Sen. Bense?

Former House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, who was recruited to run for the Senate in 2006 but said his legislative duties were first priority, is interested.

"Mel Martinez has been a wonderful U.S. senator, and he's a good friend of mine. I'm sorry to see him step down. Like other Republicans and Democrats, I'm going to consider running. I'm going to take a look at it for the next three or five weeks. I think our country needs more business people in elected office, especially in these times today."

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Comments

Because seriously -- which of our pressing national problems can't be solved through a committment to build more waterfront development?

I hope McCollum runs. Just like John McCain, he will be the fresh face needed to take the GOP into the next decade.

Bense may be too good of a man to go to DC - and that's exactly why we need him there!

What about Ray Sansom? He has proven he can bring home the bacon.

[McCollum backer]

Go Bill Go !!!

Bense could be a formidable candidate for CFO especially if Sink vacates the seat. As for the Senate, he should of run in 2006 if he wanted to be a Senator. Bense is a former state House Speaker, no one will feel obligated to support him, good man or not.

[Lifelong Republican]

Bense - YES!

We have heard Sharon Bock mentioned for CFO if Sinks run for Senate but who runs for AG on the GOP side if McCollum runs for Senate?

Bense is a closet democrat! He sucks

I think Kendrick Meek is worth watching. Meek and Clinton are very tight. Meek is a progressive Democrat. He is young, bright and could be formidable for the Senate.

Bense should run for RPOF Chairman

Ginny Brown-Waite is considering a Senate bid as well.

Ginny Brown Waite is a p i g ! She would sell her mother if she had the chance. The old sell out should go home now.

They always send the wrong people to Washington. For the Republicans it is usually the white man that goes. Bense is a nice guy, but he is just more of the same we already have there. It is soooooo time for a change. I am Republican and just getting sick of the same old c r a p. We need someone courageous and one that is totally independent in thinking and maybe, just maybe other states will start sending the same kind of vital person and just maybe this crooked, corrupt, hypocritical sack of festering puss system we have will have to change. The people need hero's, not these career, self serving, full of themselves politicians.

6:02pm -

You do realize that a cuban Republican is retiring from the senate, right.

So wouldn't a white male republican be the change?

3:44 - Dave Aronberg and Ellyn Bogdanoff would probably run for A.G.

6:43-Thanks for the info. I know Aronberg is looking at the Attorney General's race regardless of what McCollum does. He is very interested in the race.

Ellyn Bogdanoff makes sense, forgot about her.

ok, Brown-Waite vs McCollum, who does the Hernando GOP establishment back?

Adam Hasner would be a stronger candidate than Bogdanoff.

Congressman Ander Crenshaw is looking at a run at US Senate. He served in the Florida Senate as Senate President, is very popular in Republican Northeast Florida and would bring a wealth of experience to the table, besides he is a real statesman who will be able to Represent Florida.

CRENSHAW for US SENATE!

I would support Ellyn Bogdanoff, she is smart and tough, keep an eye on this lady she is going places.

YES Crenshaw would be an excellent candidate for US Senate

Sen. Kendrick Meek

Young, articulate, intelliegent, well prepared to go to the Senate

What about Kurt Browning? He would be a great candidate. He has run good nonpartisan elections for over 20 years showing he is electable and knows what he is doing.
Florida native, wife, two kids. Understands the needs of long time and new residents of Florida.

I thought Bense was running for RPOF CHairman. He could handle 2 jobs just fine, though.

[Edmund Burke]

Bense is going to be bogged down by the way the TBRC ended up...not much done after much effort. He is a quality guy and would be a great Senator, but that TBRC effort turned out to be a fiasco.

The House ran smoothly under his speakersip but policy wise it was seriously lacking in quantity.

I think Senate seat is eitehr best for Bush or Crist and all others fall way behind in impact.

[Alexa]

Bense spent all of his political capital when he ramrodded his stooge of a son-in-law into the House.

Alexa you're showing how incredibly out of touch you are with reality. Weatherford is one of the best guys on the planet and works hard for everything he's achieved so far.