Alex Sink's campaign for governor calls her a model of government transparency but won't disclose how much money she's received from a group that solicits donations for Democratic women who favor abortion rights.
Emily's List, one of the largest political action committees in the country, has been promoting Sink since late June. Sink raised $1.6 million between July and September but won't say how much came from Emily's List members.
"This is the Sunshine State. And now, more than ever, Floridians ought to have an open and transparent government," reads Sink's campaign Web site.
Sink, the state's chief financial officer since 2006, has shied from partisan politics and sought to emphasize her experience as a banker. The Republican front-runner for governor, Bill McCollum, has badgered her to take sides on controversial issues like a government-run health care plan, but Sink won't take the bait.
She's outraising McCollum 2 to 1, partly due to her success at courting some top Republican donors.
"Emily's List is perceived as a liberal women's group, and she's trying to run a moderate campaign," said Ric Sisser, a Miami political consultant who has co-hosted fundraisers for Sink. "Against a conservative like McCollum, it's not necessarily something you want to wave as a banner. It's smart politics."
McCollum, too, has sought to moderate his image. He declined last month to take a stand on a proposed constitutional amendment that would define a fetus as a person — thereby outlawing abortion and possibly birth control — even though he co-sponsored a similar initiative in Congress.
Sink's silence on Emily's List donations contrasts with other Florida Democrats, such as Senate candidate Betty Castor in 2004 and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas of Orlando in 2008, who have been backed by the group.
Federal candidates have to report which donations came from Emily's List members, while state candidates do not, according to the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington.
Emily's List spokesman Matt Burgess did not respond to phone calls and e-mails. The group's policy is not to disclose how much money it steers toward specific candidates.
Sink's Web site mentions endorsements from the Florida AFL-CIO and the Florida Education Association, but not from Emily's List.
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