Running Mates

The gubernatorial primaries are over, so it's time to talk running mates. Democrat Jim Davis and Republican Charlie Crist have until Thursday to make their picks, and speculation is rampant in political circles. Crist has been focused so much on that decision that throughout the campaign he has had an unsettling tendency to ask reporters their running mate suggestions.

Among the prospects often mentioned for Crist: state Rep. Jeff Kottkamp, R-Cape Coral; state Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey; and state Rep. Jennifer Carroll, R-Green Cove Springs, an African-American with a military background. Republicans have also talked up former House Speaker Allan Bense of Panama City, but he's also in the mix of contenders to become the next Florida Republican Party chairman. The pickings from Miami-Dade are slim because, given the bitter intraparty politics there, any selection is sure to infuriate others.

For Davis, who took a beating in the primary for voting in 1990 against compensating two black men wrongly convicted of murder, many Democrats think he needs to pick an African-American. State Rep. Chris Smith of Fort Lauderdale and former state Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami are frequently mentioned, as well as former Miami-Dade commissioner Jimmy Morales and Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.

Comments

Crist can pick anyone. He will get the base republican vote no matter what. Although, he should focus on someone that will bring out the vote in his high density areas. A black or hispanic will not do that in the north, and could have the opposite effect. He should focus on the independents and the soft dems, in which case he should choose a woman, preferably a jewish woman. Not many.
Ellyn Bogdanoff or Susan Goldstein.
Otherwise Joe Negron or Bill Galvano would be great choices. Joe has over a million to bring to the table and Galvano is a great policy person and well liked.

Bogdanoff is dead politically. She backed the wrong horse in the GOP primary and alienated the Broward powers-that-be. She is now like Fredo.

Negron gave back his campaign donations. I heard that it has been whittled down to three and that the background checks have already been done. At this late date, they wouldn't have time to do background checks on anyone else. This has been going on for months. So, any speculation of other people than the 3 is just noise.

A good choice for Crist would be an individual with leadership experience who will help to draw non-traditional voters to the Republican Party in November...Jennifer Carroll brings her military and legislative leadership background to the table. Coupled with her ethnicity, which would create space within the AA community, she is a solid choice. Carroll is also bright, pleasant and likeable and would be a good fit for Crist on a personal level...the chemistry would be good...

[Robert Charles Pickering]

I raised my voice on behalf of Daryl Jones in my blog Friday http://interstate4jamming.blogspot.com/2006/09/raising-my-voice-for-daryl-jones.html. Jones is young, has an excellent personality and presentation, is a rising star in the Florida Democratic Party, and has a fine background. If Jim Davis wants to win, he has to improve his standing among the African-American community and encourage the South Florida voters to turn out; picking Daryl Jones should do both.

And it's not just pure politics. I strongly believe that Daryl Jones will make an excellent liaison between the governor and legislature to help push through his programmes. And you could not ask for a better individual, IMHO, if for, God forbid, some unforseen reason a Governor Davis would be unable to serve.

I strongly encourage everyone in and out of the blogosphere to contact the Davis campaign and let it know that Daryl Jones is far and away the best choice for LG.

George LeMieux has a strong chance if he wants it. It's really his for the taking.

Lisa Carlton will be chosen...it is already a done deal.

Think about this - if Davis picks an AA (especially a military man like Jones) Charlie would just look like he was copying him - a tit for tat thing. Plus, if Davis picks an AA (which he will most likely do), the AA voters will go with the D's. So, it wouldn't do Charlie any good at that point to pick an AA. He should pick someone he really likes personally and who he wants to work with for the next 4-8 years. It is going to come down to a personal choice for him. The running mate for Charlie is really no factor in the race. He can win regardless of who he picks. I predict he will pick a friend like Kottkamp, Galvano or Haridopolous.

9:38 Lisa is that you? Quit promoting yourself. You sound desperate.

Haridopolous and Crist together on the same ticket would be a bit too Greek for some, I suspect...

[Imadashell]

Goldstein (faux Jewish in a Jewish district) the Dems will crush her in the General..The election was more like a Dade Circuit Judges race.She has been outed and needs a Job.The best candidate to run with Davis is Chris Smith.Jones has a problem record on the Federal appointment and Davis dont need no more aggrevation.Smith is well liked in Tallahassee and will work well with the New Administration ..Its a twofer..A great african american leader from a county of 1.8 million (700,000 Reg Dems) where 33 percent of the population is African American.Are you listening Jim??

