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DAVID KARPHouse Republican leaders work to bolster GOP incumbents in areas where no Democratic threat exists.
One might expect to see Florida House leaders spending most of their time campaigning for President Bush or plotting to defeat an incumbent Democrat.
Instead, incoming House Speaker Allan Bense, Majority Leader Marco Rubio and 12 other Republican legislators came to a golf course clubhouse in Tampa's northern suburbs the other night to help Kevin Ambler, a freshman GOP legislator from Lutz.
The Florida Republican Party also has given Ambler's campaign $25,000.
Ambler isn't opposed by a Democrat. His only serious opponent is another Republican - and a loyal one, who has worked for the party for years.
All summer, Bense has flown across Florida to help incumbent Republicans beat Republican challengers. House leaders have walked precincts and raised thousands for primary fights, where the winner will be a Republican even if they didn't spend a dime.
Strategists say the party's commitment of time and money on Republican primaries this year shows how far the pendulum has swung in Florida politics. Democrats pose so little threat to the party's control of the Legislature that Republicans can devote thousands of dollars to Republican primaries.
"I think there's a sense that this is a new day in politics," said Miami lobbyist Bob Levy.
In districts such as Ambler's, a moderate suburb where Democrats outnumber Republicans, the Democratic Party did not even field a candidate.
The party also hasn't found candidates in several open seats. No Democrat, for example, ran to succeed Rep. Sandra Murman, a Tampa Republican who used to be a Democrat.
Strategists and candidates say the GOP's dominance has forced ambitious young candidates to take on Republican incumbents to make a name. That's one reason eight House Republicans face challenges from other Republicans his year, recalling an earlier era where Democratic primaries were key races because the GOP was so weak.
Of course, Republicans would prefer to spend their money beating Democrats.
"They are not happy about it," said Ambler.
Before Ambler's opponent, Bill Bunkley, a lobbyist for the Florida Baptist Convention, got in the race, he received a call from the head of the GOP's House campaigns. He told Bunkley that the party establishment would work against him. Bunkley said he didn't like it but understands.
"That's politics," he said. "I think Allan Bense is doing what he has to do."
Bense's backing doesn't carry much weight with voters who don't know him, Bunkley said. His own endorsements from local Republicans such as former state Sen. John Grant mean more, he said.
Ambler said the party's backing shows Republican voters he is doing a good job and getting legislation passed for them. The party has paid for Ambler's direct mail pieces.
In most races, the party also pays for polling to see whether voters respond to a candidate's message.
Although the party parcels out the money, lobbyists can ask that their donations go to legislative races. Traditionally, the party's House and Senate leaders determine how the money gets spent.
Party spokesman Joseph Agostini said the party likes to support incumbents who are "doing a good job."
"It's just normal business," he said.
Consultants say legislative leaders such as Bense help incumbents win to ensure they become speaker. The incoming speaker is chosen before the election, but he has to make sure that his supporters survive re-election. If they lose, they can't vote for him for speaker.
Bense said he doesn't expect any upsets.
"I think all of our incumbents who face challenges will win," he said.
Democrats say the infighting may be a sign of the party's decline. Years ago, when the Democrats ran Florida politics, they also wasted energy on bloody intramural battles.
"You are seeing the Republicans make the same mistakes that the Democrats made 15 or 20 years ago," said Steve Schale, field director for the Democratic Party's House campaigns. "They are seeing the enemy as themselves."
Even so, the Democratic Party is too weak to be much of a threat.
In the House, strategists say Republicans who already hold 81 of 120 seats could pick up two or three more seats. In the Senate, where Republicans hold 26 of 40 seats, Democrats have little chance of gaining seats. So the hot races will be decided in Tuesday's primaries.
In Pensacola, the party gave Rep. Dave Murzin $23,000 to fend off a challenge from Republican Richard Pope, an Iraq war veteran. Bense and a caravan of legislators walked neighborhoods in the Panhandle for Murzin, too.
Some of Murzin's opposition comes from the state's powerful trial lawyers. Pensacola lawyer Fred Levin, one of the state's best-known lawyers, supports Murzin's opponent.
"It certainly will be a challenge, but I think he'll do fine," Bense said.
In Miami, the party has given freshman Rep. Juan Zapata $17,000 to defeat a stiff challenge from Frank Artiles, who almost beat him two years ago. The party can also spend thousands independently of Zapata's campaign.
Zapata faces opposition from the powerful Miccosukee Tribe of Florida, which targeted Zapata after he worked against a bill to keep state and local law enforcement agencies off the tribe's land.
"It's a street fight, a real tough battle," Bense said.
In Merritt Island, the party has given more than $17,000 to Rep. Bob Allen, who is fighting two Republicans. The party also paid for fliers touting Allen's work.
Powerful lobbyist Guy Spearman III is backing one of Allen's opponents, former county Commissioner Randy O'Brien, who doesn't like that the party has taken sides.
"Why should the party spend money to defeat other Republicans?" O'Brien said. "They are not going to lose the seat. It's a slap in the face to anyone who donated."
Times staff writers Lucy Morgan, Steve Bousquet and Josh Zimmer contributed to this report.