James Buchanan
HOW A 3RD STRING FSU FULLBACK/A FAILED REAL ESTATE BROKER/WITH A BILLIONAIRE US CONGRESSMAN FATHER COULD BE A FLORIDA STATE SENATE PRESIDENT
Only in Governor DeSantis’ “Free State of Florida” can James Buchanan serve as a state representative earning roughly $29,000 a year while living with his wife and three children in a home valued at approximately $2.1 million. Apparently, public service doesn’t always require a public servant’s lifestyle.
Vern Buchanan
Only in Governor Ron DeSantis’s “Free State of Florida” could James Buchanan—a former 3rd string FSU fullback, failed real estate broker, and son of billionaire six-term U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan—rise all the way to eventually become President of the Florida Senate. I guess in today’s Florida, being born into the right family is the ultimate political credential.
Buchanan can indeed become the President of the Florida Senate in that the future Florida Senate President is elected by those State Senators, who win a election in 2026. Baby Buchanan is the heavy favored due to has access to Daddy Buchanan $millions and Daddy Buchanan donor lists.
Rohe is Buchanan Republican opponent for the Florida Stat Senatee
Current role: Elected in 2022 to the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Board.
The hospital system has a $2 billion annual budget and over 11,000 employees,
making it the largest employer in Sarasota County.
Former lieutenant/operations coordinator with the New York City Police Department, second-in-command of
the busiest precinct in the city (staff of over 500).
Father a former U.S Marine combat vetran of WW II
Stockbroker/financialconsultant with Smith Barney.
Broker/ownerof Century 21 At Your Service Realty (24 agents, commercial sales division).
Mortgageoriginator with Island Mortgage Network
Insurancesubrogation specialist, investigating disputes between insurers and evaluating
liability under all 50 state laws.
Residence: SarasotaCounty since 1997; holds board-level offices in multiple community associations
and political organizations.
if Buchanan bulldozes through Vic Rohe in the Republican primary on 8/18/26 and then Independent Martin Hyde in November, the story isn’t about ideological triumph — it’s about how dynasty beats résumé, money beats merit, and a third‑string FS fullback can indeed become a legislative warlord in a state where political gravity bends toward whoever the developers, consultants, and kingmakers decide to anoint.
Hyatt
Buchanan, who has never exactly been the brightest bulb on the tree and is nowhere near as energetic as his brother, Matt Buchanan—the CEO of Sarasota Ford, a business handed to him by Daddy Buchanan—decided that his next calling was Florida politics.
And really, where else would he end up but Tallahassee — the state capital where lobbyists practically outnumber the residents and the revolving door of money, access, and political power spins so fast it could qualify as a tourist attraction. Florida once sold itself as the Sunshine State, but these days it’s looking a lot more like Paradise Lost with better weather. And of course, it certainly doesn’t hurt when you also happen to be the son of billionaire U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan — talk about arriving with a VIP pass already laminated.
Buchanan first attempt at being a Florida politician failed miserably losing to all things a Democrat, Margeret Good in a special election for a Florida State Representative campaign.
That defeat certainly didn’t stop the well-paid Tallahassee lobbying crowd from giving up on Baby Buchanan. Lobbyists who make millions connecting Florida politicians with deep-pocketed donors are always looking for politicians they can influence—and James Buchanan had something that was bound to attract attention: access to Daddy Buchanan’s $millions.
So, Buchanan’s lack of political experience—and the fact that his resume would make him better being a manager of a McDonalds or selling cars at his brother’s Sarasota Ford—was hardly an obstacle. In Governor DeSantis’ “Free State of Florida,” having the right family name, the right connections, and access to serious money can apparently go a long way toward launching a political career.
Thus, when the Republican power brokers in Tallahassee suggested Buchanan move to the bastion of Sarasota Cunty Republican conservatism to run for State Representative, replacing the term limited Greg Steube, Buchanan looking for a job didn’t need much convincing, especially when Daddy Buchanan agreed.
The political roadmap was practically gift-wrapped: move the wife and kids deep into the heart of Sarasota County’s Republican stronghold and position himself to replace the State Representative Steube, who was heading off to the U.S. Congress.
