Political Junkie: Doing homework or digging for dirt on political rival?

Mayoral candidate Frank Sanchez says voters are tired of "attack-dog politics."

So we found it curious that one of his campaign workers went to City Hall recently to pull budget records of his opponents, City Council members Bob Buckhorn and Charlie Miranda.

The records, which we looked at too, show that neither Buckhorn nor Miranda has spent much from their office accounts.

In the past two fiscal years, Buckhorn spent $725 from his office account, less than anyone else on the council. Miranda spent $2,169 -- the third-lowest among seven members. (Gwen Miller spent $7,384 -- the most by far -- but that's another story.)

Asked about the digging, Sanchez said he didn't know that his campaign was sniffing around.

Campaign coordinator Maryann Blitz acknowledged sending a campaign aide to look up the public records. But she denied they were looking for dirt.

"It is just a matter of doing our homework," Blitz said. "I think you know Frank well enough to know we are looking to run anything but a negative campaign."

Sure, say his opponents.

"I am happy they are checking into every expense," Miranda said. "Hopefully, they can put a tail on me to see the life that I lead."

In judicial races, the key to a candidate's success often doesn't rest with the platform or legal qualifications. Because candidates consider themselves limited in what they can talk about, an election can be won or lost if a candidate's name appears first on the ballot.

By state law, that issue gets decided in circuit court contests by random drawing.

Ken Whalen got lucky.

His name will be first on the ballot in November when he faces off against Martha Cook. (In alphabetical order, the way other races are listed, she would have been first.)

Cook, whose name was first on the ballot in September, trounced Whalen and Carlos Pazos by capturing 48 percent of the vote in the three-person primary. Cook's vote totals weren't enough, however, to avoid a runoff with Whalen, who was endorsed by Pazos this week.

In the other circuit court race, Monica Sierra's name will appear before Woody Isom's on the ballot, another alphabetical upset.

Miranda and Buckhorn already see much of the apparatus under Mayor Dick Greco quietly pushing Sanchez.

So the e-mail from the office of neighborhood liaison Julie Harris was just more proof. On Sept. 23, Harris' staff sent an e-mail about the Oakford Park Civic Association to City Council members and to frankformayor@aol.com.

It's common knowledge that Harris is actively supporting Sanchez's campaign with money and by showing up at campaign events. But Harris says she hasn't done any of it on city time.

Harris said she reprimanded an assistant for sending the e-mail to Sanchez's campaign. She said a neighborhood group had asked her staff to send the e-mail to mayoral candidates, and it was a mistake to do so.

However, the city staff didn't e-mail all the mayoral candidates.

"What happened to Don Ardell?" Miranda said of the fitness author running for mayor. "They didn't mention him."

More seriously, Miranda chided, "I don't want city employees spending time on politics."

At Thursday's City Council meeting, Buckhorn took a shot at Harris, who also serves as the mayor's communication director, for the delay in getting the word out about possible contamination of the city's drinking water supply.

It took city staff hours to inform the public Monday that they should boil all drinking water.

Buckhorn asked for a report on the incident, and then asked the acting water department director: "Do you think the people allegedly handling this are competent to do so?"

It's no secret that Buckhorn doesn't think Harris has done a good job in her post. He would probably fire her if he is elected.

Not surprisingly, Harris is backing Buckhorn's rival for the mayor's seat. She said the mayor is satisfied with her job performance.

"This is democracy. I can support who I want," Harris said. "I am not going to let (Buckhorn) threaten me and bully me."

EVENTS: Buckhorn will open a new campaign headquarters Monday in Ybor City at 2101 Palm Ave. by 22nd Street. . . . Also in Ybor City, Democrat Bill McBride opened a campaign headquarters Friday at 1619 East Eighth Ave. for his Hillsborough effort. The real action will still take place at McBride's statewide headquarters in Hyde Park. . . . Gov. Jeb Bush will hold a cookout Oct. 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the ranch of Lowell and Evelyn Stanberry in Dade City. For directions, call the Hillsborough Republican Party at 839-1132.

-- Political Junkie is an occasional column on this year's election season. Got a tip? Staff writer David Karp can be reached at 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com, and Bill Varian can be reached at 226-3387 or varian@sptimes.com.

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