Why Obama can win FL

MEMO TO: Sen. Barack Obama

Re: Blowing off 27 electoral votes

Thanks for coming by next week for a three-day campaign swing, senator.

There has been lots of chatter about you ceding Florida to Sen. John McCain, given the way you've ignored the state for eight months and dismissed the 1.75-million Democrats who voted in our disputed Democratic primary. We're trying not to take it personally when you keep talking about the old electoral map — i.e. Pennsylvania, Ohio and US! — being so 2000/2004.

But here's something you and your advisers might be missing: Florida is turning bluer by the day.

The trend is easy to miss when you see the popularity of our Republican governor, Charlie Crist. Add John Kerry's five-point loss here in 2004 and Jeb Bush's 2002 landslide re-election as the DNC's top target, and nobody could blame you for thinking Florida is solidly Republican red.

Take a closer look, though, because Florida's political landscape is shifting dramatically. More here.

RPOF welcomes back Obama

The state GOP has put some creative effort into its countdown for the return of Barack Obama to Florida. Check it out.

"Florida voters deserve to know why Barack Obama will take thousands of dollars from deep-pocket fundraisers, while refusing to talk to Florida voters, grassroots volunteers, or media," explained RPOF Chairman Jim Greer.  "They deserve to know why Barack Obama has ignored Floridians for 249 days, and they deserve to know what he will do to make sure that the 1.7 million Democrats who voted in the Florida Primary aren’t disenfranchised. "

Crist, LeMieux and 'the political climate'

Gov. Charlie Crist has invited a select group of political leaders to meetings in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale on June 3 to discuss "the political climate here in Florida and around the country." With Crist will be Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, where Tuesday, Democrat Travis Childers won a Congressional seat that had long been in Republican hands.

"As Governor of Florida, I know the importance that solid, strong leadership can make in shaping a state," Crist writes in the invitation letter. In it, he says he plans to take on a more prominent role in the Republican Governors Association in "moving our country in the right direction." Eleven states will have gubernatorial races in 2008. The lone southeastern state with a governor's race is North Carolina, where Democrat Mike Easley is termed out.

The two Crist-Barbour meetings will be hosted by George LeMieux, who was Crist's chief of staff in 2007.

McCain returning to Florida

He'll be in Miami Tuesday giving a speech about Cuba and Latin America. No word yet on other public events.

SEC accuses Zach Zachariah

The SEC released this on Broward cardiologist Zachariah, the top Bush family bundler whom Jeb appointed to the Board of Medicine, the Board of Governors, and the board of the Foundation for Excellence in Education: "The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil action today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Dr. Zachariah P. Zachariah (Zachariah), Dr. Mammen P. Zachariah (M. Zachariah), and Dr. Sheldon Nassberg, alleging that they engaged in illegal insider trading from which they reaped a total of more than a half-million dollars in profits from their illicit scheme. All three defendants reside and practice medicine in the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida area.trading day before IVAX announced on July 25, 2005 that Teva would acquire it....

"...The complaint seeks a judgment against all defendants providing for injunctions, disgorgement of their ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest, and civil money penalties. The complaint also seeks an order prohibiting Zachariah from serving as an officer or director of a public company."

Democrats opening up to vouchers

In the past few years, a slow trickle of black Democrats have embraced tax-credit vouchers, which are funded by corporations in exchange for tax credits. But this year a steady stream of Democrats, including a handful of white Democrats like state Rep. Bill Heller, D-St. Petersburg, crossed over, moving toward a program championed by former Gov. Jeb Bush, even as Republicans were backing away from Bush's hard-core emphasis on the FCAT.

More here.

Legislature may have worsened insurance crisis

As we trade the 2008 legislative session for the pending start of the 2008 hurricane season, let's take stock: • The average cost of homeowner's insurance in Florida is now more than $2,000 a year, about twice what it was three years ago.

• State-backed Citizens Property Insurance, the insurer of last resort, remains the state's largest property insurer with about 1.2-million policyholders, about the same as it had in 2006. It also finds itself in a weakened financial state.

• Allstate, State Farm, USAA, Nationwide and others have either stopped writing new policies in the state or have cut back what they will write. And most of the smaller, newer companies that took their place limit the number of older, coastal homes they insure. About two-thirds of the homes in Florida fall into that category.

