The Buzz: Florida politics 2004

Graham just missed joining Kerry's ticket

By Times staff writers
Published July 11, 2004

When the newly minted Democratic duo of John Kerry and John Edwards zipped through Florida last week, one prominent face conspicuously absent from the stages in St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale was Sen. Bob Graham.

Florida's senior senator was (briefly, it turns out) so close to winning the veepstakes that the Kerry campaign had printed Kerry-Graham campaign signs (sure to become collector's items on eBay).

Graham's office says his absence had nothing to do with sour grapes. The senator's staff said he faced another deadline for his upcoming book assessing America's intelligence system. In fact, Graham is scheduled to appear on Face the Nation today, where he is expected to talk up Edwards' strength as a running mate.

NANCY'S NEWS: It looks a lot like one of those end-of-session newsletters state legislators send to constituents. But take a closer look. A recent mailing from Sen. Nancy Argenziano, R-Dunnellon, is actually a political piece, though you almost need a magnifying glass to see that Argenziano is a Republican, and that the piece is paid for by the state Republican Party.

"Nancy's North Florida News" is laid out like a colorful tabloid newspaper, with bold headlines and six, count 'em, six pictures of the senator. Similar party-funded newsletters were produced for Reps. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, and Larry Cretul, R-Gainesville.

Articles and photos show Argenziano fighting the proposed outsourcing of a state mental hospital, challenging a phone-rate increase and opposing moving the plentiful water supplies of North Florida to thirsty, overdeveloped South Florida.

Argenziano is running against Democrat Barry Brooks of Tallahassee.

Republican Party strategist Joel Springer said the publication was targeted at voters in Dixie, Levy, Taylor and other counties not served by a daily newspaper. It's an effective way, he said, to boost her name identification in the northern part of her sprawling, 13-county district, which runs from Inverness to Tallahassee.

A SHADE OF GREEN: U.S. Senate candidate Betty Castor got a boost from an old friend.

Carol Browner, the longest serving EPA administrator in the history of the agency and a former secretary of Florida's environmental agency, endorsed Castor last week.

"Betty Castor will be a breath of fresh air for Florida," Browner says in a new Internet ad released to 13,000 supporters. "I've known Betty Castor probably for 20 years now, and she will be a phenomenal voice for Florida in the United States Senate."

Browner said Castor is the best candidate to protect Florida's natural resources and honor Bob Graham's legacy. Castor said she would fight to protect the Everglades, oppose offshore drilling and bring new vision to energy conservation and utility regulation.

AIMING HIGHER: Paul Bedinghaus has emerged as a political rainmaker during his 10 years as chairman of the Pinellas County Republican Party. Now he's looking to take on a new role.

Bedinghaus filed to run in the August primary for state committeeman, one of two local liaison posts between the county chapter and the state party. He would face Jim Smith, the current state committeeman and Pinellas County's elected property appraiser. If Bedinghaus wins the Aug. 31 primary, he would have to give up the party chairman's job.

"It would be a different role," Bedinghaus said. "I've been the chairman for almost 10 years and I have been very successful at it. This would allow me to stay involved. However I would not have the primary responsibility on a daily basis."

BENSE'S HIRES: Rep. Allan Bense won't settle into the House speaker's office for another few months, but the Panama City Republican is already making personnel moves. His chief of staff will be Bob Ward, a longtime House staff member, and Bense has hired communications expert Towson Fraser, who most recently handled public information for the Department of Management Services. He previously was a state Republican Party spokesman.

- Times staff writers Adam C. Smith, Steve Bousquet, Anita Kumar and Michael Sandler contributed to this week's column. Got a tip? E-mail bousquet@sptimes.com

[Last modified July 11, 2004, 01:00:43]