Cops for Campbell

Democrat Attorney General Candidate state Sen. Skip Campbell will be in Tampa Bay Friday to trumpet his endorsement from the state's 21,000-member Fraternal Order of Police. Avid Buzz readers might remember Bill McCollum won the FOP's endorsement among Republican AG candidates in May.But Campbell, his campaign quickly counters, will be the only candidate to speak at the FOP state conference Friday morning at the Tradewinds Resort in St. Pete Beach. The campaign already is already printing T-shirts!

For those monitoring the endorsement scoreboard: The Florida Police Benevolent Association is backing state Rep. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, among Republicans and Campbell as the lone Democrat; The FOP likes McCollum and Campbell. Neither the FOP of the FPBA endorsed Democrat Buddy Dyer in 2002. The third Republican running, state Rep. Everett Rice of Treasure Island, is touting his endorsement of 50 Florida sheriffs.

--Aaron Sharockman

Johnson's Fresh Campaign Stump

Give Republican CFO candidate Randy Johnson some points for finding a fresh campaign issue -- and with a consumer angle to boot.

The state representative from Celebration showed up at the Florida Press Center in Tallahassee Wednesday to unveil a proposal to require more disclosure on "exotic" line mortgages -- such as promises of 1-percent loans -- that often leaving borrowers surprised at closing and unable to make monthly payments.

Johnson advocates the state adopting the rules and disclosure requirements similar to those advocated by the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. The Palm Beach Post reported earlier this week Florida ranks 49th among the states (Georgia is last) in all types of mortgage fraud.

Schiavo Fundraiser for Davis

Michael Schiavo will host a fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis on Friday in Wilton Manors.

“Jim Davis is a man of courage and conviction who stood up to the right-wing leaders in Congress who wanted to score political points on my family tragedy,” said Schiavo, chairman of TerriPac. “I’m delighted to help him be our next Governor.”

Communications Workers for Smith

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rod Smith today received the endorsement of the Communications Workers of America, representing 17,000 Floridians in the communications, manufacturing, media, government, education and travel industries.

“Rod Smith is the leader with the vision and effectiveness to fight for real change in Florida,” said Don LaRotunda, CWA Florida Political Director. “Rod Smith has always fought for Florida’s communication workers as a labor lawyer and as an elected official. Now we will fight to make him our next Governor.”

Divorced Candidates

If you want Florida’s next governor to have no messy divorce or short-lived marriage in his past, your pickings are slim. Of the four major candidates for governor, only Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa has never been divorced. And while failed marriages are hardly unusual in this era of baby boomer politicians, most of Florida’s gubernatorial candidates face sticky personal questions about their prior marriages:

***Republican Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, 62, campaigning as the most socially conservative, family-values candidate, this week acknowledged committing adultery in his first marriage after court documents from his divorce 27 years ago were revealed.
***Democratic state Sen. Rod Smith, 56, in every campaign he’s run, has had to explain why courts in the late 1980s ordered him to pay nearly $18,000 in unpaid child support and found him in contempt for being $92 short on one child support check.
***Republican Attorney General Charlie Crist, 49, was forced to deny he’s gay, after a woman at a public forum pointedly asked him about his six-month marriage in 1979.

In an era when the Republican Party has dominated Florida politics in part by selling its version of family values, how much might these messy marriages matter at the ballot box? Story is here.

Shouting at Jeb

Pasco County Commission candidate Nicole Deg figured the only way to get Jeb Bush to talk about skyrocketing insurance rates was to shout at him during a photo op. It worked. "He was actually really cool," she later told the Times.

Good Thing He Doesn't Want the Job

It's not a poll result Buzz has seen the likes of in Florida anytime in the last eight years, but Gov. Jeb Bush, who has enjoyed high approval ratings throughout his governship, appears to be tanking when it comes to national appeal for the 2008 presidency.

CNN announced Tuesday that it had paid Harris Interactive to conduct a poll of 1,001 American adults assessing the presidential odds for potential big-name 2008 nominees from both parties. For the record, Bush has said repeatedly he won't run then.

The result: 63 percent said they "definitely wouldn't vote" for Jeb Bush in 2008, the highest negative for any of those personalities polled, besting even Hillary Clinton with a 47 percent negative.

To read more, click here.

Mya and Rod

Ok. So the tragically unhip Buzz had to look up who she is.
But the R&B singer Mya will be headlining a Young Professionals event June 29 for Rod Smith on Miami Beach.

