State GOP had surplus after election

The new post-election state GOP filing for its federal election account shows the Republican Party of Florida had $1,375,963 on hand as of Nov. 24, after spending $9.5-million in the period between Oct. 14 to Nov. 24. There are about $432,000 in debts outstanding.

It's a drop in the bucket compared to the money Barack Obama spent to win Florida's 27 electoral votes, but we recall state GOP chairman Jim Greer telling us the party would spend "every dime" on the '08 election and not carry any money forward after the election.

Some Republicans may be wondering how much another nearly $1-million might have helped John McCain overcome Obama's 236,000-vote win in Florida. The RPOF notes that it actually had less on hand after this election than it did in '04.

"No, the RPOF absolutely did not hold back on the McCain campaign ... We spent every dime the RNC and the campaign asked us to spend,'' said spokeswoman Erin VanSickle.

The federal report for the Florida Democratic party shows it spent $11.5-million in that same period and had about $128,000 on hand after the election.

*

Comments

[Disgusted Republican]

Did RPOF hold back on McCain?

ahhh, yeah.

It would not have mattered much one way or the other.
The Republican Party needs to learn civility, decency and good governance. They currently possess none of those attributes. Ignorance, paranoia and anger are hallmarks of Republicanism today. Who needs it?

[terminator]

HAHA!

looks like good buddies Crist and Greer can forget about that RNC Chair.

poor Charlie the tuna. the news keeps getting worse and worse for the tan man.

now he's about to be "married" in a shotgun wedding.

poor pitiful chuck, does he really think he's a viable candidate for POTUS in 2012/2016?

Me thinks Florida's recession may finish off any hopes he has of ever ascending to a higher stage.

wonder how Ms. Rome will feel in a couple of years from now being married to a "former governor" who won't be making much money??

even Florida R's aint so dumb as to flush $$$$ down the drain of a pair of loosers like grandpa grumpy and suzi zamboni!!

y'all keep beating the drums for that hag, suzie, willya?

caint get no better than pimping a candidate that OPENS with a 60%-plus NEGATIVE rating!!

dumbdumberdumbest, youbetcha!!

Losers! HAHAHAHA

in the meanitme, didja notice that DRUNKIE and CRASH, not content to pollute the otherwise peaceful, rural crawford, texas, area, have purchased a home in north dallas, messing up the lives of all their neighbors!

the irony:

while DRUNKIE and CRASH move into their new digs, millions are losing their jobs and homes, thanks to him.

i undersatnd cases of bourbon and cases of zoloft have been ordered for the happy couple's arrival in prestonwood!

y'all have anice "retirement"!

dont let the little folks get in your way!!!!

It's not so much that the RPOF 'held back' on McCain/Palin, it's more the fact that it wasn't really in the budget. You see, Chairman Greer truly put the "party" in the Republican Party. This man doesn't play around when it comes to having a good time. All those fancy dinners in London, big cigars and strippers. A blow out holiday party at the private Governors Club. All of that and more has to be paid for. So, you see, McCain winning Florida just didn't make the cut in priorities.

But, don't worry, Greer and company. Let the good times roll. Speaking of roll, when your fat rolls from all of this indulging get a little too big for your suit pants, you can always follow the Palin precedent--use the RPOF Amex and buy a few new suits. I suggest adjustable waist pants. Something that gives so you won't feel so restricted after your next lobbyist-paid feast.

Is anyone old enough to remember when the Republican Party in this state had to do more with less? It is really quite comical to see what this party has become. A Gluttonous Old Party.

Greer committed a bigger sin than his spending decisions. He lied to Adam Smith.

11:05 - what double standard hypocrites you on the left are.....money on clothes so what?

Meanwhile the Obama campaign spent 5.3 million dollars on the phony 'Greek temple' in Denver, during the Democratic convention. A phony temple that was used for one day.

That is correct 5.3 million. I wonder if Obama's is going to donate that Greek temple to charity?

