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Say someone has roughly $30-million to spend on a privately-run sports complex with replica baseball stadiums. What's the process like to decide which company should get the dough?
In Paco County, two county officials quietly visited some of the company's sites, avoiding any dog and pony shows that might come with an announced visit. The company, Big League Dreams, was a bit surprised by the tactic. Read more here.
-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer
Three-term Brooksville City Councilman Joe Johnston III, who left office in 2006 due to term limits, filed at the last minute to run again for city council. Read more here.
TAMPA — When Republican state Rep. Trey Traviesa abandoned his bid for re-election two weeks ago, the political world suddenly took notice of an obscure Valrico man who had quietly signed up for what seemed at the time an electoral suicide mission. Read more here about Lewis LaRicchia.
U.S Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, has a history of capitalizing on voters' fear and distrust of foreign residents.
She seems to be at it again in calling for a federal investigation into the the release, on Aug. 6, of Rigoberto Martinez, 20, one of three undocumented aliens charged with a string of rapes and robberies in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, says Times columnist Dan DeWitt. Read his column here.
TREASURE ISLAND -- Multimillionaire Max Linn loaned his congressional campaign $450,000 and donated $62,689, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission report. In Tuesday's primary election against two opponents, he received 24.3 percent or 5,424 votes, according to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. According to Bay Buzz calculations, that means he spent $94.52 on each vote.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
Robert Sullivan, a Republican who challenged his former boss in the Pasco County sheriff's primary, today threw his support to Democrat Kim Bogart.
Sullivan, a former vice and narcotics commander, said he's still a "committed Republican who holds dear the values set forth by Ronald Reagan." But he's so disenchanted by Sheriff Bob White's leadership, he couldn't back him.
"Partisan politics cannot trump public safety," Sullivan told Bay Buzz.
Sullivan's move evens things out following Tuesday's primary. Democrat Jeff Deremer, who lost in the primary to Bogart, earlier this week pledged his support for White.
Bogart said he's thrilled to have the support of Sullivan, who he worked with for years at the agency they both hoped to lead.
Continue reading "Republican evens score, backs Dem for sheriff" »
Hernando County public works director Charles Mixson was suspended for two weeks without pay on Friday for a litany of projects he has failed to oversee properly.
His most recent misstep has been in failing to realize that his pavement management coordinator, Bill Busch, was working for the county and for a firm doing business with the county at the same time.
The Hernando Times has detailed the controversy in a series of stories. In his discipline memo to Mixson, County Administrator David Hamilton states: "Your failure to detect this conflict of interest has subjected the county to a criminal investigation and very negative media attention.''
Mixson will also be on probation when he returns and faces a series of tasks that Hamilton will monitor.
"Please be advised that any further infractions or any failure to comply with the terms of your discipline will result in your immediate termination,'' Hamilton wrote. "This is your last chance to keep your job.''
-- Barbara Behrendt, Times staff writer
The woman who won Toni Molinaro's precinct seat, effectively ending her run as head of the Pinellas County DEC, says Ed Helm did urge her to campaign, but it was really Barack Obama who inspired her.
Read the full story here.
Will Van Sant, Times staff writer
Not content with just a 20-to-1 fund-raising advantage, state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, will be one of the beneficiaries of a fundraiser led by Senate President Ken Pruitt.
The Sept. 10 event at the Governor's Club in Tallahassee also will support President-designate Jeff Atwater and Sens. JD Alexander, Steve Wise, Charlie Dean and Evelynn, plus four other candidates. Fasano faces low-budget Democrat Fred Taylor in a so-called "targeted race" by Democrats.
Here's the Republican Party of Florida's flyer for the event. No dollar amount is specified on it.
-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer
Two longtime local Democratic party activists on Tuesday lost their bids for election as precinct committeewoman. Janee Murphy, a former chair of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee, was defeated by Pamela Hewett. Ana Cruz, a political consultant and former executive director of the Florida Demcratic Party, lost to Sara Richter by one vote, 55 to 54.
Richter, an outspoken member of the Tampa Museum of Art board during the struggle to build a new museum, said she had no idea she would even appear on the ballot. Like some other precinct committee members, she simply responded to a request to sign a form to help the party. Tampa City Council member Mary Mulhern said she and others encouraged Democrats, including Richter, to run for the posts at a summer fundraiser. Mulhern said she explained to Richter what the job entailed, but perhaps Richter forgot.
Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer
Toni Molinaro is credited with rallying a fractious local party into an actual political force. The newfound might - based on focus, cooperation and fund raising prowess - was to have its debut in November.
Now, Molinaro appears out in December and party members are blaming maneuvers by former chair Ed Helm, a polarizing figure in the local party.
"It's like building a sand castle and some little spoiled brat coming along and stomping on it," observed Bonnie Agan, Democratic overseer of all precints in House District 55. "It's all for his gratification. That's all it is."
Continue reading "Pinellas DEC chair Molinaro out; thank Ed Helm" »
It's official. Darden Rice has conceded after learning that regardless of today's review of provisional ballots, she's unable to trigger a recount in her Pinellas County Commission District 3 Democratic primary loss to Rene Flowers.