Buzz remembered Mya for her spot among the team (including Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Missy Elliot and Pink) who sang the redo of the Lady Marmalade song that was so popular back in 2001 and was featured on the Moulin Rouge film soundtrack.

If you're even more unhip than Buzz and don't even know the Lady Marmalade song, click here for a sample.

More bad news for Villalobos

Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday that he had concerns about a post sentencing DNA bill awaiting his signature. The bill, sponsored in the Senate by Alex Villalobos, would expand access to DNA testing for people who plead guilty to crimes, not just those convicted by juries. "Many of the elements of the bill are very good," Bush said.

But he said he wanted to talk to prosecutors about the consequences of the plea bargain clause. He denied his concern had anything to do with fellow Republican Villalobos, who last month cast the deciding vote to keep school vouchers out of the Florida Constitution and also helped block an effort to weaken the 2002 class size amendment. "Look at my record as it relates to budgets and bills and if you can make a determination that I'm motivated by politics, then I'll appeal that decision to a higher court because it's just not right," Bush said. "It's just not true."

TV Shy?

The Rod Smith campaign issued a letter Tuesday challenging Jim Davis to appear on television beside Rod Smith, while accusing Davis of backing out of three televised forums.

"This makes three opportunities for a televised forum that you have not accepted, and I believe that this does a disservice to the Democratic Party as well as the voters of Florida," Smith wrote in a letter to Davis.

The Jim Davis campaign responded that Davis has appeared with Smith in some 70 forums so far. And they say Davis has committed to appearing on three televised debates in late July and August, according to an email from Davis spokesman Josh Earnest.

Bush removes Miami city commissioner

Gov. Jeb Bush issued an executive order this afternoon suspending Miami City Commissioner Johnny Lee Winton from office after Winton was charged with two felony counts of battery on a police officer
stemming from a May altercation at Miami International Airport. Winton, also charged with disorderly intoxication, allegedly got into a fight with police after his flight was canceled. See the executive order in comments.

Gallagher's Been Googled

Add a new liability for politicians who find their dirty laundry aired in the Internet Age: Affiliated advertising sales by Google.

Buzz noticed Tuesday, when looking at the Miami Herald's story on Tom Gallagher's 27-year-old divorce, a less than flattering trio of advertising links below the story: How to Survive an Affair, Adultery and Divorce, and Spouse Cheating?

At the risk of inflating our competitor's web hits, click here to see for yourself. It appears the more salacious links rotate with other political themed links.

Chamber Rescinds Villalobos Nod

For the first time in its 90-year history, the Florida Chamber of Commerce withdrew its support of a sitting senator. It yanked its support of Alex Villalobos, and instead endorsed "a more pro-business challenger," Frank Bolaños, a Miami-Dade school board member.
 
"While we appreciate Senator Villalobos' past support, we were truly saddened by his new allegiance to labor unions, plaintiff lawyers and other out-of-state special interest groups such as ACORN," said Mark Wilson, executive vice president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Murtha and Meek

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek plans to hold a town hall-style meeting to in Miami to discuss the war in Iraq. Joining him will be U.S. Rep. John Murtha, one of the most prominent proponents of redeploying of troops.

"Jack Murtha has the knowledge and credibility to question the Bush Administration's conduct of the war in Iraq, and I look forward to having him share his insights with our community in South Florida," Meek said.

Gallagher's Personal Past

Florida gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher acknowledged Monday that an extramarital affair played a role in his divorce 27 years ago and that he had used marijuana “a long, long time ago.”

The disclosure by Gallagher, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, came just days after a Florida newspaper showed his campaign staff 24 pages of court documents from his 1979 divorce from his first wife, Ann Louise Gallagher.

Click here for more.

Police union endorses Negron

The Florida Police Benevolent Association said Monday it would back state Rep. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, for attorney general. "The PBA is proud of Representative Negron's long history of support for law enforcement officers and public safety," said executive director David Murrell. The union also named Negron its 2006 Legislator of the Year.

Silver Slipup

Rod Smith got a standing ovation at a Democratic dinner Friday at Tallahassee's Silver Slipper for a speech laced with barbs at Republicans, including how the party handled Terri Schiavo. "One party last year said we ought to intervene in the life of Terri Schiavo after 19 courts had ruled on it," Smith said, voice rising. "But the Florida Senate and my party said, 'No we don't belong in that!' "

Well, sort of. The man who so glowingly introduced Smith at the dinner, state Sen. Al Lawson of Tallahassee, voted with the Republicans on Schiavo.