[Imadashell]

Charley Crist will never pick an AA running mate ..Remember the base boys.Draw a line across the state from lakeland north..you know thats where all the guys with pickups gunracks and rebel flags live .Charley has already aliented the GOP Jeb base with his pro abortion stand..These guys are the mainstay of the base and have real questions about Charly's sexuality..Come on boys a 50 year old single candidate in a rental apartment that Drives a jag convertable and AA on the Gop ballot.The base is staying home in your Condelessa gets picked.a

I hope Charlie does not pick Carlton - she is way too weird. Kottkamp would be a good choice.

How about Toni Jennings again? She was appointed not elected. If she would consider THAT would be THE choice!

Bense and Jennings have told Charlie that they don't want it. Bense is looking seriously at state party chairman. He said it has cost him far too much money to be an elected official (to the tune of millions). Jennings said she is ready to go to the private sector as well. So, even if Charlie wanted them, they have taken themselves out of the mix. I heard from someone close to the campaign that Carlton is no longer being considered. It is down to three and she is not one of them.

[Leon Dem]

I think Crist should pick Galvano, a nice guy, moderate Repub who also is good friends and supporter of Alex Villalobos. When Alex grabs back power in the Senate(Rules Chair again, or maybe even Pruitt's leadership spot?) it would be easier for Crist/Galvano to get things done in the legislature. And that is the primary job of the LTG.

I think Davis should go with an Hispanic LTG, to pick up votes. An Hispanic also would help with moderate cuban delegation from Dade in both the Senate and the House.Between them and the Dems, they could pass some legislation.

This is how it went down for Crist. They sent out questionaires to a whole bunch of people. (so, a lot of people THINK they are being considered). From those responses, they narrowed it to 12 people and did personal interviews with those 12. (all 12 of those still THINK they are being considered - hence all the self promotion). Now, it is down to 3 people who were interviewed this weekend in Miami. No one knows who the three are, but I heard from a reputable source that they are Dockery, Haridopolous and Kottkamp.

[Imadashell]

See bubas CC will never choose Carlton come one one of you needs to tell me that Carlton wont pissoff the BASE .Surveys .Come on tell me ...HAHAHAHA!You cannot for the resons stated above your just too chicken to admit it..Pretend its 1960..

Imadashell,

That post did not make any sense to me. Could you please restate in coherent terms what you were saying?

i like mike

[gatordem]

Daryl Jones is one of the most impressive individuals I have ever met. He would be an excellent choice for a Davis LG. However, he should go on the ticket for his merit, which is considerable. I am afraid that if he is picked, Davis will be criticized for pandering to African Americans. That would NOT be the reason Jim would pick Daryl Jones, but the opportunity for criticism would be there.

As much as I admire Daryl Jones, I still believe an Hispanic from South Florida (or even Orlando) would be the better choice in this election. Certainly an Hispanic from Miami-Dade would be HUGE. Therefore, my favorite for a Davis LG pick is Alex Penelas, also a very impressive individual. Anyone worth picking will have some baggage associated with them. Penelas, however has run statewide for the Senate nomination in 2004. He is a bright, attractive, eloquent candidate.

I would be happy with either choice.

Dockery would be a dangerous candidate. Her ties to the bullet train would give the D's ammunition. I would go Kottkamp or Haridopolous.

[George]

Davis' best move is to pick Chris Smith. Some people talk about the North Florida bubbas, but what happened when Doug Wilder was elected governor in Virginia, the "cradle" of the old Confederacy?
Smith has the brains, the family, the experience and the ability to work with Republicans in the Legislature.

[George]

Davis' best move is to pick Chris Smith. Some people talk about the North Florida bubbas, but what happened when Doug Wilder was elected governor in Virginia, the "cradle" of the old Confederacy?
Smith has the brains, the family, the experience and the ability to work with Republicans in the Legislature.

George LeMieux is the safest bet of all of them. He is a rising superstar and very well though of by political insiders and by the rank and file in the GOP. Cannot go wrong with George.

[GOP Read]

isn't Haridopolous gay too though?

[True Blue]

12:16 PM
That's because he IS a republican
he did endorse Jeb in 1998 you know

[True Blue]

OMG
Crist and Haridopolous
would be like

Plato and Socrates in the Governor's mansion we will see homo orgies round the clock

[Ron Mills]

11:38 AM
While I think Alex would be a great choice

he would be beat up by his own party for the Miami-WTO affair and being in Spain while Gore campaigned in Miami in 2000

and then there is Elian Gonzalaz and Janet Reno affair

[George]

Haridopolos is as straight as they come. Wife, two kids, Nascar fan. Obviously, some people here think you're not a man unless you look and act like the Gubernator.

I think Jimmy Morales would be a good option as a way of galvanizing the hispanics in the I-4 with his puerto rican roots, as well as adding some cuban votes from Miami-Dade.

I think Carroll is the best option for Crist, it will force the dems to maintain their base, while davis has to keep the black vote.