Rice thanked her supporters and urged them to back Flowers and get another Democrat on the commission.
"We are going to go toward this general election united," Rice said.
Will Van Sant, Times staff writer
Days before her election victory Tuesday, Pinellas County Commisson Distict 3 contender Rene Flowers got word her bank was suing her for non-payment on just over $1,000 in debt.
News of the lawsuit came Wednesday as Flowers’ Democratic primary opponent, Darden Rice, struggled with her defeat. Rice, who will likely concede as early as Thursday afternoon, says that if she had known about the lawsuit, she probably would made it a campaign issue.
Just 252 votes separate the two candidates out of 33,152 ballots cast.
Flowers says health issues and the loss of one of her two salaries in early 2007 forced her to let payments to Capital One Bank slide, but that she intends to pay the debt as quickly as possible.
Read the full story here.
Will Van Sant, Times staff writer
A day after losing the Democratic primary for Pasco sheriff by a 50-point margin, Jeff Deremer said he was "disappointed as hell" by the showing and pondering whom to support in the November general election.
He was leaning, he said this afternoon, toward Republican Sheriff Bob White, who is trying to win a third term.
"Through this whole thing ... he’s almost been like a mentor,” Deremer said of the sheriff.
He called his Democratic opponent Kim Bogart a "pure politician." White, on the other hand, he said is "trustworthy."
Then Deremer called Bay Buzz back. He wasn't leaning so much as tipping over.
Continue reading "Losing Democrat backs Republican sheriff" »
TAMPA -- Election officials expect a recount Saturday in the judicial race between incumbent Circuit Judge Kevin Carey and challenger Catherine Catlin.
Carey appears to have lost his seat on the circuit bench to Catlin, but her margin of victory isn't large enough to claim an outright win.
Catlin netted 277 more votes than Carey in a race with 61,123 total votes. But her unofficial vote tally is only 0.46 percent more than Carey. In Florida, an automatic machine recount is ordered if a candidate wins by less than 0.5 percent.
An eliminated candidate has the right to refuse a machine recount or stop the process at any point, said Florida Department of State spokeswoman Jennifer Davis.
But Carey, who was first elected to the bench in 2002, said he would not cede until the recount occurs.
"I was disappointed (by the results), but I’m just going to let the process play out to the mandatory recount and see what happens at that point," he said today. "I certainly would honor the results of that recount."
Catlin, too, was anxious for the final results. A veteran family law attorney, she has practiced in front of Carey and criticized his competence to serve.
"Let’s cede that Judge Carey and I are keeping it interesting until the end," she said. "I can’t blame him. It’s so close."
County Judge James Dominguez, chairman of Hillsborough County's canvassing board, said he expects the state canvassing board will order a recount when it meets Friday evening.
-- Colleen Jenkins and Janet Zink, Times staff writers
Pasco County Republican Party Chairman Bill Bunting narrowly unseated longtime GOP state committeeman John Renke II -- and critics of Bunting may have to look in the mirror for part of the blame.
Bunting beat Renke by 786 votes. But Grady Peeler Jr., a Ron Paul supporter who ran but later endorsed Renke, still received 2,237 votes. Why? Peeler withdrew from the race, but his name remained on the ballot. Signs were at polling places to alert people a vote for him would not count.
Now Bunting is expected to not seek another term as chairman when a decision is due in December. He said he likely will back someone with strong "anti-tax" and "true Republican" credentials -- such as east Pasco's Randy Maggard.
"Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely," said Bunting, though he didn't rule out other people.
While Bunting held off a precinct vote to keep him off the Republican executive committee, some of the dissidents did score victories.
-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer
Bay Buzz has learned from the Darden Rice camp that the candidate does indeed plan to wait until provisional ballots are tabulated tomorrow before deciding whether to concede. When the polls closed last night, Rice's Democratic primary opponent Rene Flowers had the edge with 50.4 percent of the vote.
Read today's story here and check back for more.
Will Van Sant, Times staff writer
Tampa lawyer Bill Mitchell edged out John Dicks and Anita de Palma in the Democratic primary for U.S. House District 9.
With just a few precincts left to be counted in Hillsborough County, Mitchell had garnered 39 percent of the votes. He found strong support in Pasco County, where he recieved 45 percent of the votes.
Dicks, who won more votes in Hillsborough and in an extremely close race in Pinellas, said he was "disappointed" by the outcome, but ready to find other ways to serve the party.
In recent weeks, Mitchell had criticized Dicks in mailings and television ads over complaints made against the former financial adviser when he worked for controversial financial guru Charles Givens.
“We spent a lot of time (in Pasco). There’s no doubt to me that the negative TV ads had a negative impact.”
- Rita Farlow, Times staff writer
DADE CITY -- Pasco County jumped out of the gate in Tuesday's primary as usual, reporting its first results to the state at 7:07 p.m. Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley beamed when his predecessor, Secretary of State Kurt Browning, called to congratulate him.
So why, then, did it take so long for the last handful of precinct results to trickle in? Why did the canvassing board have to sit around all night? And what kept the last precinct result from arriving until 11 p.m.?
It turns out Hillsborough wasn't the only county to have a problem with a vendor. Pasco saw 18 of its 147 new optical scan voting machines malfunction when they tried to transmit their tallies via modem.