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/10/13/daily43.html

Not one peep from the media crying about that.

http://townhall.com/blog/g/91a0305f-5e48-4a79-9aa2-7ef5670e3fbc

Barack Obama spent at least $1,500 on his convention suit according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He ordered a custom made worsted worsted wool two-button suit from the high-end men's suit retailer Hartmax for the occassion. That same suit off the rack, meaning NOT custom made, is priced at $1,500.

The colorful Thakoon wrap dresses Mrs. Obama has worn, and was applauded for wearing to her husband's convention speech, are priced around $1250 each. Mrs. Obama's favorite Chicago designer Maria Pinto, who crafted Michelle's convention speech dress, charges anywhere from $900-$5,000 for her dresses. Other Pinto pieces, like shirts and accessories, start at $300 each.

The black Azzedine Alaia belt Mrs. Obama wore over her purple Mario Pinto sheath dress when she gave her husband the infamous "fist bump" retails for $635, according to various fashion spreads. Fashion designer Nina Garcia called the belt a "wardrobe essential" earlier this year for the NY Post.

Did the RPOF hold back in Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana as well? Give me a break.

[Campaign Manager]

Because they did have outstanding debts and because it is hard to raise money in the months immediately following a presidential election, keeping money in reserve for daily expenses was probably wise.

The McCain campaign was so poorly run it would not have made a difference if they dropped $100 million more into it. Money can't save an unorganized messed up campaign.

If Greer spent it all, wouldn't the story read something about his "irresponsible spending?"

$1 million in the bank is an appropriate amount to run party operations until the beginning of the year when 2010 fundraising begins.

in the mid-19th century there arose in the u.s.a. a movement know as the "know nothing party", a primarily "nativist" movement, opposed to immigrants, esp. european kathliks, and brimming with all sorts of ignorant ideas.

i propose a new,
"know-less-than-nothing" party for todays repiglicans!

it fits!!

[terminator]

Campaign Manager:
good to see you back on the blog. I remember our Gallagher/Crist days together as we are two of the "old timers" on here.
Are you serious? $1.3 million should have been held back? For what election I might add?
And you don't think Mr's Greer and Crist have a huge credibility problem?
Now with Sansom's gaffe and Martinez feebly fading away, the GOP is crumbling here in Florida.
What do you suggest?

11:40 You're right about the money factor, but that is not the only way to win.

The governor could have led the charge like when he deliberately chopped off Gov. Mitt Romney at the knees in the FL primary and enthusiastically led McCain around FL in the last 3 days of the Florida primary. Mistakenly believing he'd be the Vice Presidential nominee.

No such passion or dedication was evident from him or the R.P.O.F. after Sarah Palin was selected as VEEP.

But Gov Crist & Jim Greer took time off for a weekend trip to DISNEY WORLD during the last 21 days of a Presidential election. What an abdication of responsiblility as governor of Florida and RPOF Chairman.

A little more effort from them and we would have won it in FL. Their heart was not in it.

The $$$ money McCain did not even have in the primary when the wheels were off the straight talk express, but he won because of Charlie and Mel's endorsements & determined effort of dragging the national and state mdeia around Florida.

McCain could have won Florida.
But there's no getting around this fact: LEADERSHIP flows from the top down.

They had to have money left over to pay off their consultant buddies and five star vacations.

Have to save money for more private planes and to buy-off consultants so they won't oppose him. Keep that gravy train going.

Greer is a travesty. I only hope he has learned humility. But he will likley be re-elected.

It'll be interesting to see how all of this meshes if Bush is the senate nominee.

What's happened at the state party is a cult of personality. Its the Jim Greer Show with everything built around him and nothing to support the movement. The party has become the be all end all with the supporting players shut out.

Arrogant, condescending, and, frankly, incompetent is what all this has broken down to.

11:36 where are you gettting your figures? They're not out yet on the Division of Elections website.
Thanks

ROAD TO GOP RECOVERY:

1. Get rid of Greer at all costs.

2. Get a Republican candidate for Governor and for Senate in 2010.

If we cannot accomplish #1, Greer will make it impossible to get a real Republican in the Senate or in the Governor's Mansion.

