Republican running against Democrat Long -- and GOP leaders?
Larry Ahern, a pool remodeling business owner from St.Petersburg, has begun running against Rep. Janet Long for the Florida House District 51 seat in 2010.
Ahern, a Republican who is a member of St. Pete's nuisance abatement board, said he's worried about how the Legislature has spent taxpayers' money.
"They’re spending money at a frantic pace," Ahern said today. "That they stayed on longer and ended up balancing it (the budget) with stimulus money caused me some concern."
That would include the Republican leadership running the Legislature?
"It includes everyone. I just don’t know where it stops, and it doesn’t look like anybody wants to take responsibility, to say we have to take responsibility," Ahern said.
Ahern filed July 8 to run against Long, D-Seminole, so there's no fundraising reported for him yet. Long has reported raising nearly $26,000 through June 30.
-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer
From the writers of the St. Petersburg Times, Bay Buzz offers the latest news on Tampa Bay politics. This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the St. Petersburg Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper. You are not engaging in private communication with candidates or Times staffers.
Direct from the nuisance abatement board? Why doesn't he just run for Governor?
Posted by: Chris Brudy | July 18, 2009 at 03:53 AM
Go get em Larry!!!
Posted by: YES | July 18, 2009 at 01:10 PM
Janet Long pretends to be a Democrat. Janet is all about janet. I wish a real Democrat would run for this seat. We need a real leader in Tallahassee. Perhaps Janet's daughter would run?
Posted by: Not impressed by Long | July 18, 2009 at 10:03 PM
Her daughter..the lobbyist who got her job because of Mom's connections?? Yeah, that's a step up.
Posted by: Your'e kidding right? | July 18, 2009 at 11:02 PM
'bout time someone of substance challenged this hack, but it's basically a Republican Primary.
Posted by: 'bout time | July 19, 2009 at 06:56 AM
Republican primary?? How so?
Long votes 99% party liie in Tallahassee and just barely scored a C with the Fl Chamber.
Long pretends to be a republican to fool the yocals in Seminole but deep down she's all democrat.
Posted by: Not by a Long shot | July 19, 2009 at 09:31 PM
Governor, I was thinking President, but needed a few years in the Legislature and some more community service before that.Some issues I'm following. Florida's unemployment rate is one of the highest in the country.(exceeds 10%,this doesn't include business owners who are just trying to stay afloat and have not filed.) Foreclosures in Florida quadrupled over the last three years. We need leaders not polititions.
Posted by: Larry Ahern | July 20, 2009 at 06:36 AM
Hey, us real Republicans want nothing whatsoever to do with Long.
Posted by: GOP4FLA | July 20, 2009 at 06:23 PM
According to the Divison of Elections, McKalip has long list of contributions, including $500 to Democrat Janet Long. http://bit.ly/k8boC
Posted by: What a surprise: racist doctor McKalip donated $500 to Janet Long | July 24, 2009 at 08:19 PM