"It's brand new technology," said senior deputy Jim Endress, "and we've had some issues with the modeming of the results."
Continue reading "Fast start but slow, slow finish in Pasco" »
ST. PETERSBURG-- The Rev. Charles McKenzie congratulated his opponent, state Rep. Darryl Rouson, on his victory in the Dist. 55 Democratic primary tonight.
"I want to congratulate Mr. Rouson on winning," he said. "Regardless to the various factors involved, the only thing that counts is a win."
Rouson, D- St. Petersburg, had a 1678-vote lead with 62 percent of all reported votes in as of 9:26 p.m., according to the state Division of Elections.
McKenzie did score one victory, albeit a slight one. In Sarasota, McKenzie's turf, Rouson lost by only 151 votes.
"I’m a little disappointed from the results from Sarasota," McKenzie said. "My opponent was able to somehow cut into my base."
McKenzie said he wasn't sure what was next professionally for him.
"I’m grateful to my friends and my supporters for all the hard work they have done," he said. "The voters have made a decision and we will have to see what that means in terms of what kind of representative Mr. Rouson will be."
-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer
TAMPA -- Election results, stalled for more than an hour in Hillsborough County because of computer problems, has been fixed. Results are being posted now.
An hour after the primary election polls closed in Hillsborough County, Supervisor of Elections Buddy Johnson told reporters a computer problem caused by a vendor's system was preventing it from tallying the results.
Johnson, addressing the media at the Elections Services Center, said the problem is occurring in the system of the vendor that is handling the count -- Premier Election Solutions Inc. -- and Hillsborough is not the only county having problems. When asked which other counties were having difficulties, he could not say. "You'll have to talk to someone else, not me,'' he said, then headed back to the restricted area where tabluations are done.
The company has contracts with 33 of Florida's 67 counties, according to Johnson's office. Robert Pickett, a sales representative for Premier Election Solutions, said he had not heard of problems with the other counties. Asked why Hillsborough for now was the exception, Pickett replied: "I'd like to know that answer myself."
A stern-faced Johnson re-emerged at 9 p.m. and said all the votes were in and counted, but could not be displayed on the county computer system as a result of a problem caused by the vendor. He said that the problem was caused by Premier's inability to upload ballots after they were counted to the posting screen.
"I haven't been able to get a straight answer from Premier, but I will by the end of the night," he said. "I expect them to fix this issue. We've paid a lot of money. My staff has done a great job.''
He then went back to the restricted area.
The company's sales representative, Pickett, agreed that his company was at fault.
"We take full responsibility," Pickett said. "It's something in our software. It's a posting problem."
Johnson's computer website posted the result of absentee ballots promptly, then stalled as surrounding counties continued to report results from the election. Pickett explained that merging the different data bases of votes -- absentee ballots, early voting, and the precincts -- caused a problem. So they had to reverse the order, taking down the absentee votes. Although no other counties complained of this problem on Tuesday, Pickett said Sarasota has a similar snafu in a trial run, that was later worked out.
Johnson stressed throughout the night that any problems with the software didn't have anything to do with the counting of votes.
"The ballots are all in. They're all safe,'' Johnson said. He added that that, if necessary, they could all be counted by hand.
Phyllis Busansky, his general election foe, arrived at the Elections Services Center amid the confusion.
Her plans to celebrate with other candidates were cut short after she said she was "inundated" with calls about the delayed results.
"It's appalling," Busansky said. "He has one job to do and it's to get those numbers to the candidates and the public."
Johnson pointed out that other counties were slow, such as Miami-Dade. Indeed, as of 10 p.m., only 53 percent of precincts there had been counted, compared to 74 percent in Hillsborough.
Throughout the night, Johnson insisted the problem didn't lie with his office.
"The elections business is not perfect," he said.
-- Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer
Dunedin Mayor Bob Hackworth has won the Democratic primary for congressional district 10, defeating two opponents by a wide margin, according to preliminary results.
With 229 of 258 precincts reporting, Hackworth had about 46 percent of the vote. Trailing him were Samm Simpson with about 29 percent and Max Linn with about 24 percent.
Hackworth was the last to get in the District 10 primary and argued that only he could defeat the longtime incumbent as a citizen-legislator with experience in elected office. He will face U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, who has held the seat about 38 years, in November.
Linn, a multimillionaire former financial planner, poured half a million into his campaign. He said he had a lot of fun running.
"I’d like to congratulate Bob Hackworth," Linn said before 8 p.m. "And now the Democrats must come together to defeat Bill Young."
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
Only 61 votes are separating Rene Flowers over Darden Rice for Seat 3 Democratic primary for Pinellas County Commission with 320 of 376 precincts reported. Also close: The Democratic primary to challenge U.S. Rep Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor. From the state elections website:
| County | Anita de Palma (DEM) |
John Dicks (DEM) |
Bill Mitchell (DEM) |
| Hillsborough | 551 | 919 | 616 |
| Pasco | 784 | 707 | 1,204 |
| Pinellas | 2,049 | 2,064 | 2,021 |
| Total | 3,384 | 3,690 | 3,841 |
| % Votes | 31.0% | 33.8% | 35.2% |
DADE CITY -- The call from Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning came in at 7:07 p.m.