• For another year, a record $28-billion will be sitting in Florida's hurricane catastrophe fund, which offers cheap backup coverage to insurers. If insurance companies need to tap into a major chunk of that fund, or if Citizens runs a deficit, all Florida policyholders are in deep trouble.

Jeb and Charlie, together at last ...

To raise money for the GOP. (click image to enlarge).

UPDATE: Bush is not expected to attend, having a prior obligation.

Another House Democrat rebuffs GOP candy

Rep. Janet Long is not the only one the GOP is trying to flip.

Fellow Democratic Rep. Debbie Boyd of Newberry was approached several times in the past session with the promise of possibly gaining a committee chair, getting more bills passed and taking a breather from campaigning this summer. She will likely face Columbia County Commissioner Elizabeth Porter in November.

Courting is nothing new, but the effort speaks to the GOP effort to pad numbers as it has lost eight House seats in the past two years. "I told them it's not going to happen," Boyd said, declining to name who worked on her this session and last year. "I'm a Democrat and my district is a Democratic district."

Boyd is an ideal Republican target. A Realtor, she has a strong pro-business voting record. But she also voted with NRA-leaning Republicans in support of the guns-to-work bill. "My caucus knows I'm not a straight party line girl," Boyd said.

Bruce Cotton v. Janet Long

Bruce Cotton has collected over 1,000 petitions to have his name placed on the ballot for state House District 51, held currently by Democrat Janet Long.

“Bruce’s efforts were remarkable,” said Doug McAlarney, Cotton’s campaign consultant and a former Deputy Director for the Republican Party of Florida House Campaigns.  “I’ve seen many hard-working candidates over the years, but Cotton is definitely playing for keeps.  Now is the time for the Republican Party to move forward, united for victory in November.”

Vulnerable Feeney?

From the Rothenberg Political Report: "Feeney’s profile appears similar to some of his colleagues who lost in 2006, in districts that Republicans normally win easily. But the congressman’s supporters believe he’s handled the issue far better. Democrats went out and recruited Suzanne Kosmas, whom they believe will be a strong challenger to the congressman. The former state representative is proving to be a terrific fundraiser and should be a more than credible candidate for voters concerned with Feeney’s ethical questions.

"This race isn’t in the regular conversation about the most vulnerable House seats nationwide, but talking to Republican operatives, there is plenty of nervousness about this race."

Dems targeting Cuban-American seats

HIALEAH — In a packed social center in the heart of South Florida's most Republican city, elderly Cuban-American voters warmly greet a congressional candidate.

The city's longtime former mayor, Raul Martinez, is a familiar face. But he's no Republican.Instead, he is leading a Democratic challenge that hopes to break the Republican stranglehold on Miami's large Cuban-American vote in congressional elections this fall. More here.

Those anxious Fl Dems

The RPOF came up with this nifty illustration to honor the Floridians who recently picketed the DNC, and we needed an excuse to post it. So here are two views from uncommitted would-be superdelegates from Florida about the importance of Democrats getting a nominee soon:

U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd thinks it would be fine for the Obama/Clinton contest to continue to the convention: "I'm in no rush to decide, and I don't think the fact that the primary battle is continuing hurts the party. If anything it may help the country understand the two candidates a little better."

DNC member Janee Murphy of Tampa hopes the the DNC rules and bylaws committee resolves Florida on May 31: "My whole focus is having a campaign here in Florida to secure the 27 electoral votes for whoever the nominee is. In my opinion August will make it tough for us to put together a campaign. The grass roots people need to have the resources now to start gearing up for the general.

Crist and Sembler team up, again, to raise $

FL Hispanics going Dem

Politico: "For the first time, the number of Hispanic Democrats in the state is expected to exceed the number of Hispanic Republicans. ... The significance of the numerical flip is mostly symbolic, but it's a powerful symbol at a key moment: Quietly, Democrats are debating whether to mount a full-out, expensive challenge to Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, in Florida, or essentially cede its 27 Electoral College votes to theGOP. "

FL Poll: McCain beats Obama, not Clinton

4/30-5/1 robo poll of 623 registered Florida voters by War Room Logistics of Gainesville: John McCain 47%, Barack Obama 40% (independents - 45% McCain, 38 percent Obama); McCain 44%, Hillary Clinton 45% (independents 39 McCain, 39 Clinton).

