Republicans honor major fundraiser with big 7-0 party
By Times staff writers
Published March 28, 2004
FLORIDA'S PREMIER Republican fundraiser, developer Al Hoffman, thought he and wife Dawn were going to a nice, quiet dinner with Gov. Jeb Bush and first lady Columba Bush on March 20. Instead, about 500 of Hoffman's closest friends jammed a ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples for a surprise party celebrating Hoffman's 70th birthday.
In the crowd: Attorney General Charlie Crist, Chief Finance Officer Tom Gallagher and former Gov. Bob Martinez. President Bush and former President Bush sent videos, and comedian Rich Little was master of ceremonies.
Hoffman, head of WCI Communities near Fort Myers, is one of Florida's biggest real estate developers and serves as finance chair for the Republican National Committee.
SENATE PRESIDENT JIM KING was noticeably missing Thursday from a doctors' rally in front of the Old Florida Capitol that brought both Gov. Jeb Bush and House Speaker Johnnie Byrd.
King's presence at a similar rally last year turned ugly. He was booed and a few doctors urged him to "have a heart attack." They were angry that King opposed a $250,000 limit on medical malpractice damages.
"I was invited," King said of last week's event. "But having been so well-received the first time out . . . I don't need to be there."
King wasn't around to hear the lawyer-bashing, but he wasn't forgotten. Someone in the crowd held a sign reading, "Have a medical emergency? Call Sen. King."
IF IT SEEMS as though you're being swamped with presidential campaign ads awfully early this year, you're right. The campaign is in full swing earlier than normal. The ad war is raging especially early in Florida.
Between March 3 and March 22, Floridians were exposed to $4.17-million in TV spots between the Bush and Kerry campaigns and independent Democratic groups opposing Bush, according to a group that tracks ad spending. In 2000, Al Gore and George Bush did not start running ads until June.
The Wisconsin Advertising Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that across the country, Democratic and Republican presidential advertising efforts were roughly equal. But highlighting how crucial the Bush-Cheney campaign views Florida, the president's re-election campaign outspent Kerry and his assorted independent allies by more than 2-to-1 on Florida television.
U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE Betty Castor expects to prove her strength by raising at least $1-million in the fundraising quarter ending March 31.
Unfortunately for Castor, so does Democratic rival Peter Deutsch.
The Broward County congressman expects to have raised $1.1-million in the quarter, leaving him with about $4.5-million, or roughly four times what Castor is expected to have on hand.
Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, the third major candidate in the Democratic field, expects to raise about $700,000 this quarter.
KING SAID WEDNESDAY he finds it a bit curious that Byrd is not ready to support a bill that would outlaw firearms inside the state Capitol.
But until Byrd changes his mind, King noted that he's got a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
"I don't want the speaker to be the only one armed," King said.
FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH will be in Tallahassee on Monday to help raise money for state Rep. Bev Kilmer, R-Quincy, who is running against U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Monticello.
The event, a $250 per plate luncheon at University Center Club on the Florida State University campus, is one more sign of just how interested the Bush family is in Florida politics this year.
- Times staff writers Lucy Morgan, Joni James, Adam C. Smith and Jennifer Liberto contributed to this week's column. Got a tip for the Buzz? Call 850 224-7263 or send e-mail to bousquet@sptimes.com