Greer was kicked off the plane so he held back money for the campaign. Short-sighted and self-centered.

Jim, you need to learn that you can measure a man by seeing if he sticks with a cause he knows is losing. You, sir, haven't done that.

The real trouble is Greer thinks RPOF is there to make Charlie look good and push Charlie's own personal agenda, and the heck with the GOP or its other candidates.

12:05 listen to the Karl Rove moron who thinks the only thing that stopped McCain from winning was lack of campaign organization. I guess that comes from 30 years of cobbling together a coalition of the willfuly ignorant who hold their collective noses and vote for inferior GOP candidates.

McCain lost because the failure of conservative policy had become glaringly self-evident and people were turned off by yet another God is my co-pilot wingnut that thinks that everyone should live according to the laws that were personally dispensed to him or her by divine revelation, regardless of all evidence to the contrary.

Problem Solved!

it helps to have a MESSAGE, too!

cant appeal to an angrywhiteigot base that is dying off!

cant appeal to a cuban refugee base that is dying off and being replaced by second and third generation offspring who dont give a krap about cuba!

cant appeal to the memory of ronnie ray-gun, when hardly anyone under thirty five even knows who that worthlessdungpile was!
the idiot-ronnie-lover base is DYING OFF, too!!

need some more?

"Stay Vigilant"

"Resist"

and other dog whistle slogans are not catching the ear of the motherland anymore guys. Get it?

Republicans need to do something better than getting bigots out to vote and relying on stealing elections.

11:36, 11:05 here:

You have a great point if we're generally talking about speding lots of money on frivolous things, but that's not what the article is about nor what my point was above.

Obama won FL. RPOF spending may not have been the sole reason, but one cannot ignore that when a party loses the state one has to look at what that party apparatus did or didn't do to succeed. Since the Party raised all of that money to succeed but has spent so much on the 'high life,' we're forced to ask what are the priorities of the party leaders.

Lots of individuals and companies are asked--year 'round--to pony up lot's of money to build the party and it's disgusting how it is being spent. Don't worry about me, 11:36, worry about the growing disgust on the R side.

The cracks in the foundation are growing, and the crumbling of the RPOF empire is of it's own weight.

Get over yourselves, you self-centered commies...

the ONLY reason your boy won is the market collapsed.

And we could STILL have carried Florida but for Greer's and Crist's malice, sloth and cattiness.

[Read the Federal Report for Yourselves]

This report is federal, not state, and available at www.fec.gov

Click on Campaign Finance Reports and Data
Click on View/Download Electronic Filings
Type in Republican Party of Florida
Send Query
You can either look at it, or download it.

Get over your own self you greedy, grasping, whining baby. The ONLY reason the market collapsed is because of republican deregulation, greed, and welfare for the rich. Or were you too stupid to realize that?

The only reason the market collapsed is because Greer sat on it.

01:21 pm. I realize that this blog is everyone's chance to Greer bash but seriously. Can we come up off the fat jokes and atleast stick to politics? This story could be about cute and fluffy puppies rescued from a filthy house and the comments would still be about bashing Greer.

Hey 1:32! Greer likes to eat cute and fluffy puppies rescued from a filthy house!

12:30..I disagree. McCain's message was plenty conservative enough...unfortunately he allowed Obama to sell himself as a tax cutting moderate....he failed to define Obama for what he really is: a big spending, big government, tax raising liberal. Rove is right in one respect...the McCain camp completely underestimated Obama's ability to register new voters and get those voters to the polls. The work Obama did to get out early voters really made the difference in Florida and other states.

when will the state committee hold Greer responsible for his IRRESPONSIBLE spending??? Why is he being allowed to get away with spending away all the RPOF money and NO ONE is doing anything about it???

The members of the state committee are entitled to demand an audit. Infact, they could go to Court and get an order for one. That may be in the works...

