Voter alert: Steve Shives’ misleading campaign messaging

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Posted July 31, 2024 | Jennifer Hunt Murty
jennifer@ocalagazette.com

In the race for the Florida House of Representatives District 27 seat, Steve Shives, the uncle of District 24 State Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, is misleading voters with doctored images in his campaign messaging.

Additionally, he and Chamberlin aren’t being completely forthcoming about familial endorsements.

Shives faces Richard Gentry and Becky Sirolli in the Aug. 20 Republican primary election. House District 27 encompasses parts of Lake, Marion, and Volusia counties. The winner of the primary will face Democrat Andy Ferrari in the Nov. 5 general election. The seat is open because incumbent Republican Stan McClain is termed out and is now running for Marion County’s sole State Senate seat.

As previously reported by the “Ocala Gazette,” Shives, then 41 years old, was convicted on criminal larceny charges in South Carolina. According to the incident report obtained directly from South Carolina authorities, for months Shives could have reimbursed the owner for a part he stole from a vehicle without permission. When he failed to do so, Shives was arrested, and after trial on the larceny charges where he could have raised affirmative defenses he was convicted and sentenced to either 30 days in jail or to pay restitution.

Shives chose to pay the restitution. The “Gazette” has been unable to obtain how many days Shives was originally jailed, but it was long enough for him to change into an orange jumpsuit.

Shives reframes this theft in a recent mailer to voters making it sound like a dispute about how much to pay for a part. He leaves out how he got the part, which is by theft. He took a part from a vehicle without the owner’s permission.

Shives was not just arrested for larceny; he was adjudicated guilty after a trial. That’s why the “Ocala Gazette” is publishing the photo of Shives in an orange jumpsuit, under our own policies. We obtained the photo directly from the South Carolina jail where he was booked.

Shives’ conviction was not for a felony. He did not lose his voting rights or his ability to run for office.

Shives is now distributing via text messages paid for by his campaign, photoshopped pictures of his opponent Gentry in an orange jumpsuit, demonstrating how “easy” it is to “put a head on an orange jumpsuit.”

Gentry, who has a 50-year legal career that includes private law practice, general counsel and lobbyist for the Florida Builder’s Association, and government attorney, has never been arrested or convicted of any crime.

The “Gazette” asked Shives how many voters received the text message with the photoshopped picture, and he said he didn’t recall.

The “Gazette” also asked Shives about a recent mailer that alleged Gentry manipulated legislation to enrich himself personally. We asked Shives to share that information, since it was not sourced in the mailer, and no details were given. Shives responded that he’d have to look into it and get back to us.

Shives’ also continually touts being endorsed by Chamberlin, without identifying Chamberlin as his nephew. Shives helped Chamberlin get elected, and now Chamberlin is trying to help Shives. The “Ocala Gazette” has obtained emails issued by Chamberlin endorsing his uncle – but there is no mention the familial relationship.

Questionable campaign tactics were also reported in Chamberlin’s 2023 campaign, which was fraught with misinformation about endorsements, financial contributions, vague character attacks on other candidates, and questionable assertions about Chamberlin’s background.

In addition to being relatives, both Chamberlin and Shives shared a campaign consultant, Brent Doster of Front Line Agency in Tallahassee. Doster is the half-brother of Stan McClain, who is running to represent Marion County in the State Senate.

Doster has been accused of representing himself as a negotiator for the Republican Party to write in candidate for Chamberlin. Another candidate Doster promotes is Matt McClain, son of Stan McClain, who was appointed to the Marion County Board of County Commissioners, and running for election against David Blackwell in the primary. Since a write-in candidate filed, the primary is closed only to Republicans.

Doster’s agency, along with a PAC it operated with, settled a lawsuit filed by candidate Jose Juarez following the political antics they deployed to help Chamberlin in the Special House election in 2023, following the resignation of then-State Rep. Joe Harding.

Editor’s note: This alert is being issued to help readers recognize the difference between a legitimate jail booking photo and a photoshopped one. Also, the story sheds light on the close familial relationships involving numerous candidates for legislative seats representing Marion County. Please forward any other questionable PAC material or campaign material to tips@ocalagazette.com. We will honor confidentiality requests.

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