He was calling to congratulate his successor, Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley, as Pasco County once again was the first county to get elections results to the Florida Division of Elections.
Pasco edged Orange County by three whole minutes. That was early voting and absentee results. Corley was appointed to replace Browning in 2007.
"The baton was handed off," Corley said, "I had to keep running with it."
-- Jamal Thalji, Times Staff Writer
Polls have closed for the Aug. 26 primary in what is expected to be the lowest turnout in modern Florida history. Below are unofficial winners.
Democrats
U.S. House District 5: John Russell
U.S. House District 9: Bill Mitchell
U.S. House District 10: Bob Hackworth
State Senate District 11: Fred Taylor
State House District 55: Darryl E. Rouson
State House District 59: Betty Reed
Pinellas sheriff: Randall M. Jones
Pinellas County Commission District 3: Rene Flowers
Pasco sheriff: Kim Bogart
Pasco County Commission District 3: Terri Conroy
Hillsborough County Commission District 6: Kevin Beckner
Republicans
U.S. House District 5: Ginny Brown-Waite
State House District 67: Ron Reagan
Pinellas property appraiser: Pam Dubov
Pinellas County Commission District 1: Neil Brickfield
Pasco Clerk of Circuit Court: Paula O'Neil
Pasco sheriff: Bob White
Pasco County Commission District 1: Ted Schrader
Pasco County Commission District 3: Ann Hildebrand
Pasco County Commission District 5: Jack Mariano
Hillsborough property appraiser: Rob Turner
Hillsborough County Commission District 2: Ken Hagan
Hillsborough County Commission District 6: Brian Blair
Hernando County Commission District 1: Jeff Stabins
Hernando County Commission District 3: John Druzbick
Hernando County Commission District 5: James Adkins
Nonpartisan
Pinellas School Board District 1: Janet R. Clark, Jennifer S. Crockett, Runoff
Pinellas School Board District 2: Nina Hayden, Sean Michael O'Flannery, Runoff
Pinellas School Board District 4: Ken Peluso, Robin Wikle, Runoff
Pasco School Board District 2: Joanne Hurley
Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge, Group 6: Mary Handsel
Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge, Group 8: Susan L. Gardner, Robert Angus Williams, Runoff
Hillsborough School Board District 1: Susan Valdes
Hillsborough School Board District 7: Stephen Gorham, Carol W. Kurdell, Runoff
Hillsborough Circuit Judge, Group 1: Caroline Tesche
Hillsborough Circuit Judge, Group 2: Samantha Ward
Hillsborough Circuit Judge, Group 7: Catherine M. Catlin
Hillsborough Circuit Judge, Group 21: Lisa Campell
Hillsborough Circuit Judge, Group 30: Martha Cook
DADE CITY -- Pasco County's new optical scan voting machines seem to have worked just fine in their first test in today's primary, reports Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley.
The problem is that voters haven't given them much of a test.
As of 6:02 p.m. today, unofficial voter turnout stood at just 10.76 percent of the electorate, according to the supervisor's office. That's just 30,436 out of 282,901 registered voters.
Even worse, the unofficial number of voters who took to the polls to test out the new machines was just 18,474. Absentee voters sent in 6,416 ballots and early voting netted 5,546.
What if turnout for today's primary turns out to be a historic low?
"I would be disappointed, obviously," said the Corley, who was appointed supervisor of elections in 2007. "My wish is to have every eligible voter participate in our elections.
"The old adage comes to mind: If you don't vote, you can't complain."
Okay, so Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley was something more than optimistic when he predicted turnout at 25 percent. With less than two hours before polls close, turnout was below 10 percent.
But here's some questions that should get answered about county politics when results are in.
-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer
Voter turnout could be meager in Pinellas. As of 4 p.m. today, with three hours left until polls close, only 4 percent of the electorate had cast ballots, according to SOE representative Nancy Whitlock. Another 6 percent voted early or cast absentees, bringing to 10 percent the portion of the electorate weighing in so far.
Since 1994, Pinellas turnout for non-presidential preference primaries has ranged from a low of 13 percent in 1998 to a high of 28 percent in 2002.
Will Van Sant, Time staff writer
Will Vragovic | Times
Aided by pollworker Thomas Florio, Terry Turcote of Spring Hill, casts her ballot at the Mariner United Methodist Church in Spring Hill Tuesday. Only 11 percent of registered voters had turned out in Hernando County as of 3:30pm
The sky is blue, the weather is hot but the voting is not. In Hernando, only 11 percent of registered voters cast ballots in today's primary as of 3:30 p.m., election officials said, far less than the 25 percent turnout expected.
A total of 6,841 voters went to precincts, 1,894 voted early and 4,608 (so far) mailed in absentee ballots. The number of registered voters is 120,179.
--John Frank and Barbara Behrendt, Times staff writers
SOE spokeswoman Jen Marks says as of 3 p.m. today, about 3.2 percent of eligible voters or 14,966 voters, had cast ballots in Hillsborough County, according to precinct. About 4.6 percent of the electorate voted via absentee ballot or early voting as of the end of the day yesterday.
Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer
SPRING HILL -- Word of the low voter turnout in Hernando County had Republican Executive Committee Chairwoman Ana Trinque "perturbed" Tuesday.
Voters have been saying they want change. The candidates and the Republican party have been working hard to get their message of change out to the voters, but even last-minute phone calls and e-mails were still not bringing the big numbers to the polls.
The major focus has been on the three county commission races. Each seat had three Republican candidates vying for a chance to take on a Democrat in November. "It's kind of scary to me. This reflects the apathy, that people feel there is nothing they can do to bring about change," Trinque said. "Everyone has worked so hard. People are upset with their TRIM (property tax) notices. They're reading about all this corruption in the DPW (Department of Public Works). But the only way they can make a change is by getting new blood in there."
Jay Rowden, who heads up the county's Democratic Executive Committee, said he didn't see the surge of negativity toward county government that Trinque described.
"A lot of that negativity attributed is perception. It's not real," Rowden said. "People are trying to promote that agenda and the people aren't buying it. I have a lot of faith in voters. They're a whole lot smarter than people give them credit for."
--Barbara Behrendt, Times staff writer
Twelve scanners had to be replaced at voting precincts this afternoon, according to Nancy Whitlock, spokeswoman for the Pinellas elections office.
Some experienced paper jams and on some the screens froze, but they were traded out with functioning ones within "a couple of minutes," she said.
People could either wait for them to be replaced or they could deposit their ballots in the emergency bin, and they would be counted later.
She did not anticipate an issue with overvotes, as poll workers and voters would likely be "overly cautious if they know they weren't going to be putting it in the scanner," she said.
--Mariana Minaya, Times staff writer
While nobody questions whether a male lawmaker would return to office after he becomes a father, such rumors have been swirling around Tallahassee and Hillsborough County political circles about Republican Sen. Ronda Storms of Valrico whose family is about to grow.
For the record, Storms debunks the rumor and told the Buzz last week that she's staying put (and was incensed we even asked).
-- Jennifer Liberto and Bill Varian, Times Staff Writers
DADE CITY -- The tally of Pasco County voters in today's primary as of 11:03 a.m. is 17,030 -- that's 6 percent of the electorate. Pasco Supervisor of Election Brian Corley predicted a 25 to 27 percent turnout today.
Here's what's been counted so far: 6,361 absentee votes, 5,546 early votes and 5,123 poll votes.
Today is the first election for Corley and his office using new optical scan voting machines. How's it going so far?
"Overall we are pleased with the performance of the optical scanners," Corley said, "and particularly impressed with how the voters are adapting to the new voting system."
The only problem so far was reported at Precinct 104 in Hudson. Someone stole the air conditioner from the clubhouse at Griffin Park, according to Corley, and the incident does not appear to be election-related.
The county was rushing some fans out so voters there won't have to sweat it out.
Jamal Thalji, Times staff writer
Pinellas County SOE spokesperson Nancy Whitlock tells Bay Buzz that polling places and equipment were up and running as planned this morning, although turnout has been modest. As of 10 a.m., Whitlock said only 1.3 percent of the electorate, or 8,068 voters, had cast ballots. Whitlock is hoping things pick-up as the days goes on. At the same same point during January's presidential preference primary, 8 percent of voters had weighed in.
Will Van Sant, Times staff writer
John
O'Neill of Tarpon Springs checks out a sample ballot on a wall at First
Baptist Church in Tarpon Springs while waiting for Precinct 705 to open
for voting. O'Neill was one of two voters waiting for the polls to open
there. [JIM DAMASKE | Times]
Florida switched to optical-scan ballots for this election, and it seems that the staffers in the voting precincts are taking the switch very seriously. Times editor Jim Verhulst went to vote this morning and describes what the new system is like:
I felt like a particularly slow school child at my precinct this primary morning. It was the first day of optical scan (think "paper trail"!) voting, wherein voters fill in ovals to indicate their preferences. And because we are all Florida voters with our record of wreckage, officials left nothing to chance. After signing in, voters headed to a table to practice filling in the bubble, just like those days of the SAT and other standardized tests. Yes, practice. Voters signed a card with a really, really big oval on it. The task was to fill it in -- "bubble it" is the term of art -- to the satisfaction of the official and, with our signature, to document that we had actually practiced. This was to ensure that the machine could read our efforts.
The oval was so big it took a while. I honestly think my tongue poked out the corner of my mouth with the effort. Should I outline the oval in a big black border and then fill in the middle? Should I work from one side to the other? From the middle out? I chose to work from left to right. After this practice (my effort was pronounced "good"), I was given a huge sheet that was my voting card, it was slipped into a big red sheaf for privacy, and then I was sent to a booth to fill in the ovals -- much smaller ones -- for real to indicate my preferences. After I was done, I fed the completed sheet into a big machine that recorded the votes and raised the tally of total voters by one. Then I returned the borrowed pen (they were very clear about the importance of giving it back), collected my sticker and went on my way.
Pro-voucher group All Children Matter sent out three more campaign mailers in support of State Rep. Darryl Rouson last week.
