484. Volusia County candidate consultant Jim Oddie meets Romney and Ryan in advance of GOP convention

Photos for Headline Surfer / Conservative Republican Jim Oddie of Wilbur-by-the-Sea, poses with Wisconsin Congressman and Romney VP Paul Ryan.

THE VILLAGES -- Volusia County conservative Republican stalwart Jim Oddie let Paul Ryan know during his campaign stop in The Villages in August 2012 that Floridians support the R & R ticket.

That's Romney and Ryan, of course.

The Wilbur-by-the-Sea resident not only interacted with Ryan Saturday, but with Mitt Romney himself, along with Gov. Scott, on Monday in St. Augustine.

Oddie's interaction with the GOP big wigs comes in at No. 484 in Headline Surfer's Top 500 countdown of the biggest stories in Volusia County as part of Headline Surfer's 5th anniversary.

Oddie, a one-time district representative for former Congressman Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, was the last person to greet Ryan before he was whisked away by his handlers after speaking with an enthusiastic crowd of supporters in the sprawling retirement community known for its array of colorful golf carts.

"I got two minutes with him," Oddie said of his one-on-one with the Ohio congressman. 

"I told him listen: 'The left vilifies Gov. Scott for keeping his promises and I hope the same people criticize you for keeping your promises," Oddie said. "(Ryan) told me, 'We're going to go up there and preserve and protect Medicare for our seniors. Please say hello to Tom Feeney. He's a great conservative. He's missed.' "

"I told him listen: 'The left vilifies Gov. Scott for keeping his promises and I hope the same people criticize you for keeping your promises," Oddie said. "(Ryan) said 'We're going to go up there and preserve and protect Medicare for our seniors. Please say hello to Tom Feeney. He's a great conservative. He's missed.' "

Wisconsin Congressman and vice presidential hopeful Paul Ryan greets young and old alike as shown in these photos in The Villages during a campaign visit.

As for the Wisconsin congressman being Romney's VP selection, Oddie responded, "I think Ryan is a great choice who is going to fire up the base, the independents and the Conservative Democrats -- the Reagan Democrats."

Oddie said while he was talking with Ryan, he handed his cell phone to a bystander and asked that person to snap a photo of them, which he did. Oddie was so psyched with how the photo turned out, he put it on Facebook, which is how Headline Surfer discovered it.

Oddie was able to gain access to Ryan because he had worked with some of his staffers in Congress and had met the Wisconsin congressman previously, though he was quick to point out, "It's not like he knows me that well; we're not drinking buddies."

GOP Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney greets Floridians in St. Augustine on Monday, the day before Florida held its primary elections, and Volusia County's Jim Oddie was there to greet him and Gov. Scott.

Oddie, a die-hard conservative, readily conceded Romney was not his first choice for the Republication nomination, though he knew deep down inside he's get the nod. His first choice was Herman Cain and then Newt Gingrich.

"I'm definitely supportive of (Romney) going up against Obama," Oddie said. "This country cannot survive four more years of Obama as president. I truly believe that." 

This was Ryan's first campaign visit to the Sunshine State as Romney's running mate in advance of the Republican National Convention in St. Petersburg. Back in January of 2012, Romney visited the Villages, a large-scale private community built on farmland by billionaire H. Gary Morse, one of the presidential hopeful's biggest campaign contributors. 

Recap Top 500 Stories: 

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