The Buzz: Florida politics 2004

McCollum reception hints at stronghold

By Times staff writers
Published July 18, 2004

Mel Martinez, by most accounts, is the party establishment's choice in the crowded Republican U.S. Senate primary. Three former state Republican Party chairmen drove that perception home last week in endorsing the former U.S. housing secretary from Orlando.

But a glance at Bill McCollum's invitation to a Tampa fundraiser next Tuesday suggests some gaps in Martinez's wall of establishment support.

Led by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, who will attend the $1,000-a-ticket reception for McCollum at the Temple Terrace home of Joe and Melinda Rosser, the host committee is a who's who of Tampa Bay area business elites and GOP donors.

Among them are Dr. A.K. Asai; developer Fred Bullard; retired mutual fund executive John Galbraith; former Florida Progress chairman Andrew Hines; Betty Sembler, wife of Mel Sembler, U.S. ambassador to Italy; financier Bill Hough; auto dealer Frank Morsani; Devil Rays owner Vince Naimoli; and heavy equipment firm owner Lance Ringhaver.

BETTY CASTOR'S new Web site, www.castorfacts.com features an interesting photo and not-so-subtle message to Republicans: Don't try attacking her handling of former USF professor Sami Al-Arian, who was indicted last year on terrorism charges.

The photo, taken in March 2000 at the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, shows Al-Arian holding a child and standing with family members next to George and Laura Bush. The message: Bush and top administration officials had ties to Al-Arian and other Muslim leaders before they became politically radioactive after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. "Betty Castor suspended the guy. George Bush campaigned with him," said Doug Hattaway, a Castor consultant.

The site details other White House/Al-Arian ties, including the professor's meeting with White House political guru Karl Rove and Bush's reported nickname for Al-Arian's son: "Big Dude."

While a group with ties to Democratic Senate candidate Peter Deutsch is questioning why Castor didn't fire Al-Arian when she was president of the University of South Florida, her Senate campaign is trying to knock down perceptions that it could be a potent issue against her in November.

Hollywood lawyer Bernie Friedman, who launched a political group that has criticized Castor's conduct in the Al-Arian case, said the Web site is another example of Castor "playing the blame game and pointing fingers."

SORDID STUFF: The headlines spill forth: Report critical of DCF. Ethical conduct at DCF confirmed. 2 resign after scrutiny of gifts.

Responding to a scathing report from Gov. Jeb Bush's inspector general, Jerry Regier apologized for staying at the home of a contractor doing business with the state and for attending a birthday party hosted by the same contractor, Jim Bax. Bush expressed deep disappointment. But Regier still has his job, although two top aides lost theirs.

The secretary survived this controversy, but he sorely tested Bush's tolerance for sloppy conduct.

Sen. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami, called for Regier's resignation Friday, and recalled that Regier faced allegations of cronyism in Oklahoma. "Florida gave Mr. Regier the chance to redeem the sordid past he brought with him from Oklahoma. And he blew it," said Wilson, who has asked for an independent probe of Regier's office.

FIRST LADY WATCH: Laura Bush campaigned in Jacksonville last week, visiting a hospital and later raising $500,000 for the Republican Party. Look for her her to visit the Tampa Bay area in August.

SPOT CHECKING: Florida TV viewers, weary of presidential campaign ads, can take solace: It could be worse. A USA Today analysis found Florida was not among the battleground states most saturated with presidential ads. That distinction goes to Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin, where as of late the campaign ads ran an average of at least 466 times per electoral vote.

In Florida, the paper found, Bush ran 433 spots per electoral vote, Kerry 428.

Unmentioned, though, was a critical factor in buying TV time: The cost of saturating Florida with TV is much higher than any other battleground state. When TV spending is the gauge, for better or worse, Florida is still No. 1.

HELPING HAND: Josh Burgin, a candidate for Johnnie Byrd's state House seat in Plant City, is getting help from Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who won a new term Friday without opposition. In letters to east Hillsborough Republicans, Baxley says Burgin will provide another vote against gay marriage and gay adoption (both are illegal in Florida).

"Abortionists are marketing directly to young women without parental knowledge," Baxley wrote in a mailer funded by Burgin's campaign. "Opposing homosexual adoptions is equally important and these issues will require legislators of strong conviction."

- Times staff writers Adam C. Smith and Steve Bousquet contributed to this column.

[Last modified July 17, 2004, 23:36:24]