For the next four years, Buchanan coasted through two-two‑year terms with virtually no opposition — unless you count the occasional hapless Democrat and a PAC and sitting on more than $3 million raised from Daddy Buchanan’s ever‑expanding contributor list. And that list certainly ballooned once Daddy Buchanan settled into life as a U.S. Congressman, especially after landing the Vice Chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee. Amazing how quickly the donor class discovers its generosity when someone’s influence level gets upgraded.
In 2024 there was a problem in his final term before being term limited as a Florida State Representative. Baby Buchanan drew a Republican primary challenge from Republican America First candidate Michelle Pozzie.
Grant
Florida State Representative Michael Grant reportedly warned Pozzie that House Speaker Paul Renner and likely future Speaker Daniel Perez "would not sit idly by while one of their own was engaged in a primary." Grant then boasted that they had "never lost a representative to a primary, and they weren't going to start now."
Grant’s comments weren’t casual. They were a direct signal from House leadership — Speaker Paul Renner and Speaker‑designate Daniel Perez — that:
Michelle Pozzi’s America First challenge was unwelcome
Leadership would actively protect incumbent Rep. Buchanan
The Florida House Republican caucus views primary challenges as threats to its internal power structure. They will punish insurgent challengers who threaten caucus stability
Nothing says "let Republican voters decide" quite like party leaders announcing that the outcome has already been decided for them.
Pedicini
After Baby Buchanan finished shoveling more than $40,000 to his Ybor City political operative Anthony Pedicini to “manage” his campaign — and after the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee PAC chipped in what was likely triple that amount from its $13 million war chest — the outcome was, shockingly, not a nail‑biter.
This is the same Republican Campaign Committee PAC that has spent over $3 million in 2024 on Pedicini to shepherd other establishment‑approved Republicans safely through their primaries. With that kind of cash and machinery behind him, Buchanan didn’t so much win as get carried across the finish line on a velvet litter.
That Buchanan encounter with the Ybor City political operative Pedicini was not the first and not the last time Buchanan has funneled money into Pedicini, as Buchanan moved up the Tallahassee political ladder with Daddy Buchanan’s $millions.
Buchanan has funnelled over $150,000 to Pedicini from his BUCHANAN FOR FLORIDA PAC and financial reporting found on the Srasota County Supervisor of Elections website.
Buchanan has now fully merged into the Tallahassee Republican establishment, the same well‑oiled machine that — as the Florida Trident dryly notes — keeps its favorite consultants very well fed.
In fact, the Florida Division of Elections campaign‑finance database shows that Anthony Pedicini’s SIMWINS LLC has vacuumed up more than $35 million from establishment‑backed Republican candidates and establishment‑run political committees since February 2020.
So yes, Buchanan is officially part of the club — the one where “grassroots representation” somehow always translates into millions funneled to the same Ybor City consultant, who then miraculously delivers victories for the candidates the establishment already picked.
It’s almost touching, really. Nothing says “outsider” quite like joining a political ecosystem that spends more on consultants than some counties spend on public services.
Who comes along with Pedicini pushing Baby Buchanan political career is the FLORIDA POLITICS Publisher Peter Schorsch, whose operation functions less like journalism and more like a pay‑to‑play content mill, where “coverage” is often indistinguishable from paid influence.
Schorsch’s FLORIDA POLITICS, where politicians like Buchanan and their PAC’s routinely pay for coverage, “native content,” and favorable visibility — a practice documented in investigative reporting by Floodlight and NPR.
It has become a known among politicalobservers in Florida that Schorsch, or one of his sixteen writers, will, for the price of advertising, write either a hit piece or a favorable piece for a client.
Public records show that since 2010, at least 157 politicians and dozens of PACs have paid Schorsch’s company, Extensive Enterprises Media, nearly $900,000 for advertising, consulting, and related services. Not surprising would if that figure was double "off the record."
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Schorsch “résumé” includes:
Repeated evictions — because who doesn’t treat rent like a suggestion.
A car repossession — bold strategy: stop paying and see what happens.
Multiple arrests for driving with a suspended license — a real pioneer in the “laws are optional” movement.
