CFO Rick Baker?

Republican St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker has long struck observers as a guy with further political ambitions once he leaves office in 2010. The question is what next? He has pretty much ruled out running for Congress (if CW Bill Young retires), Charlie Crist has the governor's mansion, and Baker's political prospects will ebb fast once he leaves office and his profile dims.

Which is where Democratic Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink fits in. If, as many people expect, she winds up running for U.S. Senate (or governor), Baker is a prime candidate for the open CFO seat. The mayor insists, however, that he won't mull his future at least until mid 2009.

"I don't rule anything out at this point,'' Baker said.

One wrinkle: Baker's media consultant is Adam Goodman of Tampa, whose clients include another potential CFO candidate, state Senate president Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach.

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Comments

she's not running for gov.

Adam Goodman knows this race, he was Tom Lee's media consultant in 2006.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rick Baker is not ready for primetime.

Adam Goodman sucks. Just you tube these commercials and it's pretty obvious.

anyone but Atwater

He could get the GOP nomination, but if Alex runs for re-election, he's almost certainly a dead duck in that race.

Look at Adam's scoreboard and it's more obvious he wins.

CFO? Senator Atwater?

After who Jeff Atwater just appointed as the rules Chairman, who needs liberal Democrats?

No thank you. He recently demonstrated he's just another politician with no convictions.

that's interesting... Rick Baker as Crist's primary challenger... Why would Baker want to stain his political career by being the sacrificial lamb in the Repub Primary.

Baker would have to start politicking NOW to the Repubs who are mad at Crist, and start looking for the spare change that Crist leaves on the ground as he (Crist) is grabbing the big dollars/donors - everyone knows Crist is already raising money for 2010, and some is being put aside for 2012.

[MenckenJr]

Rick Baker as CFO? Hmmm. Georgia and Alabama better keep both hands on their state properties or he'll try to annex them so St Joe can build a giant outlet mall from Valdosta to Pensacola. After all, if a developer wants to do something it must be a good thing, right?

Baker would beat Atwater and could take Crist as well. Crist's support is weak and his fundraising is not gong that well.

No One knows who Rick Baker is and remember where Republican Primary voters come from. The Republican Base in the St. Pete area is diminishing so no one across the state knows who he is.

Adam Goodman knows this race, he was Tom Lee's media consultant in 2006.
Posted by: | November 19, 2008 at 03:34 PM

.............ok, that was funny. (Thanks, Adam.) Where is Tom Lee now? Yep.

Is this the guy I just read about trying to annex an unconnected property while neighbors oppose it?

Big Brother? No thanks. Go Away.

Baker needs to go back to practicing law and get himself out of politics for good. He has been a developers dream and a citizen's worst nightmare here in St. Pete and I shudder to think how poisonous he'd be in a state-wide position of power.
He is sneaky, under-handed, given to back-room deals, has an infamous temper, runs rough-shod over subordinates and isn't above using threats to get his way. We're all aware that the Times Editorial Board is gaga over him for reasons they cannot or will not be upfront about but to start a campaign to loose this monster on the rest of the state is, at the very least, irresponsible and, at worst, reprehensible.

[tom chastain]

sonya march will most be a sure bet for the us senate. she has military experience and she is a graduate of the airforce acadamy and a former fighter pilot of the us airforce and we need someone in washington who can properly address the needs of the vetrens issues as well as the tough calls of terrorism that comes up. we need a candidate with military experience. we need captain sonya march
she not only has military experience but she has graduated from many of our finest universitys.