52% said Gov. Charlie Crist is doing a good or excellent job, and 47 percent said fair or poor. 51% said the economy was the top issue, followed by the Iraq war at 15%.

FL's vulnerable US House members

With qualifying done for federal candidates, it looks like these are Florida's most vulnerable incumbents: Democrat Tim Mahoney, and Republicans Vern Buchanan, Tom Feeney and Ric Keller. Also we’ll keep an eye on three Miami-area seats held by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario and Lincoln Diaz-Balart will face, Cuban-American Republicans facing their first strong Democratic challenges in years.

At this point Buzz wouldn't bet heavily against any of these incumbents losing. How competitive most of these races wind up depends on the national climate come fall and what's happening at the top of the ticket. If national Dems had to pick one top target in, our sense is it would be Feeney. Obviously Mahoney is the GOP's sights.

No serious challenger to Brown-Waite

BROOKSVILLE -- Just weeks ago area Democrats salivated at the opportunity to take on Republican Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite in this fall's congressional campaign.

They sensed an unparalleled chance at unseating the three-term incumbent by riding a generally optimistic feeling among Democrats and highlighting Brown-Waite's latest gaffe where she called Puerto Rico and Guam residents "foreign citizens."

But, as the field solidified after Friday's filing deadline, it appears no party-backed Democrat will challenger her for the District 5 seat.

RPOF's Hispanic outreach

US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Congressman Luis Fortuno of Puerto Rico will keynote the RPOF's May 10 Hispanic Republican conference, which includes a luncheon, panel discussion, Hispanic journalist's roundtable, a reception hosted by the RPOF's Hispanic Leadership Council.

Poll: McCain in trouble in FL

Start measuring those vice presidential mansion drapes, Charlie Crist. Quinnipiac University's latest swing state poll shows Hillary Clinton beating McCain in Florida 49 - 41 percent, while McCain gets 44 percent to Barack Obama's 43 percent (moe +/- 2.6). She's also handily beating McCain in PA and OH.

From the release: "Facing McCain in November, Clinton leads 54 - 37 percent among women, while he gets 45 percent of men to her 43 percent. They tie 45 - 45 percent among white voters, while she leads 80 - 11 percent among black voters. In an Obama-McCain matchup, men back McCain 46 - 42 percent, while women split, with 44 percent for Obama and 42 percent for McCain. The Republican leads among white voters 50 - 36 percent, while the Democrat leads among black voters 83 - 8 percent. "

Frustrated humor from Majority office

Someone forwarded us this witty spoof penned by a House majority office staffer late last night: "BudLight Presents: Real Men of Genius

Today we salute you, Mr. Democratic Unnecessary Debater of Legislation.

[Mr. Democratic Unnecessary Debater of Legislation!]

Getting elected may have made you famous in your tiny district, but speaking on the House floor for hours upon hours in opposition to a bill to let kids play ball will make you infamous.

You, bastion of the filibuster, take to the floor, yelling into that microphone like a Red Sox fan at Fenway in the bottom of the ninth, projecting to everyone in attendance that you're fully prepared to waste their time and shatter their eardrums....

McCain HQ coming soon to Tallahassee

Anybody else struck by how John McCain has taken a looong time building a Florida campaign organization? He won the primary with barely any infrastructure in the must-win Sunshine state, and that hasn't changed.

In a few weeks, however, Buzz Jacobs will set up shop in Tallahassee, conveniently located close to Charlie Crist and his political team. Jacobs is McCain's former South Carolina state director and now is his regional director for the Southeastearn states.

Dems slamming Feeney

  The Florida Democratic party has taken out online ads with Roll Call, Florida Today, the Fort Report, and BrevardCountyMoms.com (The Daytona Beach New Journal refused it) depicting Tom Feeney as corrupt.

"For a full year now, Tom Feeney has refused to come clean with Floridians about his unsavory relationship with a convicted felon, Jack Abramoff. The fact is that Feeney went on a lavish golfing trip to Europe paid for by this super-lobbyist instead of doing his job for the people of Florida," said Mark Bubriski, spokesman for the Florida Democratic party, which has taken out online ads in .  "The odds that 2008 ends up being Tom Feeney's last year in Congress, whether because of electoral defeat or legal recourse, increase with every passing day."

