U.S. Senate candidate Betty Castor has been trying to convince Jewish voters she was right to not fire Sami Al-Arian from the University of South Florida when he was under investigation for allegedly raising money for terrorists.
Some of that hard work appears to have paid off.
Last week, the Jewish Journal endorsed Castor over U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, a Hollywood Democrat and an observant Jew.
The Journal, produced by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel to cover Jewish affairs and community news from Miami to West Palm Beach, cites her experiences as USF president, state education commissioner and state legislator, and her support for causes of interest to Jewish voters, including a bill to fund Holocaust education in the public schools.
"Many Jews could be inclined to vote for Deutsch as the only Jew in the race," the July 27 editorial says. "This behavior is un-American, un-Jewish and un-democratic. It is our obligation to vote for the best candidate, notwithstanding his or her religion."
BALLOT TALK: What may be the state's toughest public relations job these days has a new occupant. Alia Faraj, most recently Gov. Jeb Bush's press secretary, is now in Secretary of State Glenda Hood's shop. Faraj, 39, a onetime broadcast journalist who joined Bush's staff in January 2003, is overseeing all public information about the state's upcoming elections, from questions about touch screen voting to manual recounts.
Faraj replaces Nicole de Lara, 25, who joined Hood's team after two legislative sessions as spokeswoman for House Speaker Johnnie Byrd of Plant City, now a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.
De Lara is returning to her hometown of Miami to work for Florida FTAA, which wants to land the headquarters for the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
I WANT MY MTV: While Castor and Deutsch were hanging out with Michael Moore and Ben Affleck in Boston at the Democratic National Convention, Democratic rival Alex Penelas was stuck doing his job in Miami.
Don't pity him too much, though. He got to hobnob with celebrities, too.
Last week, Penelas, mayor of Miami-Dade County, helped kick off the nomination announcement for the MTV Video Music Awards, which will be held in Miami on Aug. 29.
Miami officials and event planners are organizing private parties for the preening VIPs expected to flock to South Florida and fill hotels, restaurants and nightclubs.
It's the MTV awards' 21st year but the first time it will be held outside Los Angeles or New York.
Penelas eventually made it to Boston - but not until after helping announce that rapper Jay-Z had a leading six nominations.
LIKE FATHER, LIKE . . .: Here's a legislative race to watch. In heavily Democratic state House District 88 in West Palm Beach, two-term Rep. Susan Bucher faces a primary challenge from Democrat Joel Silver, a video producer and son of former state Sen. Ron Silver, D-North Miami Beach.
In a district with a large and active elderly population, Bucher, 46, is known for her liberalism and fiery rhetoric, especially on education and health care. Republicans chastised her last session when she accused them of pushing a health care measure in exchange for campaign contributions. Bucher made a similar claim a year ago and was ignored.
"Republicans, and many Democrats, have tuned her out," the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrote in its annual assessment of South Florida lawmakers.
Bucher, a Catholic, told the Associated Press the debate over abortion contributed to her decision to stop attending Mass. She said she received a letter from a diocese last year denouncing her abortion rights voting record, and she tore it up.
"I resent that the Catholic church wants to get involved in my politics," Bucher said.
Bucher is one of eight Democratic incumbents in the House facing a challenge from within their party in the Aug. 31 primary.
BIG BUCKS: Another legislative staffer is joining the lucrative world of lobbying. After more than a decade in state government, Agustin "Gus" Corbella, Senate President Jim King's 32-year-old chief of staff, left his job Friday to join Greenberg Traurig's lobbying practice.
Also leaving three months before King's reign ends: communications director Sarah Mathews Bascom, 29. She's going to work later this month for CoreMessage, the Tallahassee public relations firm founded by Cory Tilley, former aide to Gov. Jeb Bush.
Times staff writers Steve Bousquet, Joni James, Anita Kumar and Alisa Ulferts contributed to the Buzz. Have a tip? Call 850 224-7263 or write to bousquet@sptimes.com