The mailers shed little light on All Children Matter, an affiliate of a nationwide group of political action committees devoted to helping pro-voucher candidates get elected, and instead showcase Rouson.
"Darryl Rouson Protecting Florida's Values," reads one mailer, the words splashed over the image of a manatee.
"Darryl Rouson Taking Care of What's Important," reads a second mailer, the type set over a picture of Rouson and two of his sons.
For those keeping count, that's makes at least four mailers in less than two weeks.
All Children Matter also supported Rouson when he ran for his seat in a March special election.
This is the second time All Children Matter has helped Rouson. During the March special election. Then, the group sent out a series of three laudatory mailers for Rouson to voters at a cost of about $17,000.
-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer
St. Petersburg Times columnist Ernest Hooper, Tampa Tribune political reporter William March and WMNF-FM 88.5 assistant news director Mitch Perry will lead a media panel discussion for the Democratic Professionals Council of Tampa on Sept. 9 at 11:30 a.m. in Mise En Place.
Political consultant and speech writer Tyler Huson will moderate the session. Topics will vary and questions will be taken from the audience. The event is free and open to the public. Cost for lunch is $25 and includes gratuity. To RSVP, go to www.dpctampa.com.
How much money did Supervisor of Elections candidate Buddy Johnson raise in the last reporting period? None. That's right, none, according to campaign finance reports. One could cut incumbent Johnson some slack, considering the reporting period is only about three weeks and many candidates pulled in only $500 to $1,500. But Johnson's opponent, Phyllis Busansky raised more than $10,000, bringing her campaign total to more than $100,000 since announcing her candidacy in February. Johnson has raised $45,000 since announcing in January 2006.
Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer
So that's where Pasco County Commission candidate John Nicolette got the money for all those mailers -- himself.
John Nicolette loaned his campaign $70,000 over the final three weeks of his race to unseat Commissioner Ted Schrader, new election finance reports show. Nicolette, who blasted Schrader in several mailings, added nearly $10,000 more in donations to raise his overall fundraising past $176,000.
Schrader reported raising another $20,000 in August, running his total contributions to more than $132,000 with no loans.
Their closely watched contest in Tuesday’s Republican primary will essentially decide the next commissioner from east Pasco. No Democrat ran, only a write-in candidate.
-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer
Local Democrats organizing a Labor Day picnic set for this weekend are sending around an e-mail with the subject line, "Have your picture taken with Obama!!!"
"Bring your camera's and cell phones so you can have your picture taken with the next President of the United States!!" the email begins.
But before all you Obama-maniacs start color coordinating your outfits, be aware: Sen. Barack Obama has yet to RSVP to the picnic. Instead, guests at the St. Petersburg Democratic Club's picnic on Sunday will be posing for pictures with a life-size cardboard cutout of Obama, not the hopemeister himself.
Organizer Jim Donelon said the e-mail, which makes no mention of cardboard figures, was all in good fun. "I cannot be responsible for anyone who jumps to any conclusions," Donelon said, jokingly, in a telephone interview.
Later, he added, "Do you think anyone will be disappointed?"
The picnic will be held Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Killingsworth Estate in Largo. Tickets are available for $15.00 the day of the picnic. The menu includes flank steak, cole slaw and baked beans. For additional information contact Jim Donelon at demdonelon@hotmail.com or 727-433-5534.
-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer
School Board member Jane Gallucci gave herself $20,000 this month, allowing her in the last three weeks to outspend her Republican primary rival Neil Brickfield $31,210 to $8,048.
Those figures in the District 1 County Commission race are from campaign finance reports due last Friday that cover the period from Aug. 2 to Aug. 21.
During the period, property appraiser candidate Pam Dubov helped herself to a $14,000 loan. She outspent her Republican primary opponent Frank Gregoire $20,844 to $13,095, according to reports.
In the District 3 commission race, Darden Rice plunked down $3,000 to help her in the weeks before tomorrow's primary. From Aug. 2 to Aug. 21, Rice outspent her Democratic opponent Rene Flowers more than 6 to 1, $14,118 to $2,156.
--Will Van Sant, Times staff writer
State Rep. Darryl Rouson and his supporters will meet at the Royal Theater on 22nd St. S. in St. Petersburg.
The Rev. Charles McKenzie will meet at Kizmet on 1st Ave. N. in St. Petersburg.
Both parties are open to the public.
McKenzie and Rouson will face off in the Democratic Primary in the Dist. 55 statehouse race Tuesday.
The victor will face write-in candidate and Republican Calvester Benjamin-Anderson.
-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer
Barack Obama's campaign is inviting friends to its office opening in New Port Richey, 4749 Grand Blvd, in the New Porter Plaza east of US 19.
Check out the note for the party here.
-- David DeCamp/Times staff writer
As Sheriff Bob White tries to take the first step in becoming Pasco County's first three-term sheriff a half century, challenger Bob Sullivan says White's style "scares the tar" out of him. Read Molly Moorhead's preview of their Tuesday primary race here.
Meanwhile, two southwest Pasco Democrats -- Terri Conroy and Nicholas Planck -- are running small-dollar campaigns as they try to win the chance this fall to unseat the most entrenched County Commissioner, six-termer Ann Hildebrand. Read a preview here.
