By Breitbart News Network | Created at 2026-07-31 14:47:26 | Updated at 2026-08-02 15:52:45
2 days ago
Tallahassee mayoral candidate Daryl Parks, a Democrat, denounced tactics linked to progressive opponent Jeremy Matlow’s campaign, alleging that a Facebook page renamed “Tallahassee Conservatives” was intended to make it appear that local conservatives were attacking Talietha Edwards, a black candidate for City Commission Seat 3.
Parks, a black Democrat running in Tallahassee’s nonpartisan mayoral election, addressed the allegations during a press conference detailed in original reporting by Tallahassee Reports founder and editor Steve Stewart.
Stewart reported that a Facebook page was originally called “Pause the TMH Deal Vote No on December 10th” before its name was changed to “Tallahassee Conservatives.” According to Tallahassee Reports, the page was administered by Matlow’s campaign manager, and the Matlow campaign ran political advertisements through the account.
Matlow’s campaign manager, Kristellys Estanga, resigned after the report was published. Estanga’s political consulting clients have included U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), as well as former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.
Matlow has denied involvement in the page’s renaming.
Parks opened his press conference by extending his “thoughts and prayers” to Tallahassee City Commission candidate Talietha Edwards and her family.
“No one in our community should be subjected to misleading tactics or online manipulation designed to confuse voters or divide our city,” Parks said.
Parks said publicly posted Facebook images showed that the page had originally been created to oppose a vote involving Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare before being renamed “Tallahassee Conservatives.”
“Let me be clear: this wasn’t digital. This was deceptive,” Parks said. “This was designed to divide our community.”
Parks alleged that the name change was intended to make voters believe conservatives were attacking Edwards, a black woman running for Tallahassee City Commission Seat 3.
“This is not just a questionable tactic,” Parks said. “This is a deliberate attempt to inflame division and mislead the public. And Tallahassee deserves better than that.”
The Capital Conservative Club of Tallahassee, a politically active organization also founded in 2009, released a statement denying any connection to the Facebook page or to an organization using the “Tallahassee Conservatives” name.
The club said the page appeared to suggest that local conservatives were encouraging the Tallahassee Police Benevolent Association to withdraw its endorsement of a city commission candidate.
“We want to reassure Tallahassee residents that the Capital Conservative Club has no connection and has never had any connection to this Facebook page, which has since been taken down, or to any group using the name ‘Tallahassee Conservatives,’” the organization said.
The group said introducing misleading information into the community was not helpful to voters and the election process.
“We believe campaigns should be conducted with transparency and respect for the people of Tallahassee,” the club said. “This type of activity contributes to the frustration many residents feel toward politics.”
The organization encouraged anyone involved in creating or promoting misleading material to accept responsibility for the activity.
Parks argued that the tactics were inconsistent with the leadership expected from a mayor.
“Mayors lead people, not parties,” Parks said. “Mayors lead communities, not ideologies. And Tallahassee needs leadership that unites us, not leadership that hides behind misleading pages and divisive tactics.”
Parks also claimed the controversy reflected a broader pattern in Matlow’s political conduct.
“For the last eight years, Mr. Matlow has used tactics that divide, mislead, and inflame instead of bringing people together,” Parks said.
Parks called on community leaders, organizations, and Democrats who have endorsed Matlow to denounce the conduct.
“This moment is not about party labels,” Parks said. “Tallahassee mayoral and commission elections are not partisan elections. They are people elections. They are about character, integrity, and accountability.”
Matlow’s city commission aide, Ryan Ray, operates a political blog that, according to Tallahassee Reports, has published critical stories about Democrats who do not adhere to the progressive political line.
Parks said political disagreements should not result in efforts to deceive voters or use a candidate’s identity for political advantage.
“We can debate ideas, we can disagree on policy, but we should never manipulate voters and mislead the public, or weaponize identity to score political points,” Parks said.
Parks pledged that his own leadership would emphasize honesty, transparency, and unity.
“My commitment to the people of Tallahassee is simple,” he said. “I will always tell them the truth. I will always respect their intelligence, and I’ll always put the people of Tallahassee first.”
