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GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott has only raised $43,000 since the Aug. 24 primary, compared to his Democratic opponent’s $525,000 haul. Party operatives are unfazed: “I’m sure he’s just catching his breath after a bitterly fought primary,” Ed Kennedy, the Republican state committeeman from Broward, told the St. Petersburg Times and Miami Herald. “I have no doubt the money is going to be there.”
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Charlie Crist is getting heat from the Times and Herald for the amount of time he’s spending on the campaign trail, as opposed to governing.
Crist’s schedule for the past month shows no official events on 11 weekdays and only one event on six other days. […]
“I’ve been in constant touch with the office every day, several times a day. That’s my duty and my obligation to the people of Florida,” he said. “As long as I’ve got my phone with me, I’m never not governor.”
Crist has been using that line ever since the news media began questioning the amount of time he has scheduled off since he was sworn into office on Jan. 2, 2007. Three days later — a Friday — he took the day off. A St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald analysis of his daily work schedule shows he has scheduled no work for 123 days — a number that excludes weekends but includes conventional holiday time. On 238 other days, Crist worked half days or less — equal to an additional 164 days off.
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Sunshine State News reports on Amendment 4 — one of several voter initiatives to appear on Florida ballots in November. If passed, the amendment would require that changes to local land-use policies be approved by local referendum. Opponents say it would virtually halt development in the state; then they tape Amendment 4 supporters discussing their virulent hatred of capitalism and desire for animal liberation, which makes for a pretty effective TV ad.
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Instead of attending a prayer breakfast or other event for Sept. 11, Col. Allen West, candidate in the 22nd district and veteran of both Gulf wars, directs his campaign to temporarily cease operations for an electoral moment of silence.
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The 60 Plus Association — a conservative anti-AARP — is now targeting Democratic incumbents in Florida’s 2nd, 8th, and 24th districts.
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Peg Dunmire, a Tea Party candidate in Florida’s 8th district, has put up her first ad. If Dunmire is successful, the majority of her votes will come at the expense of Republican Daniel Webster, in what will be a tight race between he and outspoken Democrat Alan Grayson — which is why Grayson has insisted Dunmire be included in any election debates.
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A Democratic blogger jokingly makes a deal with the Devil — Marco Rubio’s election in exchange for Alex Sink’s. Also included is this observation about Rubio: “In the race for Florida’s US Senate seat, he is, by far, the most intelligent candidate of the three options. Ask yourself, if you had to cheat off of one of the US Senate candidates’ homework, is there any doubt you’d be leaning over Rubio’s shoulder?”