Outside the fundraiser, the activists would have none of that.
"Rather than making up stories about Occupiers or FCAN people breaking into his house, which are entirely fictitious and totally without merit, he needs to get out and talk to the people he's supposed to be representing," Stemm added.
In the Times article, Young also says he is on his guard now after activist and constituent Pepe Kovanis approached him on the 4th of July about raising the minimum wage. Young retorted to Kovanis that he should "get a job," in a video that went viral.
Responding to that story on Tuesday today was Jessica Ehrlich, his Congressional District 13 Democratic opponent who is growing frustrated that Young refuses to engage in any debates with her, six weeks before the election. In a statement she said, "If Congressman Young wants to earn a 43rd year in Congress he needs to stop confusing voters with stalkers."
She added, "If Congressman Young had held a town hall meeting or attended a debate, his constituents would not need to approach him to find out his positions. After four decades in Congress, Bill Young needs to explain his vote to 'voucherize' medicare. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee that controls Washington spending, he needs to answer for our record budget deficit. And with thousands of Pinellas County voters struggling in this economy, his economic plan needs to be more than 'get a job.'"
"If you literally can't show up to listen, you can't represent," said Fawn Weaver, a Gulfport resident who says she voted for Young one time about ten years ago.
One reason Young has been consistently re-elected in a changing congressional district that supported Barack Obama four years ago is that many Democrats continue to vote for him every two years. When asked why she thinks that's the case, Weaver said it's all about name recognition.
"I think that it's also that the Democratic party hasn't gotten someone out front and center and given them the name recognition. It's scary to me how many Democrats don't know who Jessica (Ehrlich) is. It's very easy to be a lazy voter and say 'I know his name.'"
Some protesters were less charitable. Seth Bestulic owns a computer repair company in Pinellas. He says he's weary of Young supporting defense contractors and tax cuts for the wealthy, but doesn't support small businesses.
"I believe that if he can no longer fulfill these duties, and can no longer hold to the responsibilities of his office, in representing the people of his district, then he should step down. Whether the reason is advanced age, or the reason is incompetence, it's just he's someone we no longer need representing us."
The protest called for by FCAN is one of many the activist group has conducted this summer and now into the fall in targeting the GOP incumbent. Though not aligned with the Ehrlich campaign, the two parties are working hand in hand in trying to show that the 38-year-old Democrat is a viable replacement. But that could still be a tall order because of the fact that she has never run for office before.