The full release is here.

Jeb: Yes on killing gators, no on VP

DALLAS (AP) — Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says he is "light green" on the environment and is skeptical that humans are causing global warming. Bush, whose two terms ended in 2007, also said Wednesday he "can’t imagine" running for national office and isn’t interested in being Sen. John McCain’s running mate.

The younger brother of President George W. Bush made the comments during an address to several hundred business people meeting in a hotel ballroom. Earlier in the day, Bush met with other directors of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp., the hospital chain whose board he joined last year....

...Bush told the Texas audience how he repeatedly vetoed spending state money to market alligator meat. "Alligators proliferate in Florida. They eat small dogs," Bush said. "We don’t need to market them, we need to kill them." After a slight pause, he added, "Is this open to the press?"...

Write-ins can continue to close primaries

For years, Sen. Dave Aronberg has tried to close an elections law "loophole" and halt a particular elections game played by both parties, when it comes to primaries and write-in candidates.

Aronberg's efforts to prevent write-in candidates from closing primaries got a first full floor debate on Wednesday but failed on an 18-18 vote, in what might be the closest vote to hit the Senate this year.

Dan Berger, lobbyist and artiste

Politico features some veteran FL GOP operatives: "After they’re done making fun of him, most of B. Dan Berger’s friends envy him. “In a town full of foodies and winos, probably the best way to distinguish yourself is to take up something that none of us are actually capable of,” said pal Jason Roe, managing partner at the lobbying firm Federal Strategy Group.

"Another high-powered lobbying buddy, Ben McKay, has known 41-year-old Berger for more than 16 years.

“Dan has found a way to channel all that creativity and that Type A-plus personality into something beautiful and constructive,” said McKay, “which, quite frankly, I’m very jealous of. I think all of us are searching for a way to express ourselves.” 

Veepstakes: Gov. Sanford smacks Gov. Crist

From the Wall Street Journal: "..."Even in the insurance crisis with hurricanes . . . we very much disagreed with the . . . Charlie Crist model [which makes the state an insurer of last resort]. Basically the taxpayer is going to be zapped in the long run in that model, when the next storm hits. . . . We said, No, let's rely on private markets and let's look for ways to attract private capital to our state. One of the most interesting features in [our reform] was hurricane savings accounts. To say look, if you just flat out hate insurance companies and think they're ripping you off and don't like the way that they're pricing risk, take the risk yourself. . . . That's why, in fact, we put in a provision here with hurricane savings accounts, where if you want to tuck money aside, tax free from the state standpoint – we can't do anything about the feds – from a state standpoint, go for it."

Analyst: Mahoney FL's most vulnerable incumbent

The Rothenberg Political Report's latest U.S. House ratings of competetive races pegs Tim Mahoney's CD 16 seat as a "pure tossup"; Tom Feeney in CD 24 as "leans Republican"; Ric Keller in CD 8 and Vern Buchanan in CD 13 as "Republican-favored." Rothenberg apparently isn't seeing much vulnerability yet for the Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart or Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

GOP women: pro-lifers can't forget abused kids

The Florida Federation of Republican Women today came out against the $50-million cut in funding for a abused children, including adoption assistance and money to enable 18-year-old high schoolers to avoid being kicked out of foster homes before graduation: "As our most helpless citizens, these children are entrusted to our collective care and have no one to speak on their behalf. As stewards for good government we have a responsibility to be a voice for Florida's abused children and advocate that they have every opportunity our tax dollars can provide," said FFRW President Linda Ivell.

"This is not a partisan issue, yet we belong to the party whose members often advocate for pro-life issues. I cannot imagine a more pro-life stance than advocating for state funding for living children who have been abused or abandoned by their parents," said Ivell, calling on the GOP-controlled legislators to find budget cuts elsewhere.

