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Times staff writersBetty Castor's fundraising gets kudos despite lagging behind two rivals for state Senate.
Is Betty Castor the favorite Florida Senate candidate of the national Democratic Party? The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee hailed Castor's $1.2-million fundraising in the first quarter of the year as putting her in "the top tier for fundraising by Senate challengers in the nation."
Forget that Castor lags behind Democratic rivals Peter Deutsch and Alex Penelas for cash on hand.
No dis intended, said DSCC spokesman Brad Woodhouse: "Everybody knows Penelas and Deutsch were raising incredibly strong money. We brag on all our candidates."
And Senate candidate Bill Phillips? The little-known Tampa Democrat has a modest goal: raise $50,000 by April 12.
Gov. Jeb Bush generally avoids national TV appearances. But he made an exception last week for comedian Dennis Miller's CNBC political talk show.
After Miller called Hendry County "the cockfighting capital of the universe," he and Bush got down to business. Miller, a recent conservative convert, tossed some softballs and the governor promoted his brother's presidential re-election.
"Government is basically a parasite," Bush said, explaining his view of limiting government spending.
Miller asked Bush why the state needs to spend $2-billion on the Everglades. "You got to pay to keep a swamp up?" Miller asked.
"Yeah, you do," Bush said. "You've got to pay big money to undo what the federal government (did) . . . which was drain the swamp."
Florida's chief financial officer,Tom Gallagher, made his debut last week as a Bush-Cheney campaign surrogate. He was the star attraction at an event accusing Democrat John Kerry of supporting higher gas taxes.
Reading from a script, the Republican said it didn't matter that Kerry's idea for a 50 cent per-gallon tax hike was 10 years old, was a mention in a news article and went nowhere.
"The message is simple. A vote for John Kerry is a vote for higher taxes," Gallagher said.
When the first lady appears in the Florida Panhandle, it's a big deal. Republican Rep. Bev Kilmer of Quincy picked up more than $50,000 for her congressional campaign against U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Monticello, after Laura Bush attended a $250-a-plate luncheon Monday in Tallahassee.
But Mrs. Bush never mentioned her brother-in-law Jeb or his wife, Columba.
"She normally doesn't mention public officials unless they're in the room," said spokesman Gordon Johndroe. The governor wasn't there, though he'd stopped by earlier to say hello.
If you're looking for some exciting Congressional races, you better look outside of Florida, says Amy Walter of the nonpartisan political newsletter, the Cook Political Report. While Republicans talk of unseating Boyd, Walter predicts only 36 of 435 House races will be competitive this year.
None are in Florida.
Caught in the act? Florida's Republican lawmakers have long complained that many of the state's judges are too activist for their liking. So when Rep. Bruce Kyle, R-Fort Myers, floated an amendment Thursday to force 71 judges - including Chief Justice Harry Anstead - to retire or lose a chunk of retirement cash, two South Florida Democrats decided to test Kyle's resolve.
Reps. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, and Jack Seiler, D-Wilton Manors, suggested an amendment exempting judges from the plan if their "judicial philosophies have been expressly approved by the House of Representatives."
Kyle withdrew his proposal.
When the Florida Marlins came to the Capitol last week to celebrate their 2003 World Series championship, they were treated like heroes. Gov. Jeb Bush served paella. House Speaker Johnnie Byrd welcomed them on the House floor, where they posed for photos with their championship trophy. But in the Senate, they were confined to the public galleries, where they sat along the same benches as school children and retirees. Senate President Jim King said it had nothing to do with his opposition to a $60-million state sales tax rebate to help the team build a new stadium in Miami-Dade County. Bush and Byrd both support the tax break. "We didn't have time for them to sign autographs," King said.
- Times staff writers Steve Bousquet, Joni James, Jennifer Liberto, Lucy Morgan, Adam C. Smith and Alisa Ulferts contributed to the Buzz. Have a tip? Call 850 224-7263 or write to bousquet@sptimes.com