Tallahassee man diverts web names for Dem candidates

Until Wednesday, if you typed in Morgan2018.com, Graham 2018.com or Gillum2018.com, your browser took you to the web page of GOP candidate Adam Putnam.

Putnam campaign officials say they didn’t do it, and they don’t know Joe Mizereck, the man who registered the web addresses.

Mizereck, 63, said he is just a fan of Putnam having some fun with potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates. But after being interviewed by the Orlando Sentinel, he took down the sites, and now they’re for sale.

“I thought it would be best for everyone,” he said, adding none of the campaigns asked him to shut down the sites.

Mizereck got his idea after news surfaced during last year’s presidential campaign that Jeb bush.com forwarded to Donald Trump’s campaign website.

He guessed the three Democrats were likely candidates for the governor’s seat and bought the domains for about $9 apiece.

John Morgan, the Orlando attorney still pondering a bid for governor, was tipped off on Twitter over the weekend. He took it lightheartedly, tweeting Putnam asking for 10 percent of the donations he received from the Morgan2018 domain.

He said he doubted Putnam was involved.

“What I think it is, is you get these little dirty trick political operative types that just graduated from student government elections and they think they’re being cute, but it really does the candidate more harm than good,” said Morgan.

He continued, “He can have that domain … I have several others that are better.”

Andrew Gillum’s spokesman Geoff Burgan said it was “a typical Republican bait and switch.”

In an email, Matt Harringer, a spokesman for Gwen Graham’s campaign, said, “What can we say? Floridians are entrepreneurial and resourceful. And after twenty stagnant years of oneparty rule in Tallahassee — Floridians kinda have to be.

“To change that, visit Gwen Graham.com.”