Chairman Bense?

We're hearing a fair amount of Buzz that House Speaker Allan Bense is the most likely next state GOP Chairman. "I'd be happy to serve if the party wanted me,'' he told us the other day.

When we noted that he's never had a reputation for partisan gun slinging, Bense remarked that Floridians don't care for extremes and that he's a fellow who doesn't listen to Rush Limbaugh or Michael Moore.

Comments

Great, an RPOF Chairman so whimpy that he's better suited to wearing his wifes dress. Just what we need.

Why are the moderates taking over? This American person likes conservatives.

didnt Adam Smith endorse Ann Herberger for Chairman?

[Zeke1138]

Clearly Bense is driven by the fact that as RPOF chair, he can still bid on transportation contracts. Something his role as speaker precluded him from doing. Follow the money.

better than jordan

WAAAAY Better than Jordan!!!!

6:13 That's not saying much. But I sure support Bense.

Bense was a great speaker, but isn't suited to what it takes to lead the party. George LeMieux will get it, deserves it, and will be great at it. Look at the fantastic job he did orchestrating Charlie's campaign.

Gosh I hope he gets it so we don't have to deal with the crazies like Katherine Harris on

ABORTION
RELIGION
STEM CELL
GAY MARRIAGE
FAITH AND FAMILY
PRAYER

Please, please appoint this guy and bring back the party of Reagan. I am with Crist, Pro-life personally only. I am for stem cell, I could care less about gays, and faith and family are the business of the church, not the friggin government.

6:35 Right on! The party should not be dfined by these issues. They do nothing to put food on my table or a roof over my head. I will deal with those issues personally, not politically. And I don't want anyone telling me how to deal with them from the government.

I want true fiscal conservatives like Bense to take back the party. I need my insurnace lowered, my property taxes reduced and the deficit driving Republicans out of office now.

Would I trade gay civil unions for lower taxes and lower insurance...any day of the friggin week!!!!!

Can we all say, "Bye bye Carol Jean Jordan"? and bye by to her staff too. With a couple of exceptions, most of them need to go immediately.

Whats up with the three name thing anyway. She trying to be Southern or something.

I think a fair amount of the staff stays, at least the political side. Party side...not so sure.

I like the sound of "Chairman Sharon Day" personally.

Sharon Day is fine because she is a moderate

Sharon Day is a lightweight. She'd have no real control over anyone. Bense or Lemeuix would be great, although I don't know why Lemeuix would want it when he can be CoS to the Governor...

PLease no more moderates they are liberals in disquise - and a not so clever disguise at that. As for Bense, I thought he was staying out of politics. It makes no sense to pass up a US Senate seat to stay home only to then seek the chairmanship of the party. What we need is a true blue conservative - that is NOT Bense. Bense just wants everyone to get along - the party needs a conservative compass not a party hostess.

Don't you have to be a county chair to be eligible? Who is the Bay county chair now? Are they experiencing a sudden "illness" making way for a substitute?

[Verity]

Which brings to mind my favorite quote of all time! Ha!

"Carole Jean Jordan can kiss my ass"

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2006/08/have_some_more_.html

Here's Arza's big mouth

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15856692.htm

Moderates are the future... moderates are conservative... they stay away from the wedge issues (thank GOD)

8:02 YOU ARE PRECISELY WHEY THE PARTY IS IN TROUBLE.

Whoever is really surprised at this news, raise your hand.

No Senate run and an early endorsement; Ohhhhh, now I remember.

When did social issues take over our party in the first place? Just listen to Barry Goldwater's old speeches: pro choice, no problem with gays, etc. You used to be considered conservative when you wanted less government, lower taxes, and more individual freedom. Now that just makes you pansy? Fiscal conservatives and less govt types ARE conservative.

Sharon Day is a hard worker, but she is a policy lightweight and is not her own person.

George Lemieux would probably rather be CoS. Unless he would rather control the Party the better to hold it for Charlie who will otherwise surely split it in his first year in office with his indecisiveness.

I don't think you need to be a County Chair. And I don't see too many people willing to take on the job. So Allan Bense has my support.

Amen, 9:04. The right wing wackos are bringing down our Party, as surely as Harris' silly right wing rhetoric is an embarrassment.

9:04 Double Amen. I can't wait for Harris to be kicked to the gutter and for moderate Crist to lead. McCollum can go back to lobbying and Lee can go get his MBA for his next run at CFO.

[Irish Whiskey]

9:04 - you are right!

Bense would be a great chairman. The House ran smoothly under him because he knew when to fight and he knew when to move along. As Chairman we need someone who will stand strong on the core principles of lower taxes, less government and more personal freedom, and not get distracted. He raised a bunch of cash running house camoaigns, and has continued to raise cash for the party. He's the man for the job especially during the presidential cycle - GO BENSE!

9.04 is right on the money. Republicans for choice, stem cell research, and keeping religion the hell away from government. I am a patriot, I salute the flag, I want smaller government, and I want the republican spending spree to stop.

My votes will go to Crist, Sink, Campbell and Bronson to insure that the above are far, far away from the state's poliical agenda.

8:26 Arza comments

This is horrible.