Smith's North Florida Team

The Rod Smith gubernatorial campaign announced today more than 250-people on its North Florida campaign team, including co-chairs for 37 north Florida counties. “Rod Smith is a straight-shooting champion for all Floridians,” said Linda Loomis Shelley, former Chief of Staff to Gov. Lawton Chiles. “Rod’s passion and ability to connect with voters are exactly what we need to win in November.”

The full list is in comments.

Firefighter Nods In Pinellas

Here's the full list of state House endorsements by the Pinellas County Council of Firefighters: SD 16: Kim Berfield(R); HD 48: None (Ouch, for Palm Harbor Fire Commissioner Ken Peluso); HD 50: Ed Hooper(R); HD 51: Bruce Cotton(R); HD 52: Liz McCallum (D); HD 53 Rick Kriseman(D);HD 54: Rod Jones(R); HD 55: Frank Peterman (D).

Soldiering Through the Campaign

A growing number of Democratic veterans of Iraq are mounting (uphill) campaigns for state office in Florida. Story here.

W And The Villages

Is the Republican base growing disenchanted with the president? Are there signs that Republican turnout might be hurt by controversy in Washington? We sure didn't find any among the GOP faithful at The Villages. Story here.

Daddy Tom

Father's Day, of course, is a time to step back and celebrate the dad's and families. Why not take the old man out for lunch? Maybe catch a game together. Or, if you're Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher, score points over your childless rival, Charlie Crist. The Gallagher campaign Friday sent a mass e-mail letter from the candidate's wife, Laura Gallagher:

"I can't think of any more important responsibility than the example a father sets for his children. You already know that Tom is an extremely hard worker and a trusted public servant who has served our State admirably, but what you may not know is that he is also a great dad. He gives a lot of hugs, and says 'I love you' a lot, and no matter how long a day he has had, his face always lights up when he sees Charlie," she wrote, referring not to the attorney general but to their own son.

The campaign is soliciting personal tales of fathers and family to post on its web site.

Liberal Rod Smith?

In the Legislature, Rod Smith is the Democrat Republicans comfortably work with and once was recruited to switch parties. But in the Democratic primary for governor, state Sen. Smith is winning over some of the most liberal wing of the Democratic Party. At least that's what we've noticed while Smith has campaigned lately in the back yard of U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, his primary rival. Tampa Bay Smith supporters sniff at Davis' supporting reauthorization of the Patriot Act or missing a vote recently on "net neutrality" concerning internet access.

Friday, Smith is scheduled to attend a fundraiser at the home of former St. Petersburg mayoral candidate (and Dennis Kucinich-for-president organizer) Ed Helm. Among those hosting the event for the former Gainesville area prosecutor? Randy Heine, a head shop owner (he insists it's merely a smoke shop) and perennial candidate.

The following Monday, Smith is set to raise money in Tampa among a mix of liberal grass roots activists and establishment politicians. Among the prominent politicos we see on one of those invitations is Public Defender Julie Holt.

Castor On Storms,.Flags And Missed Meetings

It's no secret that Hillsborough County Commissioners Kathy Castor and Ronda Storms don't care much for each other. Their open fighting has been much publicized. But as Castor campaigns to succeed Jim Davis in heavily Democratic Congressional District 11, the irony is that Storms has helped Castor by raising her profile.

"Look, I'm not going to back down, whether it's Ronda Storms or it's Tom DeLay or others in Congress," Castor declared in a Political Connections interview airing today at 11 a.m. on Bay News 9. "It's very important at this time when the Republican Party has control from the White House to the Congress to the state Legislature down to the local level that there are independent voices, people that will speak out."

Castor is the front-runner in a Democratic primary that also has state Sen. Les Miller, businessman Al Fox and lawyers Scott Farrell and Michael Steinberg. Farrell is calling on her to resign her commission seat, saying she's not paying sufficient attention to her commission duties while campaigning, but Castor brushed that off in the taped interview saying she has rarely missed commission meetings. Castor also ripped the new Medicare prescription drug program as "a disaster" that should be overhauled and said she would support a flag burning constitutional amendment. Political Connections airs at 11 a.m. today, but starting Monday the interview can be seen at no cost on Channel 340 (Tampa Bay on Demand).