McCain's top FL money bags

George W. Bush had his Rangers and Pioneers, and John McCain has his "Innovators" (who have raised at least $250,000)  and "trailblazers" (at least $100,000). Among the Arizona senator's top bundlers, here are the Floridians:

At least $250,000: Brian Ballard, Tallahassee; Manuel Kadre, Miami; John Moran, Palm Beach; Scott Rothstein, Fort Lauderdale. At least $100,000: Charles Cobb, Jr., Miami; John Dasburg, Miami; John Donahue, Naples; Marty Fiorentino, Ponte Vedra Beach; Alfred Hoffman, Jr., Fort Myers; Harry Sargeant, III, Gulf Stream; Glenn Steil, Sr., Bonita Springs

Ron Paul supporters bullied -- again!

An ongoing spat between supporters of Republican presidential candidates John McCain and Ron Paul flared again Thursday, when pro-Paul dissidents were kicked out of a Pasco County GOP Executive Committee meeting.

Sofie Lefebvre, a Paul supporter, said a sheriff’s deputy escorted her and her husband out of the Land O’Lakes Senior Center, where the meeting was held.

“It’s this little nasty game going on,” Lefebvre said. “This isn’t America where you don’t let your own people into meetings. This is absolute fascism.”

22 floors up, a GOP power lunch

Dozens of business leaders ate lunch today on the 22nd floor of the Capitol and listened to a speech from Gov. Charlie Crist -- just one of several events today for the Republican Party of Florida's 2nd annual "Fly-In and Forum."

Later, House Speaker Marco Rubio, incoming Senate President Jeff Atwater and his likely successor Mike Haridopolos met with the visitors, who were touring the Old Capitol. "It was not a fund-raiser, just an opportunity to thank some of our donors," said RPOF communications director Erin VanSickle.

The events were not public and did not appear on Crist's or Rubio's daily schedule. The party rented the 22nd floor for lunch. At 4:30, the business officials will hear a policy discussion and the Republican plans for delivering the presidential race for John McCain and to win congressional seats. A 6 p.m. Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp will host a reception at the Governor's Mansion.

Gelber red-flags a 'smelly' Dade amendment

It's that time of the session when special interests and their allies earn their money, as amendments fly fast and furious. A warning sign is usually the oddly-worded amendment filed as an otherwise innocuous bill nears final passage or third reading as it is known. That requires a two-thirds vote, which means Democrats can slow things down by objecting.

At a House Democratic caucus Thursday, Reps. Jack Seiler and Dan Gelber alerted members to such an amendment to a bill (HB 65) filed by Rep. Eddy Gonzalez, R-Hialeah, who replaced Ralph Arza in the House in 2006. The amendment, narrowly drawn to affect one school district, would limit how much money the Miami-Dade district can charge private for-profit providers that rent classroom space.

"This is smelly, O.K.?" Gelber told the caucus. "There's a dotted line somewhere. I don't know where it goes." He urged lawmakers to vote against it.

Of insurance legislation and elections

Buzz hears that this flier touting the insurance package (which the Senate passed 32-7 Wednesday) was distributed in Sen. Jeff Atwater's district, paid for by the Republican Party of Florida. The incoming Senate president is being challenged by Democrat Skip Campbell.

McCain headed to Tampa

Sen. John McCain is scheduled to visit Florida for a fundraiser April 29 at 11:30 a.m. at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Tampa. Meanwhile, Hillsborough County Republicans at their executive committee meeting on Tuesday discussed the need for volunteers to work in phone banks, knock on doors and recruit voters at gun shows. David Storck, chairman of the Hillsborough County Republican Party, told the group the Republican Party of Florida wants to see McCain beat the Democratic presidential nominee in Hillsborough by 55,000 votes to off-set voters on what he called the "left coast" of southeast Florida. George Bush beat John Kerry in Hillsborough by 37,000 votes in 2004, according to Storck.

Speculative list of justice candidates

Florida legal circles were spinning on Friday at news of Justice Raoul Cantero's resignation and already people started floating names.

His departure marks the first of three appointments Crist will get to make, because Justice Harry Lee Anstead, 70, and Justice Charles Wells, 69, have to retire next year due to age restrictions in the Constitution.

Here's a speculative list of names of folks who may or may not ask to be considered by the Judicial Nominating Commission: First District Court of Appeals Judges Ricky Polston, Clay Roberts and Phil Padovano.

