St. Johns GOP tensions flare over chairman’s alleged controversial comments

Lydia Nusbaum co-authored this report.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. (FLV) – Tensions are continuing to flare between members of the St. Johns GOP Republican Executive Committee following recent alleged comments by the local party’s chairman.

Florida’s Voice obtained a letter that alleged St. Johns GOP Chairman Blake Paterson claimed voters in Darryl Boyer’s State House District 19 election would not elect a Black man to that office. 

Boyer, a Black Republican, is running alongside two other Republicans to represent the district, which covers Flagler and a portion of St. Johns County.

Paterson told Florida’s Voice that his comments in the meeting with Boyer were taken out of context. He calls the attacks against him a “hit job” with the intent to dissuade U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds from attending the party’s fundraising event Sept. 9. 

Agitation from local party members has been long-standing. 

At Wednesday’s REC meeting, one of the members asked to take a no-confidence vote against Paterson, which did not pass. No roll call vote was taken at that time, according to people at the meeting.  

The St. Johns GOP chair was also criticized for a chaotic June 1 meeting that resulted in a 911 call. Charges were then pressed against Paterson by two people at the meeting, but were later dropped, according to the party’s vice chair. 

Both Paterson and Vice Chair Jaime Parham have called on each other to resign in emails that Florida’s Voice obtained Thursday.

The email exchanges occurred after Darryl Boyer sent a letter to local party leadership and the Republican Party of Florida explaining his perspective on the conversation where Paterson allegedly said his district would not vote for a Black man. 

Boyer said Paterson told him the district “isn’t ready to elect a person of color to the House or Senate.”

“You know you’re going to lose,” Paterson purportedly said. “This part of Florida isn’t ready to elect a person of color to the House or Senate.”

Boyer claimed in his letter he was met with “hostility, negativity, and discrimination” when meeting with Paterson to discuss potential resources available to his campaign. 

“Mr. Paterson may not believe I belong in this race, but to discourage a young conservative from participating in our democracy is wrong and contrary to the values shared by the Florida Republicans I know,” Boyer said in his letter to party leadership. 

In response to the claims, Paterson told Florida’s Voice that he had asked Boyer what it was like running for office in some Northeast Florida counties, which “are historically extremely racist counties.” Paterson also said Boyer’s letter did not express the support the party offered him and said he had encouraged Boyer to “get a job and run your race.”

“As for young Mr. Boyer, I am praying for you and your grievously misguided beliefs,” Paterson said in one of his emails to Boyer. 

Paterson also claimed that Boyer was participating in “identity politics” and “negative, race-baiting publicity.” Paterson noted in the email that he lived in Latin America and is the grandparent of a biracial child. 

“Again, I forgive you for your attack, apologize for any misunderstanding, and invite you back to the office to meet with me at any time,” Paterson ended in his email to Boyer.

Parham, who has frequently clashed with Paterson, responded to Boyer in an email following the meeting. Parham, the vice chair, said in his response to Boyer that Paterson’s emailed response “does not represent” the committee.

“There is no room for his bigotry,” Parham said to Boyer. “If we are so deplorable to Blake, maybe that grifting carpetbagger can move back to Maryland and run for office as a Democrat again!”

“You are welcomed among us and will be embraced by us regardless of your melanin content, which is completely irrelevant to us,” Parham continued in his email. 

Following these responses, Paterson sent an email to Parham and others saying they are attempting to “destroy what we have been working so hard to build.”

“Mr. Vice Chair, as usual you and your colleague Ms Sweeney spin an intricate and extensive web of disruptive deceit while doing nothing to help St. Johns County or the REC,” Paterson claimed in the email sent to REC members. 

Parham responded by saying Paterson is a “tyrant” and “gaslighter on a level I have never seen before.” 

“Gaslighting only works when you repeat your lies without challenge or evidence to the contrary. Thus, why you seek to remove us, drive us out, silence us, and keep us from keeping records of what you do!” Parham exclaimed. 

Parham pointed to the chaotic meeting June 1 where Paterson called 911 for and asked police to remove people from the meeting for an alleged “ruckus.” Paterson told the dispatcher there was a verbal and “almost physical” disruption at the meeting, according to the recorded call. 

However, Parham had told Florida’s Voice that Paterson would not begin the meeting until everyone sat down including people who had “medical conditions,” leading him to call the police in an attempt to have the people standing removed from the meeting.