Those LL Beans Were Made For Walking

From the Davis campaign today: "TAMPA – Lacing up the boots given to him by Walkin’ Lawton Chiles’s wife, Rhea, at the Florida Democratic Party Conference last December, candidate for governor and Democratic frontrunner Jim Davis was joined in Tampa today by more than 50 dedicated supporters who participated in the first “Door-to-Door with Davis” event of his campaign for governor. Davis and his wife, Peggy, and the band of supporters walked through communities in West and South Tampa to talk with their neighbors about Davis’s long record of public service and his vision for using the office of governor to Keep Florida’s Promise....

“When I ran for the state legislature in 1988, Peggy and I knew our grassroots campaign was making a difference when a man answered his door and told me that he was supporting my campaign and would vote for me on Election Day – but only if we stopped coming to his door to ask for his vote,” said Davis. “Now, I am running for governor, and together, we’re building an army of supporters in every community in Florida to talk about the issues facing the future of this state and my vision for Keeping Florida’s Promise.”

Speakeasies Coming to Brandon?

She's been called many things, but a Prohibitionist? Well ...
Ronda Storms appeared before an interview panel for the powerful pro-business lobbying group, Associated Industries of Florida, at the Hyatt Regency in Tampa two weeks ago. The socially conservative Republican is running against former state Rep. Sandra Murman and businessman Ray Young in the GOP primary for the state Senate District 10 seat.

Associated Industries president Barney Bishop's assessment is not the kind candidates like to hear. "She was weird," Bishop said. "She didn't score any points with us." More here.

That Castor Dynasty

Make way all you Bushes, Meeks, Bilirakis', etc., the Castor family political machine is growing. Congressional candidate Kathy Castor, who's appearing on Sunday's "Political Connections'' on Bay News 9, tells us her brother Frank Castor is running for county judge in Palm Beach County.

Now a prosecutor concentrating on crimes against seniors, Castor comes by it genetically. His mother, of course, was Florida education commissioner and a U.S. Senate candidate in '04, and his father was a county judge in Hillsborough.

Firefighters Back McCallum-Sorta

Democrat Liz McCallum announced the endorsement of the Pinellas County Council of Firefighters. Maybe that will tamp down talk that former USF St. Pete CEO Bill Heller is a shoe to win the Democratic nomination to succeed Frank Farkas in House District 52.
McCallum also said she qualified for the ballot by petition earlier than expected and that she's opening a campaign officer much sooner than planned. "We had to open up early - we needed extra space for all the volunteers to began working,'' she said in a statement.

UPDATE: That endorsement is not so clear cut. Winnie Newton, president of the St Petersburg Association of Firefighters, said members interviewed Heller but that he told them at the time he hadn't decided whether he would get in the race.

Said Newton: We didn't choose her over Bill Heller. .. He did very well in the interview process and was very well received. But we couldn't consider him. How do you endorse someone who hasn't decided if they're going to run or not.''

Educators For Crist

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher recently rolled out more than 100 teachers and educators backing him. Not to be outdone, Charlie Crist today touted more than 150 people on his "Educators for Crist Coalition."

“I have met few people in the political realm that exemplify the spirit of public service more than Charlie Crist,” said Jim Paul, Escambia County Superintendent of Schools. “His candidacy has sparked an excitement and enthusiasm for the future of education in Florida.”

The full list is in comments.

Bense backs Lee

As expected, House Speaker Allan Bense today endorsed Tom Lee for chief financial officer. "He wants to do a very, very good job as CFO," Bense told reporters at a downtown Panama City cafe. ""You won't have to worry about Tom as CFO. Everything will be taken care of in a proper fashion."

Lee, the outgoing Senate president, already has the backing of Gov. Jeb Bush and Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings.

Responded GOP rival Randy Johnson, "No matter how many political insiders support Tom Lee, it still doesn't change the fact that he's a moderate." Johnson himself on Thursday announced endorsements, including Miami Mayor Manny Diaz. See item below for more.

Not just another Mickey Mouse endorsement

Democratic candidate for governor Rod Smith on Thursday picked up support of the 2,000-member Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 517, which includes Disney World maintence workers.

“We proudly support Rod Smith, because he is the strong and effective leader who will fight for Florida’s working families,” said Joe O’Donnell Jr., the union's political director.

Rep. Don Brown is Chamber's MVP

Crediting his "unwavering support and commitment to the business community’s legislative priorities," the Florida Chamber of Commerce on Thursday named Rep. Don Brown, R-DeFuniak Springs, its Most Valuable Legislator for 2006.

The Chamber singled out Brown's work on the joint and several liability issue, saying he fought trial lawyers attempts to weaken the repeal.

