Doug Rankin and Frank Schwerin will compete to succeed Francis “Alfie” Oakes as the Collier County Republican State Committeeman. Incumbent JoAnn DeBartolo faces challenger Kristina Heuser to be State Committeewoman. The winners will be decided by Republicans countywide in closed primary elections on August 20.
The Role of State Committee Representatives
Republican voters in each county elect one man and one woman to serve for a four-year term as the county’s Republican State Committeeman and State Committeewoman.
The role and responsibilities of Republican State Committeemen and Committeewomen are outlined in the Rules of Procedure of the RPOF’s Republican State Executive Committee. The first of the six roles and responsibilities listed is to act as a liaison between the State Executive Committee and the County Executive Committee.
The position is unpaid and has an unfunded requirement to attend quarterly meetings of the RPOF around the state.
The Democratic Party State Committeemen and State Committeewomen are elected internally.
In This Post
Below, you will find the following information to help you learn more about the candidates:
- Bios and key issues
- Websites and social media
- Endorsements
- In the news
- Responses to Sparker’s Soapbox candidate questionnaire
There is no analysis of campaign contributions because candidates for these offices are only required to file one report on the Friday before the election.
There is also no discussion of Alfie Oakes’ failure to qualify for the ballot due to improperly filed paperwork because it is not relevant to this post. But it should be noted that he told NBC-2 reporter Dave Elias that, come February 2025, he “will be State Committeeman again.” He declined to elaborate.
Doug Rankin
Doug Rankin, 67, is a 41-year Collier County resident, having moved here from Bradenton, FL. He obtained a BA in Business from the University of South Florida and practiced accounting with his family firm in Bradenton, FL, from 1972 through 1982.
After earning a J.D. from the University of Florida in 1983, Rankin practiced with the Law Firm of Parks & Rankin until 1992, when he opened his sole practice.
He is a member of the Collier County, Florida, and American Bar Associations, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Republican National Lawyers Association, and the International Legal Honor Society of Phi Delta Phi.
Rankin has been active in Republican Party politics since 1984. He has been a member of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee (CCREC) since 1992. In addition, “I spent many years as vice chairman of our local party and 12 years as a state committee man,” he said on his Sparker’s Soapbox questionnaire. “During most of that time, I was elected as a chairman and/or vice chairman of a Congressional District, which put me on the Republican Party of Florida board,” which sets policy for the RPOF.
In 2016, Rankin ran unsuccessfully for Collier County Commissioner to represent District 5. He came in second to Bill McDaniel in a three-way race, losing by 196 votes.
Websites and Social Media
In the News
- Brent Batten: State committee races prove old adage about publicity, Naples Daily News, 8/20/20 (Rankin defeated by Oakes in reelection bid)
- McDaniel wins Collier Commission District 5 GOP race, Naples Daily News, 8/30/16 (Rankin one of two defeated candidates)
- Collier commission candidates talk impact fees, housing, Naples Daily News, 8/18/16 (Rankin participated in candidate forum)
- Three eastern Collier Republicans vie for commission seat, Naples Daily News, 8/8/16 (Rankin as candidate)
Endorsements
Rankin’s endorsements include Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, former CCREC Chairmen Mike Lyster and Carla Dean, former Collier County Commissioners Jim Coletta, Penny Taylor, Donna Fiala, and Frank Halas, Collier County Clerk of Courts Crystal Kinzel, former Florida Senator and Representative Garrett Richter, Florida Representative J. Dudley Goodlette, and more.
He is also endorsed by the Collier County Citizens Values Political Action Committee (CCCVPAC).
Frank Schwerin
Frank Schwerin, 68, attended medical school and interned in New York City in the 1980s, and completed a cardiology fellowship in Boston. He moved to Collier County from Boston in 1992. After practicing cardiology here for 25 years, he retired in 2017.
Schwerin is a lifelong Republican. His involvement in Republican Party politics in Collier County dates to 2010, and he served as CCREC Chairman from 2010-2012 and again from 2020-2022. He represented the RPOF as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2016 and as a 2020 Florida Electoral College member.
He and his wife Angela have three adult children and one grandchild.