Other possibilities include Crist’s former chief legal advisor Chris Kise and former U.S. Attorney Roberto Martinez
who is on the State Board of Education. And even Miami Republican Sen. Alex Villalobos who was an early Crist supporter.

Who else?

-- Jennifer Liberto and Lucy Morgan

Democrats overtaking GOP in Pinellas

The birthplace of the Florida GOP, Pinellas County, is on the verge of turning Democratic blue. The latest voter registration statistics show there are only 805 more Republicans in Pinellas than Democrats. Back when Al Gore and George W. Bush essentially tied in Florida Pinellas had nearly 30,000 more Republicans than Democrats.

Crist: Obama will be formidable

"He'll be very formidable if he's the nominee. I think he's very engaging, and obviously has a tremendous following," Gov. Charlie Crist said of Barack Obama today, while stressing he would never underestimate Clinton's ability to come back.

But asked about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, the potential vice presidential candidate said Obama "didn't handle it great" but declined to elaborate or weigh in on whether Obama should have left the church. "He should do what he thinks is right for him. ... That's obviously been a difficult situation for him. Some of the comments I've seen the pastor make are hard for me to imagine."

In his visit to the St. Pete Times editorial board below, Crist also had some friendly fencing with Paul Tash, the Times' editor, Chairman and CEO over the guns at work bill Crist is expected to sign. See below.

Atwater$' haul, Campbell's loan

State Sen. Jeff Atwater reports raising a whopping $512,000 in Jan and Feb, before the session started. His chief Democratic rival, former state Sen. Walter "Skip" Campbell reports raising $70,000 in the quarter and loaning his campaign $100,000.

"I know we’ll face continued attacks from the Democrats and special interests as the campaign goes forward, but with the continued support of our grassroots fundraising network I’m confident we’ll have the resources to prevail against them in the election,” said a statement from Atwater, who as the designated senate president for 2009 should not be at a loss for people willing to write checks.

Crist off one VP short list

Marc Ambinder thinks Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is the most likely pick for John McCain ("Some people close to McCain say McCain had pretty much made up his mind (for Pawlenty) a year ago").  Others who "have a shot:"  Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, and, as a wildcard, Colin Powell.For Barack Obama, Ambinder mentions Tom Daschle, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, Chuck Hagel.

UPDATE: Ambinder responds to a Florida Democratic party release jumping on his comments: "Educative guesswork and reporting do not equal access to McCain's brain. Gov. Crist may well wind up on Sen. McCain's short list, but my sense, at the moment, is that while McCain likes and appreciates Crist, he does not believe that Crist has enough experience to be vice president."

Buddy Johnson's tax troubles

These are taxing times for Hillsborough Elections Supervisor and former state Rep. Buddy Johnson. He has not paid the taxes due on land and two homes he bought for $1.27-million, and he also owes back taxes on a third home and another lot he sold last year.

Johnson is delinquent on a $1,682 property tax bill on a tract he purchased last year off Thonotosassa Road in Plant City. He is delinquent on a $7,338 tax bill on a luxury penthouse condo he bought in Sarasota 16 months ago. More here.

Jim Greer welcomes Michelle Obama

In honor of her fundraising jaunt through Florida, the RPOF chairman weighs in: "“Throughout his campaign, Barack Obama has completely isolated himself from the people of Florida, failing to meet with Floridians face to face for a substantive discussion of critical issues as we head into the Presidential Election this fall. 

“I understand that Senator Obama may finally grace the state of Florida with his presence in the coming weeks.  However, Florida Democrats should have some serious questions for him when he gets here—like how he can stomach using Florida as an ATM, while failing to take a stand for the inclusion of the votes of 1.7 million Floridians in the selection of the Democrat nominee for President.

Kosmas raises another $300k

Former state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, one of the candidates national Democrats are most excited about in Florida, reports raising more than $300,000 in the last quarter and has more than $550,000 in the bank for her campaign against U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney. We haven't seen his latest numbers, but he had $455,000 on hand at the start of the year.

"I am extremely humbled by the outpouring of support I have received from Floridians who are ready for change in Washington," said Kosmas.  "People are joining our campaign because they want a representative who is in line with their priorities and who can find common-sense, effective solutions to the challenges we face." 

