty sound bites and liberal talking points from Kennedy.

I do have a favor to ask of you: we are going up against a Kennedy, and he is already collecting big bucks from his family's Hollywood and union friends. If we can get Sean Bielat elected to Congress, we will win back a seat that has been in Democratic hands for over six decades, as well as derailing the political ambitions of the next generation of Kennedys.

There is a lot that you can do to help. Check out Sean's website, SeanBielat.org, and sign up for email updates (we won't spam you, I promise), and keep track of the campaign at our Facebook page, and follow Sean on Twitter at @SeanBielat. Share the news about Sean with your friends and family, and encourage them to support the campaign as well.

Finally, as you know, modern campaigns require significant financial resources. Anything that you can contribute will be greatly appreciated. Marco Rubio is my Senator right now because a lot of good people believed in him and his message, and donations of all sizes poured in across the country and helped him gain momentum. 


We can do something similar for the people of Massachusetts' Fourth District, with your help. Please consider donating whatever amount you can to send Sean Bielat to Congress. You can make a secure online donation here. Thank you.

I will always be proud to be a Floridian, and I am looking forward to bringing some of my Sunshine State energy to the Bay State and getting a good man elected. I've been practicing using "wicked" as an adverb, but will probably never lose the slight Southern accent I have from my lifetime in Florida.

So, I will definitely miss the Sunshine State over the next few months, but I can't wait to start my Massachusetts adventure.


It's going to be wicked awesome, y'all...


Press Release announcing I am joining the campaign:

SEAN BIELAT ANNOUNCES HIRING SARAH RUMPF AS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Norfolk, MA - Republican Congressional candidate Sean Bielat announced today that Sarah Rumpf would be joining his campaign as his Communications Director.

“Sarah brings a wealth of experience and a lot of energy to our campaign,” said Bielat. “We’re proud to have her joining our team.”

Rumpf is an experienced political consultant and communications strategist. She has a strong background in new media and has worked on a long list of Senate, Congressional, and state legislative races. Most recently, she was the conservative media outreach director for Adam Hasner’s Senate campaign.

The Washington Post listed Rumpf as one of the “Best Florida Political Tweeters” for her social media work and her personal political blog, “Sunshine State Sarah,” has gained prominence for her coverage of both Florida and national issues, including Marco Rubio’s election to the United States Senate and the 2012 presidential race. Rumpf frequently provides political commentary for WOFL Fox 35 Orlando and a number of radio programs around the country.

Rumpf is also an election and campaign finance law attorney, and has taught legal education seminars on a variety of election law topics. She headed the Orange County election day legal team for the Republican Party of Florida during the 2010 elections.

“I remember watching this race from Florida in 2010, as a first-time candidate named Sean Bielat gave Barney Frank, a thirty-year incumbent, a run for his money,” said Rumpf. “I don’t blame Frank for not wanting to face that challenge again, and it’s obvious that Joseph P. Kennedy III doesn’t plan on offering the voters anything other than the same old Democratic talking points.”

“Sean Bielat is a great candidate, with the exact kind of practical business experience we desperately need in Congress,” Rumpf added. “I’m thrilled to join Team Bielat and can’t wait to get to know the people of Massachusetts’ Fourth District.”

Contact information:
Sarah Rumpf
(508) 399-1409
sarah@seanbielat.org

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UPDATE: Please follow @BielatPress, in addition to the main @SeanBielat account, for all the latest news about the campaign.