Websites and Social Media
In the News
- Collier GOP rebuts NDN “hit piece,” requests retraction, Sparker’s Soapbox, 8/16/22 (Schwerin sends “time-sensitive voter alert”)
- “As the Chairman of the CollierGOP, one of the proudest moments of my life was leading the effort to turn the Collier County School Board CONSERVATIVE!” Frank Schwerin, Facebook, 7/10/22
- Influential donor promises $100K donation if Ron DeSantis entertains 2020 election audit, Florida Politics2, 9/22/21 (Schwerin “stopped short” of saying the 2020 election was stolen)
- New Collier GOP chairman takes over through mid-term congressional elections, Naples Daily News, 2/2/10 (Schwerin to step in after Carla Dean resigned)
- School officials put anti-bullying program on hold to check into safety issues, Naples Daily News via Cult Education Institute, 1/26/26 (Schwerin urges School Board not to adopt proposed program)
Endorsements
Schwerin’s endorsements include State Senators Joe Gruters and Jonathan Martin, State Representative David Borrero, Republican State Committeeman Alfie Oakes, Collier County Commissioners Daniel Kowal and Rick LoCastro, and more.
Soapbox Questionnaire
Both candidates completed my seven-point Sparker’s Soapbox candidate questionnaire. I encourage you to read both candidates’ complete responses as well as my summary:
What They Say Are the Differences
“What is the most important thing voters should know about the issues at stake in this election before making their decision about who to vote for?” I asked in my candidate questionnaire.
Both candidates chose to respond by differentiating themselves from their opponents.
Rankin said the key difference is in their length and breadth of involvement in the Republican Party. He points to his many roles with the Party at the local, state, and national levels dating back to the 1980s and his decades-long work on election integrity “from a political and legal standpoint.” His opponent “has never been a Congressional District chairman, a State Committeeman, and has never sat on the Republican Party of Florida board,” he says, and “knows few people outside of Collier County in the political circles.”
Schwerin said the key difference is how the two view the role of the CCREC. In his view, the CCREC should play an active role in vetting candidates for local office. “My opponent has the opposite view,” he says. “The choice Republican voters make on August 20 will have a significant impact on the direction of the Collier County Republican Party for the next four years.”
JoAnn DeBartolo
JoAnn DeBartolo was born and raised in North Brunswick, NJ, attended Arizona State University, and settled in San Diego, CA, before moving to Collier County in 2004.
DeBartolo is a loyal Republican and an ardent Trump supporter. A member of the CCREC since 2009, she was elected to her current term as State Committeewoman in 2020 and is now seeking reelection.
Her political activities have included serving as county chair and delegate to the Republican National Convention for former President Trump’s 2016 campaign and county representative for Gov. DeSantis’ 2018 campaign. In addition, she created the Patriots for Florida Club, the first Trump Club in the State.
While the role does not involve making policy, DeBartolo’s website includes her positions on immigration, election integrity and security, the cost of homeowners’ insurance, and healthcare and prescription drugs
Websites and Social Media
In the News
- Southwest Florida Republican delegates expect unity from Trump, NBC-2.com, 7/17/24
- Collier County Republican state committeewoman concerned about safety ahead of Republican National Convention, NBC-2.com, 7/14/24
- Florida GOP group under investigation for questionable spending by past board members: report, NBC-2.com, 6/11/21
- As Florida Republicans look ahead, will Donald Trump still play an outsized role in Florida politics?, Florida Politics2, 1/15/21
- Collier County residents participate in the Stop the Steal rally in North Naples, Naples Daily News, 11/5/20
- Loyalty to Donald Trump key issue in GOP state committee races in SWFL, Florida Politics2, 8/18/20
Endorsements
DeBartolo’s endorsements include David Bossie, President of Citizens United and former Deputy Campaign Manager, Donald J. Trump for President Campaign; Kevin Marino Cabrera, Miami-Dade County Commissioner and former Florida State Director, Donald J. Trump for President Campaign; Joe Gruters, Florida State Senator, former RPOF State Chairman, and former 2016 Florida Co-chair, Donald J. Trump for President Campaign; Francis Rooney, former U.S. Congressman and Ambassador to the Holy See; Don Hunter, former Collier County Sheriff; and more.
Kristina Heuser
Kristina Heuser earned her bachelor’s degree in government from Georgetown University and her juris doctor from Brooklyn Law School. She has government, non-profit, and private sector experience and is the former Chief Litigation Counsel for Advocates for Faith & Freedom.