Ron Paul fans bullied in Pasco

Congressman Ron Paul’s supporters in Pasco County are complaining about Bill Bunting, Pasco County's GOP chairman who is also known for his work on guns issues. Bunting hauled three Paul supporters to the front of a room at a recent GOP meeting, publicly questioned their party loyalty and wouldn’t give them precinct appointments they had applied for.

“He questioned what our intentions are,” said Sofie Lefebvre who blogged about the experience Saturday. “He felt that because we support Ron Paul, he doesn’t believe we would support John McCain.”

Bunting’s response: So what?

“That’s their problem, not my problem,” he said. “The Republican Party of any county works together as a party. Once we’ve secured all the votes necessary to designate the nominee, that’s the candidate all of us should support.”

-- Chuin-Wei Yap, Times Staff Writer

Bipartisan support for semi-open primaries

Senate ethics and elections committee will consider on Tuesday a bill to sort of open up Florida's presidential primaries. Sen Paula Dockery's bill would allow those registered with no party affiliation to vote in either the Republican or Democratic presidential primaries.

Her bill has picked up an interesting team of co-sponsors: Democratic Senators Dave Aronberg, Larcenia Bullard, Charlie Justice and Republican Senators Mike Bennett, Jim King, Alex Villalobos, Charlie Dean, Rudy Garcia, Dennis Jones.

Better convention digs for Ohio than FL?

Republican delegates from Florida (27 electoral votes) will be staying at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott, nicely located 12 miles from the Xcel Energy Center where the GOP convention takes place. The party says it's thrilled, but because we're always happy to stir the pot here at The Buzz, we note that the Ohio delegates (20 electoral votes), while divided in two hotels (here and here) are several miles closer than Florida. But Pennsylvania (21) is farther. John McCain's Arizona homies, natch, are directly across the street.

Meanwhile,  the RPOF fired off the release today suggesting the Florida Democrats are more likely to be at a KOA in Denver: "...From the looks of things, while the RNC recognized Florida’s importance in selecting the next President, granting the delegation a hotel assignment large enough to accommodate the entire delegation, Florida Democrats will be enjoying the Denver Convention from a more rustic location.  Check out the Democrat Base Camp here."

The people's VP? Not Charlie Crist

Gallup Poll asked 453 Republicans and Republican leaners to name who they would most like to see John McCain select as his running mate. Mike Huckabee topped the list, followed by Mitt Romney and Condoleezza Rice.

Gov. Charlie Crist registered, with 2 percent, but in the middle of the pack with Ron Paul, Rudy Giuliani and Joe Lieberman. (About one in three Republicans could not think of anyone.)

Nearly everyone else on the list has a national profile, so the fact that Crist is showing up at all may be a sign of his perceived strength as a VP candidate.

Sorry Charlie, it's not so sunny

Steve Bousquet considers whether our sunny governor is detatched from reality. See here.

And there's this story: As the 2008 legislative session passed the halfway point last week, some of Crist's priorities are imperiled by too little money or have all but been ignored by lawmakers.

Lobbyist denies working with Dems

So the Florida Channel and some Senate Republicans are in a tizzy, because of the video the Florida Democratic Party released, which was clearly a product of the Florida Channel.

When the Florida Channel releases any footage recorded from the Legislature, they tell people that the video can't be used for political or commercial purposes; that's in accordance with their contract with the state. The Florida Channel has a record of only one person requesting that particular 2005 video of Sen. Jeff Atwater and it's William Stander of the Property Casualty Insurance Association (who is the lobbyist in the video).

Stander totally denies it. He says he did get a copy of the video, but denies handing it over to Florida Democrats.

"I had nothing to do with it," he said. "Hell, that commercial is more anti-me than anything. It makes me look bad."

The House GOP's 'message points'

As the House's $65-billion budget proposal was being sent to lawmakers Sunday night, the House Majority Office's spin machine swung into action by distributing a series of "message points" to Republican members. (The memo was not made public, but a GOP member passed it along).

"We have already seen the minority party attack these budget decisions, but they have yet to tell Floridians how they would budget differently without raising taxes or further jeopardizing our economy," said the message memo from Rep. Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, the majority leader. "We can expect more of the same criticisms without solutions in the weeks ahead." The e-mail also urged Republican lawmakers to emphasize the need for state government to "live within its means."

