Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/360116
You know a campaign has turned ugly when a blogger is accusing a candidate of speaking to the dead, and that's exactly the bizarre turn the Sarasota County Commission Republican primary between Lourdes Ramirez and Alan Maio has taken. That is all thanks to a new post from right-wing blogger Rich Swier Sr., noted for a long list of what a number of com- munity residents have called ignominious and hateful comments over the years — a list he added to last week. Swier's post discusses Isle of Avalon, a shop owned by Ramirez in the Cooper Creek shop- ping plaza on University Parkway between 2005 and 2010. The store sold what Ramirez calls "inspirational products," such as books by self-help writer Wayne Dyer, as well as soy candles, "peaceful" music and more. Lourdes Ramirez is a candidate for the District 4 County Commission seat. Contributed photo INFLAMMATORY RIGHT-WING BLOGGER GOES AFTER A SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSION CANDIDATE By Cooper Levey-Baker Associate Editor Sarasota News Leader August 8 & 15, 2014 Page 21