2 congressional candidates live outside District 6: Will it matter?

Wheat stalks sway as a farmer squints into the setting sun. Mist in the mountains. A panoramic look at Lady Liberty. These images and more flash through a video on John Ward's website as he waxes poetic.

"I believe America is the greatest nation on Earth," he says, before sharing other beliefs: The nation's culture should be celebrated, "not denigrated," her liberty is God-given, her Constitution is "the greatest document ever written because it limits the power of government."

Nowhere to be found in Ward's 3-minute, 6-second video are the fern fields of Pierson, the manatees at Blue Spring, the Flagler Pier, or any of the other icons of Volusia and Flagler counties. Nothing resembling a local candidacy. Ward says he wants to "make America great again" for the people of Florida. But with this ad, he could be running for any one of the 27 congressional districts that constitute the Sunshine State.

It turns out Ward is running for Congress in District 6, which encompasses all of Volusia and Flagler counties, plus parts of St. Johns and Lake. More than geography, what the district offers is an opening, with Ron DeSantis running for governor. Ward — a "U.S. Navy veteran, husband, father and job creator" who lives in Ponte Vedra Beach — is opting to run outside of his own district, the 4th, safely held by incumbent Rep. John Rutherford.

Another Republican in the race, Michael Waltz — a special forces Army veteran, dad, author and defense consultant, who made his announcement last Tuesday on "FOX & Friends" — is also a resident of the 4th, which includes all of Nassau and parts of Duval and St. Johns counties.

Legally, Waltz and Ward have no residency problem. Federal law only requires Congressional candidates to live in the state they represent, not the district.

But some question whether it is politically wise.

"It doesn't look good," said Jewel Dickson, chairwoman of the Volusia County Democratic Party. "I feel like we need candidates who know our issues."

Locals touting locals

Some of the other candidates in District 6's growing field are emphasizing their ties to Volusia County, specifically, as its population makes up more than two-thirds of the district's voters.

"I have a record of accessibility and approachability. My home number has been listed for 20 years," said Fred Costello, a Republican veteran and dentist whose long record in elective office includes stints in the Florida House of Representatives and as Ormond Beach mayor. "People want to see their congressman at the grocery store, at the charity event, at the civic event, where they can say, 'Hey, FEMA is messed up,' or, 'My Social Security is late.'"

Costello's campaign kickoff spanned an entire Saturday at five locations in all four counties. He's emphasized local supporters, such as Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood and Volusia County Chair Ed Kelley.

A similar approach appears to be emerging from John Upchurch, an Ormond Beach Democrat who's planning a campaign kickoff at One Daytona on Tuesday. He's lined up a host committee featuring both Republicans and Democrats, with names including Lesa France Kennedy, CEO of International Speedway Corp., former Daytona Beach Mayor Glenn Ritchey and onetime Volusia County Chair Frank Bruno.

One of those backers, Daytona Beach City Commissioner Aaron Delgado, said it's only natural that voters are comfortable with someone they know, as he does Upchurch, a fellow attorney.

"I feel an affinity for someone I know personally," Delgado said. "Having name recognition and being from a community is certainly helpful."

Dr. Stephen Sevigny, an Ormond Beach Democrat who's also in the race, said knowledge of, and commitment to the needs of the local community is critical to a successful tenure in Congress. As an example, he pointed to the legacy of one former congressman, John Mica, a Republican whose name graces the engineering and aerospace research complex at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

"The Micaplex is called the Micaplex as a result of having a congressman who cared about his area, knowing the importance of this area," Sevigny said. "I coudn't imagine going to Jacksonville and trying to understand what's important to a Jacksonville voter."

Running from outside

Waltz, a former Army Green Beret lieutenant colonel who has experience advising former Vice President Dick Cheney and as a national security contributor to FOX News, will campaign from his home within walking distance of the Atlantic Ocean in St. Augustine Beach, just outside the District 6 boundary.

Waltz is listed on a St. Johns County Property Appraiser document as co-owner of a handsome home purchased on July 31, 2017, about 20 days after Waltz registered as a Republican with the St. Johns County Election Supervisor's Office.

Waltz said he was "in meeetings" last week and had a campaign spokesman, Tim Baker, respond to questions.

"He lives just outside the boundary by about 200 feet. It's not like he's living up in Jacksonville," Baker said. "Michael plans and has been building relationships across the district. ... He has no plans to move in the short term. I believe he would move into the district if he's elected, even if it's a couple hundred feet."

One of Waltz's Republican opponents, Ward, bought his home in 2014 in Ponte Vedra Beach some 34 miles north of the district boundary. Ward said his children attend public schools in St. Johns County, part of which is in the 6th District.

"I think I can do a great job for District 6 given my background," Ward said, mentioning his Navy experience and 22 years as a venture capitalist. "When I bought my home it was in the 6th District."

Redistricting moved the boundaries south before the 2016 campaign. "I didn't want to let a liberal activist judge who redrew the boundaries stand in between me and serving my country and the 6th District."

Asked about any plans to move into the 6th, Ward declined to answer.

Nancy Soderberg, a Democrat who lost a race for the northeasternmost Florida Senate seat in 2012, said she started talking about running for Congress in District 6 last March or April. When she decided to do it, she rented a place in Crescent Beach, an unincorporated St. Johns County community inside the district.

"I firmly believe I should live somewhere I'm going to represent," said Soderberg, a former ambassador who served as the third-highest ranking member of President Clinton's National Security Council and now teaches foreign policy at the University of North Florida.

She said she entered the race early, last July, so she could attend dozens of meetings, rallies and parades where she can gather petitions and meet residents, gaining a more thorough knowledge of the concerns of residents across the far-flung district, in addition to getting a leg up on fundraising.

"The main point here is who understands the district best, who knows the problems best and who can win," Soderberg said. "I knew it would be a difficult race, and there are still people jumping in now. I feel confident I've got the momentum."