Sixteen misdemeanor charges for writing bad checks — truly committed to the craft.
And in his consulting work?
Oh, he shines even brighter.
Clients reportedly accused him of:
Taking payments and then not delivering the services
Leaving thousands of dollars in unresolved obligations
Basically running a political‑consulting version of the “IOU” economy
It’s almost impressive — not everyone can build a reputation that screams “Trust me with your campaign!” while simultaneously leaving a trail of financial disasters that looks like a FEMA map.
Goodman
Team Buchanan now proudly features political operative Max Goodman — the multitasking maestro who somehow manages to work for Team Daddy Buchanan and Team Sydney Gruters.
And Sydney Gruters, naturally, is the wife of Florida State Senator Joe Gruters, who also chairs the National Republican Committee (NRC) and is running for the U.S. Congress.
Because nothing screams “healthy political ecosystem” like a single operative bouncing between multiple factions of the same Sarasota‑Manatee GOP dynasty while the family simultaneously runs the state party and a congressional campaign. Truly a masterclass in Florida political efficiency.
Baby Buchanan is now running to replace the term liited Florida State Senator Joe Gruters and with $3 million in his campaign coffers and the backing of the Republican establishment in Tallahassee and local Republican establishment, Baby Buchanan will move onto the State Senate, unless folks begin to ask a few simple questions of how does Buchanan support a wfe and three children and live in in a 2.1 million dollar home on a $29,000 salary being a Florida State legislator.
The core issue voters should be raising isn’t about whether Buchanan can run for the Florida Senate — it’s about financial transparency, outside income, and the influence networks that sustain political families in Florida. Those are legitimate public‑interest questions, and voters are entitled to ask them.
1. The political context
Buchanan entering the race to replace term‑limited Sen. Joe Gruters fits a familiar pattern in Sarasota–Manatee politics:
He comes from a politically powerful family with deep ties to Tallahassee, Washington, and major Florida business interests.
A $3 million campaign account signals strong establishment backing — Tallahassee donors, PAC networks, and legacy contributors.
In districts like SD‑22, that level of funding often creates the perception of inevitability.
That’s the political story.
But voters should be pointing to the financial story — which is where the real scrutiny belongs.
2. The salary vs. lifestyle gap
Florida legislators earn $29,697 per year in base salary. That is public record.
A $2.1 million home, three children, and a single modest public salary do not mathematically align. That doesn’t imply wrongdoing — but it does raise reasonable questions about:
Outside income
Family wealth
Business holdings
Trusts, partnerships, or inherited assets
Spousal income
Corporate or consulting work
PAC‑adjacent employment networks
Florida law allows legislators to have outside income. Many do. But the public has a right to know what that income is, who pays it, and whether it intersects with legislation or donor interests.
3. Why this matters civically
This isn’t about attacking a candidate. It’s about structural accountability.
When a candidate is backed by:
Tallahassee leadership
Major donor networks
A political dynasty
A multimillion‑dollar campaign account
…voters deserve clarity on whether the candidate’s financial foundation comes from:
legitimate private‑sector work
family wealth
political patronage
developer‑aligned interests
consulting tied to legislation
or something else entirely.
Florida’s ethics laws require disclosure — but the disclosures are often broad, vague, and difficult for the public to interpret.
That’s why your question is fair: How does a legislator with a $29,000 salary afford a multimillion‑dollar lifestyle?
The answer may be benign. But the public deserves to hear it directly.
4. The questions voters can legitimately ask
These are civic‑appropriate, non‑electioneering questions:
What is Buchanan’s outside income?
What businesses or partnerships does he hold?
Does his spouse have significant income?
Are there trusts or inherited assets?
Are any income sources tied to donors, developers, or PACs?
Do any financial relationships overlap with legislation he may vote on?
These questions are about public ethics, not campaign persuasion.
Jon Susce
The Sarasota Phoenix team is the last media guardian in the Sarasota/Manatee area and beyond laying bare for all to see how the Sarasota/ Manatee area and beyond is controlled by a UNI Party financed by millionaires and billionaires turning Florida into Paradise Lost.
The only other media guardian in the Sarasota/Manatee area and beyond laying bare for all to see is the Bradenton Time
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