What this lone Democrat lacks in finance, she’s making up in fervor – and ‘Dear Bubbie’ followers.
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: June 24, 2026
Host: Julie London is the sole Democrat in this election cycle running for a seat in the Sarasota County Commission. Ramon Lopez brings you a profile.
Ramon Lopez: To say that Julie London is unconventional would be an understatement.
Julie London | Provided by campaign
She’s running a campaign to unseat first-term conservative Republican District 4 Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Neunder. The Democrat is working with little cash in her campaign war chest—a mere $925, of which 600 bucks she contributed. But what she lacks in finance, she’s making up in fervor and fight.
They met for the first time at a June 18 League of Women Voters of Sarasota County Candidate Primary Election Forum at Selby Library.
She noted her run for elected office at the May 5 commission meeting attended by her rival. But she had actually announced her intentions four days earlier as Dear Bubbie.
To explain: Julie London, or Bubbie—that’s what she calls herself on her Dear Bubbie Substack—has a large following. Supporters and opponents have taken her comments, sharp analysis and breaking news about school politics, and more recently local government issues, seriously. And it’s been shared and republished extensively. Between her Substack and social media, she has thousands of followers.
Bubbie, Yiddish for “grandmother,” announced in May that she’ll be a watchdog doing deep dives into any fellow commissioner who may have a special self-interest, and call it out before a vote is taken.
At the forum, and in an exclusive interview with WSLR, London discussed the issues at hand, including PAC money and “water-sucking AI data centers.”
Julie London and Joe Neunder | Photo: Lopez
Julie London: A lot of moments define why I am the best choice for county commissioner. We see the overdevelopment, we fear the AI data centers, and the county commissioners turn a deaf ear to us. Then comes along candidates who have already taken PAC money from developers and contractors and cried “stop overdevelopment.” I am not going to take any PAC money. I’m going to listen—really listen—because this isn’t my race. This is ours. This is our Sarasota.
It frightens me what’s happening in DeSoto County—that they want to put the world’s largest data center.
RL: She also had a lot to say about the property tax homestead tax exemption up for a referendum vote in November.
JL: This homestead tax exemption will be a disaster to every single county in Florida. This is a nightmare scenario that, once again, the legislature rushed through. Half of them didn’t even know what they were signing. They still don’t know what it is. Additionally, they’re going to have to rewrite it, because the way it’s written right now is unconstitutional.
RL: London can’t live with the Live Local Act.
JL: It’s scary and frightening, but there are loopholes. We’re going to have to use every single one, and we’re going to have to use them extremely quickly. I am going to really fight against that.
RL: 60% of the voters in District 4 traditionally vote Republican. The staunch Democrat is unswayed.
Julie London (right) and friends. | Photo: Lopez
JL: I don’t consider it staunch Republican. I call it staunch Sarasota. Sorry if I’m in any kind of denial. They want to vote for the person. They’re not going to vote for the party. They want to vote for the person who is going to save Sarasota. We’re at an inflection point. They know we’re very important. They don’t want more of the same. What are my chances? I 100% know I’m going to win. I don’t think I’m going to win; I know I’m going to win.
RL: Julie London used her concluding statement from the forum for one last jab at the county’s political establishment.
JL: We have to stand up to authority, meaning Tallahassee. We have to protect our rights for the place we call home. Unlike every Republican who has served on the board, I am not beholden to anyone. Not to them. Not to Tallahassee. I’m beholden to you. I’m beholden to the town, the environment, the people I’ve grown up with. This is our Sarasota, and we’re going to take it back.
RL: On the campaign trail, this is Ramon Lopez for WSLR News.
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