Of course, RPOF would pay lawyers to fight it... what a way to waste donors' money!

1:17 I guess you didn't get the memo that the three lawmakers taking MOST lobby money fron Greddie & Fannie which bad business practices precipitated this whole mess are, in order:

1> Chris Dodd
2> BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA
3. John Kerry

2 of Obema's chief advisers on housing, Gorelick & Franklin worked on the above. Each left the agency a millionaire many times over.

Whose mess is it again???

AUDIT HERE! AUDIT NOW!
AUDIT HERE! AUDIT NOW!
AUDIT HERE! AUDIT NOW!
AUDIT HERE! AUDIT NOW!
AUDIT HERE! AUDIT NOW!
AUDIT HERE! AUDIT NOW!

1:35 That's some twisted logic you've got there:

McCain's message WAS plenty conservative. Too conservative, given the failure of conservative policy. In fact, the only reason McCain got any votes is that he was allowed to slither back and forth between the record of the "maverick" he once could claim to be, and the total Bush III agenda he adopted to try to reel in the con wingnuts. Heck, if he'd just been honest and admitted that he was a continuation of the neo-con Bush disaster, who would have voted for him, right?

As for your garbage about Obama, I think we can dismiss it for the Rovian manipulation that it is. I don't think Obama supporters were somehow tricked into voting for a "moderate" or a "liberal"; what we voted for was a decent honest man who vowed to run a more open Presidency with less reliance on lobbyists and corporate influence. I guess we'll see how well he's able to do that. But speaking for the Obama supporters that I know; we're much more realistic about the situation in this country, and the strong forces that are aligned against the return of government for the people and economic prosperity for ALL. It's going to be tough to clean up the conservative mess. We haven't seen the bottom yet. I have hopes for our new President, and Congress, but they are not outrageous hopes. I'm pretty sure that no one in their right mind will pay any attention to you and your master Karl Rove and blame the Democrats if the disaster isn't fixed in a day, however.

something tells me if it were a McCain/Crist ticket they would be way in the red still...

perhaps you're right 2:23, but the final outcome would have been the same.

As a conservative Republican, I will never contribute to the RPOF as long as Greer is Chair, and as long as Charlie Crist is Governor.

The only job of the RPOF Chair is to deliver Florida to the Republican candidate during a Presidential year.

Greer failed.

Meanwhile, a supermajority (61.9%) of Florida voters passed the conservative gay marriage ban (Amendment 2).

Plenty of conservative-minded votes were cast.

Bottom line:

Greer failed.

Time for Greer to step aside gracefully (like Mel Martinez just did) and let someone who can turn Florida back to red in 2010.

Obviously, Greeg is not the man for the job.

[worried floridian]

and 2:23 just said it all. nothing more needs said.

I agree with 2:05-- AUDIT! Let's see where the money went, who spent it and WHY!

YES! YES! AUDIT! WITCH HUNT! BURN HIM AT THE STAKE! TURN HIM UPSIDE DOWN AND SHAKE UNTIL EVERY PENNY FALLS OUT! C'mon people. It's one thing to question some ongoings at the party it's another thing to blame one man for the outcome of the election. Obama won because he spoke the three words that all Dems want to hear "Something-for-Nothing". We almost scared them with Bush. Another 4 years of a Republican and they might of had to find a real job.

Last I checked, no one gets burned in an audit, not literally anyway. Why not smile and say, "sure, I have all the expenses accounted for"? Only two possibilities: 1. there is something to hide or 2. the books are so sloppy and the expenses so badly accounted for an audit is impossible. What else could possibly be the case?

[Jim]

Greer needs to put down Charlie's bags. He thinks his job is to carry Charlie's bags around the state rather than represent the RPOF. Greer is nothing more than the PR director for his buddy Crist.

3:14 January 20 is just around the corner. Time for a new resume that doesn't tout your status as "useless CEO sucking off the hind teat of the neocon regime."