Hi, my name is William “Cleave” Drummond II, and I would like to be your next Congressman for the 2nd District of Florida to the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington D.C.
All my life I have been an artist in one form or another and have always had to look at the world differently then most others. What this means is that I have to look and see how things fit together. When you paint, build a model or even build a website you have to see how it is all going to look like before you even start the project. You have to see it in your mind’s eye and be able to make changes as you go to make sure that it is going to turn out right in the end. This is a skill that is has translated into other parts of my life as well. The ability to see what is at the end, and how to get there is what is needed in Washington today.
Born in 1964, I grew up moving around a lot in my life. This has taught me how to be adaptable, and be able figure out what needs to be done when moving to a new place. I have been a sign painter, a screen printer, a waiter, a fast-food server, and a graphic web designer. I studied for two years at a technical trade school to receive my certification as a Commercial Artist. Both my training and moving around has also given me the ability to learn things quickly without screwing them up. I know that might not sound political but that is also the point. I don’t want to play political games, I want to get the job done for YOU, the voter.
While I might not have been born in Florida, I have lived within its golden shores since the mid 80′s and have lived in District 1, now District 2, since 1991. Because of this, I do consider myself a Floridian, and one who is part of the Panhandle of Florida. I met my loving wife, Rho, as she likes to be called, and have been married to her for over twenty-two years. I know what it is to be a family man and what it means to keep your promises. I also have a son with Aspberger’s Syndrome, a form of autism. That has shown me just how much we need a better health care and education system in this nation. It has also shown me just how hard it can be to be a parent at times.
I see every day how the economy is affecting the area, especially in the Washington, Holmes, Bay, and Jackson counties. I know that the rest of the district has also been hit hard by the recession as well. The media outlets might say that the recession is over, but have any of us really seen that to be true?
I have seen jobs go overseas, seen them go to other states, and I have seen them just disappear. More and more, I see “For Rent” or “For Lease” signs in empty shops in what used to be bustling areas of the Panhandle. As people lose their jobs for whatever reason, it causes others to lose jobs. Every time someone is put out of work, it causes less money to be in the community. With less money to spend, they don’t buy as much, and then someone else has to be let go by a shop or store manager or owner. It is a cycle that has to stop, and not just here. It is happening like that all over the country, and I want to help put a stop to it.
I have also run for congress in the past. In the 2014 General Election I was a write in candidate for the 1st Congressional District of Florida. The reason I didn’t run in District 2 at that time was because they did not make the district lines officially known until after all the candidates had submitted their paperwork for the Primary Election as well as the General Election. Even though I did not win, running as a write in is not easy, I did get some verified signatures during the general election. Considering that my full name had to be written in on the ballot I am sure that I had many others if not hundreds of other signatures that were cast for me. In any case I am not going to let that stop me from running again.