The commendation comes as the Chamber released its annual voting scorecard of lawmakers. Forty-nine percent of the Florida Senate received an A grade, while 67 percent of the House of Representatives scored an A.

A complete listing is here.

Davis names statewide advisory committee

In his quest to become Florida's next governor, Jim Davis on Thursday announced a 112-member statewide advisory committee.

“I’m for Jim Davis because he is honest, direct and is not afraid to take on tough issues,” said Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. “His appeal here locally has always been across party lines - he works well with everyone. Jim will work hard in Tallahassee to represent all Floridians and seek common sense solutions to tough problems.”

Names include former Speaker of the House Peter Wallace; Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Olson; Tallahassee Mayor John Marks; Congresswoman Corrine Brown and, of course, Bob Graham.

Full list here.

Mel Martinez's rising star

The American Conservative Union, which calls itself the nation's oldest and largest grassroots conservative lobbying organization, is giving U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez its 2005 Best and Brightest Award.

The award annually to senators and congressmen who score 100 percent in ACU’s "Rating of Congress" based on their voting commitment to ideological conservatism.

"As many increasingly question what it means to be a conservative today —especially in the face of an exploding and encroaching federal government — Senator Martinez held fast to ACU’s core values of fiscal discipline and limited government," said David A. Keene, ACU’s chairman. "Unmoved by shifting poll numbers and the Potomac temptations to make headlines and put power over principle, Senator Martinez deserves our respect, our admiration, and our vote."

ACU has rated every member of Congress since 1971. Ratings are here.

Miami Mayor endorses Johnson for CFO

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz on Thursday endorsed Randy Johnson for state chief financial officer.

“I have worked with Rep. Johnson for the last two years while he served as Chairman of the Growth Management Committee,” Mayor Diaz said in a statement. “His keen interest and attention to addressing the problems of rapid growth that face cities such as affordable and workforce housing has earned my highest respect. Now that the season’s first storm has hit the coast of Florida, I am convinced Rep. Johnson is the best choice to serve as our state’s Chief Financial Officer.”

Johnson also announced the backing of eight Miami-area state reps: Gus Barreiro, Anitere Flores, Rene Garcia, Marcelo Llorente, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Julio Robaina, David Rivera and Juan-Carlos Planas.

A House Trio Backs Gallagher

Three Republican House members have thrown their support to CFO Tom Gallagher's bid for governor: Reps. Joe Pickens of Palatka, Baxter Troutman of Winter Haven and Trudi Williams of Fort Myers.

Hardly big names. But Pickens, a 47-year-old lawyer and chairman of the House education appropriations committee, is respected by members in both parties for his hard work and evenhandedness.

If you're keeping score of these state-rep endorsements, here's a numerical update: Charlie Crist 33, Gallagher 21. The remaining 31 haven't taken sides publicly.

Shades And The President

Former Florida ace reporter Peter Wallsten took some ribbing from the president yesterday for sporting sunglasses at a news conference. W didn't realize Wallsten needs them because of macular degeneration, and later called to apologize. At least the incident earned some plugs for Wallsten's new book, One Party Country: The Republican Plan for Dominance in the 21st Century. USA Today writes up the exchange here.

Hurricane Politics

Something about Jim Davis gets Gov. Jeb Bush rolling. For the second time this month, Bush on Wednesday berated the Democratic candidate for governor, saying an e-mail he sent Monday to supporters was a tacky political ploy at a time when people were worried about a tropical storm.

"I hope candidate Davis, if he was to be privileged to serve in the job that I have ... would realize what a stupid statement that is," Bush said. "The day before a hurricane arriving on our shores is not the time to be talking about politics." More here.

For Crist, Too Much of a Good Thing?

With a new TV station poll showing Charlie Crist far ahead of Tom Gallagher, Crist's top campaign aide is warning supporters not to rest on their laurels. Chief of Staff George LeMieux fired off a "campaign update" Wednesday that cited the SurveyUSA poll showing Crist with a 52 percent to 21 percent lead, as well as last week's Florida Chamber poll that had Crist holding a 19-point lead over Gallagher.

"We cannot grow complacent," LeMieux wrote. "We must continue to work as though we are 10 points behind."

As Crist's bus tour swung through Clay County late last week, the traveling press crossed paths with a key Gallagher supporter, John Thrasher, the lobbyist and ex-House speaker who's now a Clay County commissioner. Thrasher exuded confidence that the race will get closer once Gallagher begins TV advertising and voters focus more tightly on the two-man race. "It'll tighten," Thrasher said.