-- David DeCamp
TAMPA — "He's been mute for five years."
"He sits there like a little mouse."
"His history is one of waiting for others to bring real solutions to the table."
Never in his seven-year political career has Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan been criticized like this. The question is whether anybody is paying attention.Hagan's challenger, Tom Aderhold of Keystone, blasts Hagan from his Web site and from the street. He's been knocking on doors for three months in their north Hillsborough district. Read more here.
Hernando County's public works chief Charles Mixson is on the hot seat as a Times investigation continues to dredge up problems in his department. The latest word is that County Administrator David Hamilton plans to meet with Mixson this week about the problems.
In a nutshell, the controversy surrounds the county's roadway management system. The Times broke a story Thursday about a criminal investigation concerning county road guru Bill Busch's apparent conflicts of interest with private contractors. Then came harsh words from the county's top boss toward his supervisor, Mixson, and news of more problems at the Department of Public Works. The glaring issues emerged in Busch's county e-mails, which were detailed in a revealing Sunday story.
Amid all this, the county is trying to hire a new human resources director. The two finalists are Cheryl I. Marsden of Davenport, Iowa, and Nancy W. Duggan of Dunedin. Nothing says welcome to Hernando County like a intense controversy.
--John Frank, Times staff writer
The battle lines in the warring factions of the Hernando County GOP are subtle but present. Times columnist Dan DeWitt brought them to light in Sunday's column:
"As best as I can tell, the split in the local Republican Party goes something like this:
There's a moderate wing made up of county Commissioner Jeff Stabins, commission candidates John Druzbick and Billy Healis, blogger Anna Liisa Covell and Realtor Gary Schraut.
The conservative camp — or, as Covell calls them, the "slash-and-burn, far right" faction — includes commission candidates Jon "Jaz" Zydenbos, Hubert "Wayne" Dukes, Jim Adkins, tax-cut advocate Linda Hayward and several leaders of the county Republican Executive Committee, or REC.
I don't pretend the list is all-inclusive. Also, some of these folks downplayed the party's differences, saying they can easily be patched up after Tuesday's primary." Read more here.
BROOKSVILLE -- On paper, Tuesday's election for a seat on the Hernando County School Board is strictly a nonpartisan affair.
By state law, candidates James Yant, Gene Magrini and Robert Neuhausen are barred from campaigning based on any affiliation to a political party. It's been that way since 1998, when Florida voters changed the Constitution to keep partisan politics out of the school races.
But even if candidates are sticking to the letter of the law, there are Republican and Democratic fingerprints all over this year's election. Read Tom Marshall's full story on the political wrangling and the involvement of political consultant Laurie Pizzo.
In Hernando County, a central figure in the anti-incumbent push to ouster county commissioners is putting his money where his mouth is.
It's not the $25,000 he promised to spend. But so far, Blaise Ingoglia — home builder, professional poker player and driving force behind last summer's Government Gone Wild seminars — spent $6,000 supporting County Commission candidates, even multiple candidates in the same race. The real push, he said, will start after voters decide in Tuesday's primary who's left standing.
Read full story from Times Staff Writer Barbara Behrendt here.
UPDATE: Ingoglia is also using the Web to spread his gospel. Check out his new site, Hernando Truth.
--John Frank, Times staff writer
Pinellas Republican voters in the Seat 1 county commission race will decide in Tuesday's primary between Jane Gallucci, a 12-year School Board veteran, and Neil Brickfield, a former Safety Harbor city commissioner who owns a firm that, among other things, helps others get elected to local office. Read more here.
The latest campaign piece for Hillsborough County School Board candidate Stephen Gorham borrows the Bob Dylan tune "The Times They Are A-Changin'." It also offers a little pop culture history lesson to those under the age of 25 who barely know what an LP is, let alone a 45.
On Thursday, Bill Mitchell produced a New Jersey man who said he was bilked out of $55,000 from John Dicks, one of Mitchell’s opponents in the Democratic primary for the 9th Congressional District.
On Friday, Dicks fired back by filing a civil suit for libel against Mitchell in Hillsborough County.
Dicks said the suit is meant to “put (Mitchell's) false allegations to rest, while allowing our campaign to continue to stay focused on the issues that really matter to the hard-working people of our district, like lowering gas prices, getting our economy back on track, and preserving our environment.”
Read the St. Petersburg Times story about the allegations against Dicks when he was a financial advisor here.
Dicks and Mitchell will face Anita de Palma in Tuesday’s primary.
- Rita Farlow, Times staff writer
Former Gov. Bob Graham and former Gov. Buddy McKay have endorsed John Dicks in the Democratic primary race for U.S. House District 9.
Graham, Florida's governor from 1979 to 1987, said in a statement that "(Former Plant City) Mayor John Dicks has devoted much of his adult life to public service. In every instance he put the public interest first and the people were better because of that service.”
McKay, longtime lieutenant governor who took over the state’s top post for a few weeks after the death of Lawton Chiles in 1998, said Dicks has the experience to do the job.
“John's strong background in finance and his commitment to community make him especially qualified. I trust John's judgment and his character,” said McKay in a statement.