12:47 PM
isn't that a rent-a-wife
and the kids are hers not his

At first, I thought Chris Smith had the inside track on the LG spot, but the more I think about it, the better Darryl Jones might be.

There is the service exxaturations which put the kibash on his Air Force Secretary appointment, but that's pretty much ancient history now.

He's very likeable, well spoken and I think can give a lot of energy to the ticket. Plus, he would bring in a lot of Rod Smith supporters since he endorsed Smith during the primaries.

At first, I thought Chris Smith had the inside track on the LG spot, but the more I think about it, the better Darryl Jones might be.

There is the service exxaturations which put the kibash on his Air Force Secretary appointment, but that's pretty much ancient history now.

He's very likeable, well spoken and I think can give a lot of energy to the ticket. Plus, he would bring in a lot of Rod Smith supporters since he endorsed Smith during the primaries.

Why does the Sptimes continue to support this gay bashing website? With a few notable exceptions, the posts sound like they are written by Bevis or Butthead. Close it down, it has become little more than a sounding board for irresponsible goofs who hide behind anonynimity. Offer a signed letter to the editor, or guest column as an alternative for the two or three bloggers who are intelligent enough to hang more than two sentences together. I am permanently signing off. I hope that others who share my digust will do the same.

Is anyone promoting a black actually NOT black? You bunch of self-serving idiots. You are not more the swing vote, which determines winners, than the corporate billionaires. The difference is at least the corporate folks get things from government other than a welfare check.

Get off your lazy a**es and stop following around the Democratic party like a bunch of lemurs off a cliff.

Blacks are the cheap whores of the Democratic Party and just sit there with your hand out. Your not the biggest minority anymore, you already vote Democratic 88-90%, so why should you get any attention? The swing vote D's & R's equally hate the welfare state that sucks dry state coffers. You will be a turnoff to the working class and even Davis isn't dumb enough to let that happen.

[Ron Mills]

01:24 PM
I am white
check out my profile
and I am promoting
Darryl Jones
not because he is Arican American
but because is battle tested and qualified to be governor

I think christ should pick Marco my only warning is: do not get on a plane if calls at the last min. and says "go on without me I'll catch the next flight"

DAVIS: Would be wise to Darryl Jones. He is popular, has run statewide, is enormously talented and widely respected. Good solid military background, too. That nonsense about exaggerating his flught hours that came out during the Senate confirmation hearings was just politics. Being picked on by the Rs won't harm any D.

Smith just has a big mouth and comes from a County which may be 33% AA, but do they turn out to vote???

CRIST: Will more than likely go with George Lemieux. Old, truested friend. No. 2 at the AG's office., Campaign Mgr... On the other hand, many in the R right, base, hate Lemieux for a number of reasons.

Goldstein has problems of her own. Bogdanoff did not support Crist in the primary. Negron did. He's Hispanic (when convenient)but bring little else. Haridopolos? More like Alexander and Hephaestion... The kids ARE the wife's, not his. All an arrangement. And Crist has A LOT to overcome in THAT area, what with being endorsed by gay publications in his primary. Carroll? Good choice. AA, military background. Too smart for Crist and her loyalty is not proven. No. Lemieux is the one.

1:29, you sure he's battle tested? Maybe you should ask the folks who served with him in the Military who spoke to the US Senate about his record.

He's a great guy but brings nothing to the table. Davis could choose the little green man from Mars and STILL get 90% of the black vote. No will turnout mean squat.

Hey posted sep.10th at 01:28pm. Come on Arza tells us what you really think!

Haridopolos and his wife have a newborn, together. Get it straight you idiot.

Crist won't choose his own campaign manager, you idiot.

And Davis won't choose a black, they bring NOTHING TO THE TABLE.

1:33, that's funny but I'm not being racist, just speaking facts.

1:33 I am not Ralph Arza and I did not write the 1:28 post. But I agree with it 100%. It is plain for all to see. Unfortunately you Ds, having to be so "politically correct", have lost the ability to say things like that and therefore your touch with reality.

The right choice for Christ would be Allen Bense not sure if Allen would do it and frankely I think that Bense would say no but, it would be the smart choice.

Davis has to pick someone who can bring out some energy across the state because he sure doesn't. He needs a D that already has state wide name rec.

Crist wouldnt chose his own campaign manager? You mean like George W. didnt chose the head of his own VP vetting team?

I heard Davis called former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez this morning.
That would be one heck of a ticket Davis/Martinez

You mean the same Martinez who stood trial a few years ago in federal Court on corruption charges? Yes, please, Ds, pick him!!

The R's have their choice either George LeMieux or Jim Scott. If either one gets picked watch your backs!