Frankel rethinks race for governor

The state House minority leader says she is considering dropping out. If she does, it could help Janet Reno's campaign.

By WES ALLISON, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 29, 2002

Trailing in the polls and in the money race, state House Minority Leader Lois Frankel said Thursday that she is reconsidering her run for governor.

Frankel, an experienced partisan known for taking feisty jabs at Republican leaders, is one of four Democrats seeking the nomination to meet GOP Gov. Jeb Bush in November.

If she drops out, it could help the other woman in the race, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, although Frankel said she doesn't know whom she would support. "I'm going to be evaluating in the next couple weeks what I'm going to do," Frankel, 53, said in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times. "I'm going to do what I think is best for achieving the goal of defeating Jeb Bush."

Among the Democrats, polls have shown Reno well ahead, with Tampa attorney Bill McBride a distant second. Frankel of West Palm Beach and state Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami have been running well behind, at less than 10 percent.

"I think it's going to be tough for anyone to get a word in edgewise over Janet Reno," Frankel said.

So far, none beats Bush, polls have shown.

State law prohibits legislators from raising money during their regular 60-day session, and Frankel said her campaign fund is no richer now than it was at the winter reporting deadline, when it had just less than $130,000.

At last count, Jones had about the same amount. McBride and Reno each had three times that much.

The grinding pace of the session also prevented her from making more than a handful of weekend campaign appearances, Frankel said.

Meanwhile, the Legislature must hold at least two special sessions, including one next week to rewrite the state's public school code.

"I'm not going to be on the road any time soon," Frankel said.

State Democratic Party Chairman Bob Poe said he has talked with Frankel about her plans and understands that her campaign has been handicapped by her legislative duties.

Frankel's dropping out would allow the governor's race to become more focused and would help concentrate donor dollars, he said. "But listen," Poe added, "whether or not Lois Frankel is a candidate for governor, she's going to be a key figure in the gubernatorial race."

McBride campaign manager Robin Rorapaugh said Frankel has been an effective House leader and if she leaves the race, it "would take away a very important and credible voice from the debate on Jeb Bush's performance."

Frankel has served in the House for 14 years, making her the most experienced Democrat in the House. Her term ends in November, and because of term limits, she cannot run again.

She was the spokeswoman and lead strategist for the House's 42 other Democrats. And as Frankel considers her next step, she said she thinks her obligations are different from the other candidates'.

"As a minority leader, my role is to ensure somebody beats Bush, not necessarily me," she said.

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