- Rita Farlow, Times staff writer
Pasco County state committeeman John Renke II has sent a direct mailing this weekend blistering county GOP chairman Bill Bunting. Bunting is trying to oust the longtime committeeman in Tuesday's primary in an unusually heated race for a low profile, unpaid post with the state party (See: robocalls, Gov. Charlie Crist).
Besi
des saying Bunting "embarrasses the Republican Party," Renke's attack
recites Bunting's misdemeanor convictions (though not saying they're 50 years old) and former union steward work. Under "career," Renke notes Bunting was a "former sanitation worker & bar owner" and Renke's an "attorney" -- without of course mentioning Florida Bar discipline action pending against Renke. And under family, it mentions Bunting's divorces and Renke's 41-year marriage.
"It's cowardly," said Bunting, who has criticized Renke's work ethic but not mentioned him in mailings for the race.
"It's factual," Renke said.
And Bunting's also hot about a connection to recent anonymous mailings ripping him. Those mailings were sent under a postage permit held by Eagle Data of St. Petersburg, which declined to identify its client this month. This weekend's Renke mailer says on its front that its postage was paid by -- guess who? -- Eagle Data.
"Coincidence or no coincidence, I don't know how many people do mailings with that mailing company," Renke said. "They're never going to find any proof that I did it, because I didn't."
-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer
Give Paul Jeske credit for perseverence.
The veteran attorney got the nod from the governor’s office Friday for a Hillsborough County judgeship. It was Jeske's eighth try at a judicial appointment, he said. He also ran unsuccessfully for a circuit judgeship two years ago.
Jeske has been in private practice in Tampa since 1978 with law partner Patrick Sprague. He said he will meet with Hillsborough’s chief judge on Monday to figure out a start date.
He replaces Tom Barber, who was elevated to a circuit judgeship in May.
-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer
Congressional candidate Bob Hackworth has received a key endorsement Tuesday's in the Democratic primary against two opponents on Tuesday.
The political action committee of the Florida Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, has endorsed Hackworth. Hackworth, the mayor of Dunedin, is running for the Congressional District 10 seat now held by Bill Young.
“Only a serious candidate can defeat Senator Bill C.W. Young in November and we feel that Bob Hackworth is that candidate,” said Jade Moore, according to a press release from the Hackworth campaign. “When we interviewed him, his commitment to teachers and kids and the highest standards of education was very apparent.”
Hackworth has collected a handful of endorsements, including from Largo mayor Patricia Gerard, St. Petersburg Councilman Karl Nurse, and firefighters.
His Democratic opponents are Samm Simpson, who ran in 2006 against Young and received 34 percent of the vote, and Max Linn, a term limits advocate who ran for governor with the Reform Party in 2006.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
The Barack Obama campaign today chastised Democratic state House 59 candidae Warren Dawson for a mailer that includes a photo of Obama and "incorrectly suggests that he is supporting" Dawson over incumbent Democrat Betty Reed. Read more here from sister blog, The Buzz.
Samm Simpson, a Democrat who's facing two others in a primary Tuesday to determine who takes on incumbent U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, has been endorsed by the Florida Consumer Action network, according to her campaign.
FCAN, which advocates for citizens on issues like affordable healthcare, education and housing, stated, “We do not endorse in every race; instead we look for candidates who have supported the same issues that we advocate, and races where our endorsement could help make the difference.”
To read about Simpson's other endorsements, click here.
--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer
Nearly 20-year-old ties between District 9 congressional candidate John Dicks and a controversial financial adviser resurfaced Thursday after Dicks' opponent produced a New Jersey man who says he was bilked out of $55,000. Read more here.
In mailing after mailing, to audience after audience, County Commissioner Ted Schrader touts his record of property tax cuts.
A rate cut every year for seven years — more than a 37 percent reduction since he took office.
"Every year I've been on the commission, we've lowered the millage, or it's remained the same (for 2009)," he told a recent crowd.
However, it's not proof that Schrader universally supports tax cuts — quite the contrary.
His opponent in Tuesday's election, Tampa firefighter and Darby rancher John Nicolette, has seized on the times that Schrader opposed cuts or supported raising other taxes — as well as the bulging annual budget increases that happened on his watch. Read more here.
DARBY — Everyone agrees that Natalie and Ray Sotomayor built a house on their rural tract that is smaller than what their contract allowed.
But what happened after construction began in 2005 turned into a nasty neighborhood feud that ensnared the court system, Pasco County code enforcement and the county attorney, Robert Sumner.
It's a story that's significant today because the other principal player was John Nicolette — Sumner's son-in-law — a man who now wants to be a county commissioner. Read more here.
The staid Republican primary for Pasco's clerk of the court between Dan Tipton and Paula O'Neil has become anything but at the 11th hour. Read more here.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is one of the richest men in Congress thanks in part to his car dealerships.
But those businesses have also made the Sarasota Republican the target of lawsuits in his own county. Ex-employees allege that his dealerships fabricated tax returns, falsified incomes to get loan applications approved and "powerbooked" — faked options to pump up the sales price.
Now those same allegations have been made against Buchanan's dealership in Pasco County: Suncoast Ford Mitsubishi on U.S. 19 in Port Richey. Read more here.