A day later, on Monday, House Republican leaders embraced an idea Democrats have championed for weeks: to allow the use of a Budget Stabilization Fund and the Lawton Chiles Endowment to minimize program cuts over the next year. And the House Democratic leader, Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, is growing weary of the Republican rhetoric on budget cuts. "'Living within your means' is not an economic principle," Gelber said. Among the Democrats' budget solutions: a $1-a-pack hike in cigarette taxes.

Controversial corruption investigation

In 23 years in office, Charlie Wells became the most powerful figure in Manatee County as it bloomed into a popular bedroom community for many who work in Tampa and St. Petersburg. By the time he retired a year ago this week, Wells was among the most influential of the state's 67 sheriffs. And by far the richest.

His 2007 financial disclosure statement showed a net worth of $8-million — a long way from his days as a $425-a-month trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol.

The story on the feds' investigation of the politically connected Wells is here.

FL GOP money going slow to McCain

John McCain should be sitting pretty — catching his breath, building his campaign organization and filling up his campaign account — while Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton rip each other to shreds.Except that in the must-win state of Florida, many of the top Republican money-raisers have yet to step up for their presidential nominee.

Consider that of Florida's 66 so-called Pioneers or Rangers who raised at least $100,000 for Bush-Cheney in 2000 or 2004, only nine have contributed to McCain, a St. Petersburg Times analysis finds. While losing election after election throughout February, Clinton raised more than twice as much money from Florida — $1.25-million — as McCain, who drew $489,000. So did Obama, taking in more than $1-million from Florida.

Conservatives show they still matter

The election of Gov. Charlie Crist in 2006, and his sustained popularity while pursing a moderate agenda ever since, is often cited as evidence that the decadelong reign of social conservatives in Florida is over.

But now, as voters prepare for a November election to pick a new president, the movement has returned from the shadows of Florida's malleable political landscape.

Voters will be asked to insert a gay marriage ban into the state Constitution and remove a century-old limitation on state funding for religious organizations.

Republicans hope advancing the two causes will serve as a "market correction" to the party under Crist, nourish soft support for presidential nominee John McCain and combat recent Democratic gains in state elections.

"There has been no shortage of stories that the Christian right is dead. But family values voters are surging right now," said John Stemberger, the Orlando activist behind the gay marriage ban. (story here)

JAX bucks for McCain

Among the bold-faced names helping John McCain in Jacksonville 4/3 catch up to Barack and Hillary in FL money-raising: former Bush-Cheney Rangers Tom Petway, Marty Fiorentino and John Rood are event chairmen, along with Ed Burr, JB Coxwell, Daniel Davis, John Falconetti, Michael Munz, John Peyton. Rood was a Mitt guy in the primary, Petway uncommitted, and Fiorentino with McCain.

The $2,300 per person luncheon reception is at the Hyatt. See here  for the full host committee.

Harrison eyes Homan's House seat in 2010

Shawn Harrison, who represented north Tampa on the Tampa City Council for eight years, says he's considering running two years from now for the Florida House seat held by Ed Homan.

Homan has filed to run this year for re-election. He would serve a fourth, and final, two-year term in the House, thanks to term limits.

Matalin in Tampa

"Every piece of conventional wisdom was wrong," Republican political strategist Mary Matalin says of the current U.S. presidential campaign. "There is no template for this kind of cycle. This is a wide-open race ... and it's a wonderful thing." Speaking at the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida annual Women of Distinction luncheon in Tampa today , she said every candidate bout the challengedfailures of every candidate in the race.

John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, "failed first," she said, "and was able to regroup. He's the Mick Jagger of this. You don't always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need."

---Mary Jane Park

McCain coming to Florida

The Republican nominee's campaign tour highlighting his life story will take John McCain to Pensacola Wednesday, April 2, where he did flight training, and then the following day to Jacksonville, where McCain lived after getting out of the Hanoi Hilton.

His Florida campaign operation is still almost non-existent - and in way better shape here than Clinton or Obama - but talented former state GOP commuications director Jeff Sadosky (last seen by Buzz carrying Mrs. Fred Thompson's purse in Des Moines) is overseeing McCain's regional press operation across the country. Republican flaks can send Sadosky their resumes.