But the Dems shouldnt want him to resign becuase then the Reps can put in a replacement.

If no resignation the Dems have a chance to get behind he the Independent. If only they had the money to help. But maybe those who want more of a balanced chamber will help? Any takers?

Here we go again.....

The Republicans stealing the issues and the Democrats letting them......stem cell research and voting rights for felons just to name a few.

But ask yourself this moderate Republicans:

I am for stem cell research as long as the embryo is not destroyed."

--Charlie Crist to the FTU (Article by JT Rushing)

sounds like he is for adult and umbilical only....not embryonic.

I thought moderate Republicans for for embryonic stem cell research as long as the embryo is not destroyed. Am I wrong? Can Charlie say embryonic stem cell research.....the answer is NO.

Bense is out. LeMieux is in.

Mallory Miller for RPOF Chairman!!!!!

9:37, you have no idea what you're talking about.

zeke1138, you're a moron. you have no idea what you're talking about.

9:25 Do some research and you will see that Crist statement is valid.

Its called non-destructve embryonic stem cell harvesting MORON

If Bense can do to the party what he did to the House, count me IN! Go Bense!

the elections for county chairman are in december, bense can run then.

Let's hope he can run the elections and through 90% of the bums out. They have failed so very miserably.

[James]

The question is, will Alan Bense have to deal with a huge scandal of having a Republican Governor forcebly outed from the closet, like what happened to New Jersey's Governor last year, leading to a massive revolt by the Republican party's evangelical base; which will enable Hillary Clinton to take Florida's 27 electoral votes in 2008? Or will one of Florida's major newspapers have the courage to expose Charlie Crist's homosexuality before November 7, sparing Bense the trauma, and sparing this nation from having Hillary Clinton as our next President?

This is 8:02. And to 8:33, 8:35, 9:04, 9:08, 9:15, Irish Whiskey, YOU are the reason the Republican party continues to rot. It is being eaten up by whiny liberals pretending to be moderate like you. 9:25 makes my point when he says republicans are stealing democrat issues - What business do Republicans have taking democrat issues? Why have a Republican Party? The social issues ARE the Republican base. Pro-abortion, Pro-gay, no convictions, pro-felon voting, anti-religion, and amoral is 100% Democrat. If you think I am what is wrong with the Republican Party YOU are in the wrong party. Which is why we don't need any more "moderates" they are polluting the party. DITTOS RUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, April 28, 1998

"I would run as a Republican in light of the fact that the state House is a Republican-led house and they did a very good job this past session."

Bense said a Republican "might stand a better chance of being in a leadership role" in the House.

Amen 10:47

Chairman Carol Jean Jordan’s official resignation letter states that her resignation will be effective Friday, November 17, 2006. This is the first day of the RPOF quarterly meeting in Orlando, she will preside over the morning meeting but hand off interim leadership at 12 noon in a live press conference. In the evening the Chairman’s reception will be held in honor of former Chairman Carol Jean Jordan for contribution to the RPOF. Later on that evening there will be a Governor elect reception for Governor elect Charlie Crist.

Cordially,

Abe Lincoln, Interim Chair of the RPOF

10:47, the Republican Party I belong to is founded on 3 main principles - Less Government, Lower Taxes and More Personal Freedom -- certainly it is also the party that is much more socially conservative than the Democratic Party, but it does not exclude people based on their views in those areas - you don't have to be a Christian in my Republican Party. You have to have common sense, respect your fellow man, and search for ways to make us all better while respecting everyone's freedom. You can be a jew. You can be white. You can be Hispanic. You can be black. You can be a muslim, a Baptist, a Protestant, an Evangelical, a Mormon, a Catholic and yes, even an atheist in my Republican Party - you just have to want our country and our state to be the best place on earth with an efficient government that asks only what it must from its citizens.

less government? are you out of your mind? your party has brought mega-government and out of control spending to this country.

bense is just another wealthy loud-mouth who assiduously keeps his family away from military service in iraq. these wealthy sunshine patriots are notoriously stingy in allowing their own family members to serve in the wars which they cheer on so shamelessly. bense is just all bells and whistles patriotism, noisy with no substance.

I love the idiots who insinuate that the Republican Party of Florida is on a decline.

We've gained house and senate seats until a point where we can't get many more, have almost all of the congressional seats, own the cabinet and have one US Senator. Oh yeah, and there are more dems in Florida than GOP.

A couple of weak polls come out in Sink and McCollum's race and we are rotting.

Know this, moderates - a huge part of the party is traditionally conservative. You are free to think what you want, but you do NOT speak for everybody.

Conservatism got the GOP in power. Don't deny that just because you disagree.

GOP Governor - Jeb Bush - heavily conservative
First speaker of the house - Dan Webster - heavily conservative
Toni Jennings - one of the most conservative state senators
Mel Martinez - ran to the right of McCollum on stem cells and gay rights

I'm sure I'll get bashed relentlessly because I dare question the sanctimony of the moderate ideology.

FWIW - Bense is a great man but would make a LOUSY party chair. Party chairs chastise and humiliate the other party. It isn't in his makeup. Very, very few people on these boards would know the name of the most likely next party chair under a Crist administration. Charlie's got LOTS of friends and its his choice.