- April 25, 2024
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Flagler County Republican Club president and Daytona Beach News-Journal freelance correspondent Danielle Anderson has resigned from her role as the Republican Club president.
"I'm stepping down because in a controversial election season I do not want any appearance of conflict of interest between my journalistic career and my political position with the club," Anderson said. The Flagler County Republican Club's vice president, Gail Wadsworth, is serving as interim president until the club holds an election.
"With interest from several people last night at the annual Christmas party, I believe that there is a great opportunity to bring forward new people who will become the future of the conservative party in Flagler County."
— DANIELLE ANDERSON
"With interest from several people last night at the annual Christmas party, I believe that there is a great opportunity to bring forward new people who will become the future of the conservative party in Flagler County," Anderson said.
Anderson's resignation follows an Oct. 25 story in Orlando Weekly that had featured a photo, taken from the Flagler County Republican Executive Committee's Instagram page, of Anderson standing before a pickup truck that was a decorated with a wrap featuring the words "Trump 2020" and images of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. The story's headline read, "A reporter for a major Florida newspaper is also an operative for the Republican party."
It noted that Anderson, while serving as the Republican Club president, had reported on a visit by Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican, to the Teens-In-Flight nonprofit organization created by Palm Coast City Councilman Jack Howell. The story on Scott's visit did not note Anderson's role with the Republican Club.
The club's board was informed of Anderson's resignation on Tuesday, Dec. 3, and it became effective on Friday, Dec. 5, Anderson said.
An election for a new club president will be held in the coming weeks, Wadsworth said. Typically, the Flagler County Republican Club's elections would be held during the December meeting of even-numbered years, not odd-numbered years.
Wadsworth has been on the board of the Flagler County Republican Club since 2002 and has served at various point as president, treasurer and vice president. She will call a meeting for a club election once a nominating committee has met with a slate of candidates, she said.
— Brian McMillan contributed to this story.