She has been in private practice at the Heuser Law Firm, with offices in Naples and Locust Valley, NY, since 2010. The Firm’s practice areas are constitutional and civil rights law, religious liberty, employment law, appeals, and municipal law.
Before relocating to Naples in 2019, she served as the Deputy City Attorney for the City of Glen Cove from 2014 while maintaining her private practice.
Heuser also serves as Legal Counsel to the American Constitutional Rights Union and, since 2011, has been an Allied Attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, one of the country’s most organized and influential Christian legal interest groups.1
She was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the board of Florida Southwestern State College and previously served as Chair of the Civil Rights Committee for the Nassau County Bar Association.
Locally, she is the Republican chair of the Faith and Family Subcommittee for Collier County and serves on the Collier County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
She is the mother of two teenage daughters.
Websites and Social Media
In the News
- Collier County commissioners condemn abortion rights expansion in symbolic vote, FOX4now.com, 6/11/24 (Heuser as a public speaker)
- ‘Constitutionalist’ Kristina Heuser running for Collier County GOP state committeewoman, Florida’s Voice News3, 5/8/24
- Five new members named to FSW District Board of Trustees, WGCU.org, 6/30/24
- Collier County Supervisor of Elections blames political action committee for mysterious text, NBC-2.com, 2/15/24 (Heuser as attorney for WIN America PAC)
- Conservative education advocacy group sues Collier schools for not giving out parent emails, Naples Daily News, 11/29/23 (Heuser as attorney for Florida Citizens Alliance)
- Commissioners make Collier County a ‘Bill of Rights Sanctuary’ in response to federal overreach, Florida’s Voice News3, 8/22/23 (Heuser as attorney who helped write the ordinance)
- Court rules against NY worker fired for refusing LGBTQ training, New York Post 4 , 3/15/23 (Heuser as attorney for the plaintiff)
- Collier Commission rejects Bill of Rights sanctuary county law, opts for resolution, Naples Daily News, 7/14/21 (Heuser as attorney who helped write the ordinance)
Endorsements
Heuser’s endorsements include Congressman Byron and Erika Donalds, State Representative Bob Rommel, Collier Commissioners Rick LoCastro, Chris Hall, Dan Kowal, and Bill McDaniel, Collier School Board members Tim Moshier and Jerry Rutherford, Collier County Republican State Committeeman Alfie Oakes, Collier Republican Party Chairman John Meo, and more.
Soapbox Questionnaire
Both candidates completed my seven-point Sparker’s Soapbox candidate questionnaire. I encourage you to read both candidates’ complete responses as well as my summary:
What They Say Are the Differences
“What is the most important thing voters should know about the issues at stake in this election before making their decision about who to vote for?” I asked in my candidate questionnaire.
Like the candidates for State Committeeman, both candidates responded by differentiating themselves from their opponents.
DeBartolo said the key difference is in their willingness to advocate on multiple issues. “Unlike my opponent,” she said, “I am NOT a one-issue candidate. I will be an advocate on issues that directly affect Collier County citizens, including insurance reform, election integrity, healthcare and prescription costs, and a strong border, among others.”
Heuser said the key difference is their suitability to represent Collier County Republicans. “Collier County Republicans deserve representation that is professional, respected, and works to bring about civil discourse and unity while maintaining unwavering commitment to conservative values,” she said. “These are qualities that I will bring to the office and the local Party, and that distinguish me from the incumbent.”
Next Steps
If you are a registered Republican in Collier County, it’s time to decide which candidates to vote for.
If you have questions, contact the candidates directly via the contact information on their Soapbox questionnaire or website. If they don’t respond to your satisfaction when running for office, how responsive will they be if elected?
When you’ve done enough research to feel confident about your decisions, you are ready to vote!
Footnotes
- Bennett, Daniel (2017). Defending Faith: The Politics of the Christian Conservative Legal Movement. University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0700624607. Referenced in Wikipedia.
- Florida Politics NewsGuard rating 69.5/100 – Credible with Exceptions. See My Approach: How I Research Candidates
- Florida’s Voice News NewsGuard rating 74.5/100 – Credible with Exceptions. See My Approach: How I Research Candidates
- New York Post NewsGuard rating 74.5/100 – Credible with Exceptions. See My Approach: How I Research Candidates