CORAL GABLES -- Gov. Jeb Bush on Monday knocked Democratic opponent Bill McBride 's commitment to the state's Hispanic voters, a crucial group in the election eight days away.

"Mr. McBride hasn't even lifted a finger in the Hispanic community," Bush said after meeting with Cuban-American leaders in Coral Gables.

McBride's campaign opened an office Monday in heavily Hispanic Hialeah, where Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas said McBride has made a strong case to attract Hispanic voters.

Later, McBride attended two fundraisers in Coral Gables that were expected to raise more that $400,000 for his campaign.

McBride campaign spokesman Alan Stonecipher called Bush's accusations untrue.

"Bill McBride has had several dozen meetings with Hispanic organizations and groups going back many months," Stonecipher said, and would work "to ensure the inclusion of Hispanics . . . at the highest level of state government."

Earlier Monday, Bush visited Sarasota and Manatee counties. At Manatee Republican headquarters in Bradenton, he criticized McBride's plan to pay for an amendment to limit public school class sizes by raising cigarette taxes 50 cents a pack. "In order to fund this program, every living Floridian would have to smoke four packs a day," Bush said.

Stonecipher called that remark "ridiculous," saying "our education plans and cigarette tax plans have been well documented."

Class size measure's supporters air new ad

TALLAHASSEE -- Supporters of the ballot measure to force smaller class sizes will begin airing a TV ad today urging its approval and criticizing Gov. Jeb Bush 's leadership on education.

The spot will begin airing in Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa and Tallahassee. It's being paid for by People for the American Way.

"Our ad's message is clear: Our schools are in crisis. But our political leaders have failed to act, so it's up to the voters," said Sharon Lettman-Pacheco, the group's national deputy field director.

Pacheco said her group's political action committee had raised about $200,000 to buy air time.

Bush campaign spokesman Todd Harris responded to the ad's criticism of Bush's education leadership by charging that the People for the American Way existed to raise taxes and push "the most radical of liberal policies."

Harris agreed that defeating the class size measure is important to Bush: "It's right up there at the top, right after being re-elected."

Bush has warned that the class size proposal will drain money from essential state programs, including other education initiatives, and force tax hikes.

'Lost' boater facing sex charges caught in Indiana

PANAMA CITY -- A missing boater accused of faking his own death in the Gulf of Mexico to escape sex charges has been arrested in Indiana, police said.

Steve Haun, 32, of Laguna Beach, was hiding in the cab of a semitrailer truck when arrested Friday near Indianapolis, said Indiana state Trooper Mike Douglass.

Haun is charged with exposing himself to young girls. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest after he missed a pretrial hearing.

He was boating with four friends who reported him missing Oct. 8, a day before a scheduled court appearance. They said he was riding on a float towed behind his boat when he vanished in the predawn darkness.

Indiana state police arrested Haun's girlfriend, Tammy K. Daggett, 35, at her home in Greenfield Wednesday. Officers found Haun's car hidden in the back yard.

Haun and Daggett are both in jail in Indiana, awaiting extradition.

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Lucy Morgan

From the Times state desk