David Patlak

David Patlak

David Patlak was the Democratic candidate in 2006 running for Congress in the 18th Congressional district in Florida, which runs from Key West to Miami. He ran against incumbent Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Background

Dave Patlak is a veteran of 25 years service in the U.S. Coast Guard who until recently^[when?] worked for Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization that helps care for people with intellectual disabilities. He is active in veterans’ groups as well as Democratic Party organizations.

The oldest of eight children, Patlak was born July 7, 1955, and raised in Northbrook, Illinois. His mother is a retired teacher and his father, a WWII veteran, went on to become a renowned psychiatrist and physician.^[1] After graduating Glenbrook North High School, he had his first exposure to grassroots politics, volunteering on the congressional campaign for Abner Mikva and the presidential campaign for Senator George McGovern. He then went on to work on Jimmy Carter's successful presidential campaign and Congressman Mikva's re-election bid (in the same district once held by Donald Rumsfeld). At over 6'5" tall, his height has earned him the moniker "Big Dave" Patlak.

Patlak joined the United States Coast Guard, where he served "with distinction" in the Presidential Honor Guard and as a Search and Rescue Air Crewman. In 1983, he became a Commissioned Officer and his shipboard responsibilities shifted to maritime law enforcement—including a 35-ton drug bust off the coast of the Bahamas. He retired, a Chief Warrant Officer 4, in 2003, after more than 24-years active duty service, 10 of which were spent on the shores of South Florida.

He is the district commander of the American Legion and a member of the Disabled American Veterans.

Patlak was endorsed by the Democratic Advancement Political Action Committee (Dapac), Democracy for America-Florida (DFAM-FL), and the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA). While serving in Puerto Rico, he was a member of Liga Ecologica del Noroeste de Puerto Rico and created the first curbside recycling program in the Commonwealth. He was elected to the position of Outreach Vice-Chair for the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party and serves on the Florida Democratic Party Clubs and Caucuses Committee. He has held the office of President of the Miami Beach Democratic Club for two terms and serves as the Vice Chair of the South Florida Region Progressive Democrats.

Some of the celebrities who supported Patlak's campaign included talk show host Phil Donahue, actor-commentator Charles Grodin, and Academy Award nominee Sally Kellerman, who performed a benefit for Patlak's campaign in Key West in September 2006. Miami Herald article

Dave met his wife Maryanne, an artist, while stationed in Puerto Rico, where he learned to speak Spanish. Living in the South Pointe community of Miami Beach, Dave and Maryanne have two children, five grandchildren and have mentored a high-school student from Little Haiti.

References

1. ^ [http://doctor-finder.info/doctors/North-Carolina/Onslow_County/Jacksonville/Medical-Doctor/Psychiatry/Patlak-,-Erwin-M/

External links

• Official Campaign Website
• A Campaign Ad
• Port Security Ad^{[dead link]}
• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Website
• Record of Contributions to Date
• Miami Herald Article, Anti War Protest
• Democratic Advancement Political Action Committee (DAPAC)

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Name	Patlak, David
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Date of birth	1955
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