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Fla. rivals travel to New York for cash
By STEVE BOUSQUET and WES ALLISON The job posting is for governor of Florida. But Gov. Jeb Bush and Democratic rival Bill McBride ranged a thousand miles Tuesday in search of campaign cash, nearly crossing paths in midtown Manhattan.
The unusual convergence in New York City was the latest evidence of the strong national interest in the Florida governor's race and underscores the importance of out-of-state financial support. Bush has raised money in Washington, Texas and Pennsylvania. Guests at Tuesday night's event could give up to $500 to the Bush campaign and even more to the Republican Party of Florida. Democratic front-runner Janet Reno has been hitting up out-of-state supporters as well, including celebrities such as Martin Sheen, and has held fundraisers in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Next week, she returns to New York for a reception and dinner benefiting the Florida Democratic Party, with tickets ranging from $2,000 to $50,000 per person. Out-of-state money already has figured prominently in this race, especially for Reno. Through March, 42 percent of her contributions were from outside Florida, compared with 22 percent of Bush's and just 10 percent of McBride's, election records show. Nearly half of the $9.8-million collected by the Florida Republican Party during the first three months of this year came from other states.
The Bush campaign, on the other hand, didn't want to talk about it. Bush's fundraiser was organized by his campaign finance chairman, home builder Al Hoffman of WCI Communities in Bonita Springs. And as with most Bush fundraising events, the campaign guarded details. Bush's public schedule was quiet Tuesday afternoon. Campaign spokesman Todd Harris would confirm only that the trip was for fundraising. The campaign considers such events a part of its strategy, which it won't discuss publicly. Pataki campaign spokeswoman Molly Fullington confirmed that the New York governor, who is seeking a third term, would be there, but she also declined to talk money. "We really don't discuss fundraising in this office," Fullington said. McBride's campaign had no such misgivings: the party ran from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Sky Club on the 56th floor of a tony high rise at 200 Park Ave. The hosts were 13 friends and associates who know McBride mainly from his days as managing partner of Holland & Knight, Florida's largest law firm. Tickets were $500 each, the maximum contribution allowed by Florida law. Several dozen people were expected to attend. Kerrey is president of New School University in New York. He and McBride have been friends since at least 1992, when McBride supported Kerrey's unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Both are decorated combat veterans of Vietnam. "You start contacting your friends, wherever they are," McBride spokesman Alan Stonecipher said. "To this point, we've been really heavily dependent upon Florida contributions. If you've got friends who are willing to put on a deal for you, you do that as well." And speaking of friends: Gov. Bush's brother, President Bush, will highlight the Florida GOP Statesmen's Dinner in Orlando on June 21. -- Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
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From the Times state desk
From the state wire
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Bush flew to New York City on a private jet for a fundraiser at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center starring fellow Republicans Gov. George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. McBride attended a Park Avenue reception featuring former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey, a fellow Vietnam veteran.
McBride's event Tuesday marked his first major out-of-state fundraiser, while Kerrey was his first celebrity endorsement -- and his campaign was happy to share details.
