Earl Tony Ledbetter

Tony was born March 11, 1947, in Columbus, Georgia, to Edward Laverne Tudor and Laura Johnson Tudor. Tony was adopted by his step-father, Henry Ledbetter and took his name.

He graduated from Jordan Vocational High School in 1965 in Columbus and then served in the United States Air Force for 4 years entering in 1966, receiving his Honorable Discharge as Sergeant in 1970.

After working in the Insurance business for several years, Tony began work with the National Federation of Independent Business (N.F.I.B.), a lobby organization for small business, and rose to District Manager for portions of Georgia and South Carolina before starting his own small business in 1991.

A proud Barry Goldwater conservative, Tony became active in politics first with the election in 1980 of Ronald Reagan for President. He loved Ronald Reagan and attended the Presidents State Funeral activities in Washington D.C. in June 2004, paying his respect in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol.

Once his 2 children, Anthony Scott Ledbetter and Kimberly Lynn Ledbetter Patterson grew up and began their own lives, he and his wife, Toni, moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1996 and settled into the Ormond By The Sea area for the last 23 years. Tony became active in the Volusia County Republican Party as a volunteer in 1996. In 2010 he was elected Vice Chairman of the Republican Executive Committee. In 2012 he was first elected Chairman, re-elected in 2014 and 2016 and was just re-elected in December to continue his role as Chairman until 2020.

In 2009, Tony jumped right in to the Tea Party movement that was sweeping the nation and brought his entire family to Washington for the March on Washington. Upon his return he helped organize Volusia 912 groups around the county.

He was a strong supporter of Governor Rick Scott from 2010 to his US Senate race in 2018.

Through all of his political activities, he has been credited with building a strong Republican Party in Volusia County, becoming the majority party on the Volusia County Council and among the Volusia elected officials in the Florida State Legislature. In May of 2017, the number of registered Republicans passed the registered Democrats for the first time in Volusia County history.

In 2015 Tony became one of Donald J. Trumps first believers in Volusia County. Soon on staff with the Trump Campaign for the March 2016 Presidential Primary Election, he made believers out of most all he met. He opened a Trump Victory Headquarters and organized a Trump Rally that packed the Ocean Center and spilled onto the streets of Daytona Beach.

With the Trump Primary Victory, Tony was elected to serve as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in the summer of 2016 to cast his vote to nominate Donald J. Trump as the Party nominee for President.

Upon his return from the Convention, Tony continued on the Trump Team serving as Regional Political Director for 22 Florida counties. In addition, he was in charge of statewide distribution of Trump signs and Tee shirts to local counties and helped in the many Trump Rally’s around the state. What he called, “the Honor of my life” happened when he was appointed one of 29 Florida Electors for Donald J. Trump and cast his vote for our next President on December 19, 2016, in the Senate Chamber of the Florida State Capitol.

After attending Inauguration festivities in January 2017, Tony returned home to promote and participate in a new weekly radio show on WNDB called “Trump Talk Live” to promote President Trumps agenda and to ensure that the real news was made available to the public in light of the “fake news” being put out by the socialist media organizations.

Tony begins every speech with, “I was glad when I woke up today and Donald Trump was still my President!” He has 100% confidence in President Trump and would have been a staunch supporter for the 2020 re-election campaign.

Tony worked every day for the Republican Party. He was known by all as “the General”, “the Boss” and “the Energizer Bunny”. A beloved volunteer described him as “a force of nature”. No one could outwork him and most strived to help him. He loved and appreciated his “peeps” and the volunteer work and money they contributed to make him and the Republican Party successful. The friendships and support of so many meant everything to him.

He served the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) as District 6 Caucus Chairman from 2012-2016; Vice Chairman of the Chairman’s Caucus and as Vice Chairman of the Trump Voter Engagement Committee in 2017-18.

Tony began helping Ron DeSantis in 2012 for his first election as our Volusia County and 6th District Congressman. Tony wanted Ron to run for Governor and spent great time reaching out to other counties in Florida through Facebook to start talking about Ron Desantis to those who didn’t know of his conservative values and background.

He was so proud to host a Rally visit right before the General Election at our Volusia Republican Victory Headquarters with Jeanette Nunez, Rudy Giulani and Pam Bondi traveling with Ron and Casey. Over 500 people attended inside and out.

Volusia County gave Ron a high vote percentage and Tony was again proud to host a Thank You Tour Stop the first week of December at the Riverside Pavilion with a packed room. He has tremendous faith that Ron DeSantis will be one of Florida’s best Governor’s and that he will guide our state back to the Constitution he believes in so much.

Tony’s sudden battle with Cancer after Thanksgiving was overwhelming and he regretted so much that he could not see everyone again to say goodbye.

He was able to spend some time with his wife, children and grandchildren whom he loved so deeply. He was pre-deceased by his first wife and Mother of his children, Juanita Marie Ledbetter. He is survived by his wife, Toni, his son, Anthony Scott Ledbetter and daughter-in-law Debbie Ledbetter, his daughter Kimberly Lynn Patterson and son-in-law Brett Patterson, step-daughter Lisa Cummings, grandchildren Lauren Ledbetter, Kyle Ledbetter, Brenna Patterson, Braylon Patterson, Bristol Patterson and step-grandchildren Christopher Cummings, Lindsey Ready and Allie Cummings. Half-brothers Gary Ledbetter, Edward Tudor, Eric Tudor and Ricky, and half-sister, Lee Tudor Hance, many nieces, nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, please support the American Cancer Society. Cards may be sent to P.O. Box 10747, Daytona Beach, FL 32120.