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Political junkie

Four left in GOP to seek House seat

By Times staff writers
Published June 1, 2005

One man is down in District 48, leaving some breathing room for the four other Republicans vying to fill Gus Bilirakis' state House seat next year.

Christopher Schlenker, a political newcomer who last year was inspired by his preteen son to join the race, has withdrawn his candidacy. The Palm Harbor man issued a statement endorsing former competitor Peter Nehr, the Tarpon Springs city commissioner who was first to file for the November 2006 election.

"My reasons for endorsing Peter Nehr are simple: Peter Nehr is the most qualified candidate with the best experience for this office," Schlenker said in a statment sent out by Nehr.

Schlenker, a construction manager, said he left the race because of a job change that gives him more responsibilities and requires him to travel. He plans to campaign for Nehr and hopes to run for office again in the future.

Nehr still faces Palm Harbor Fire Commissioner Ken Peluso, former Safety Harbor city Commissioner Robin Borland and county housing authority member Brian Flaherty in the GOP primary.

When BayWalk's theaters never showed Fahrenheit 9/11 and its managers wanted to restrict protesters by the complex, peace activists grumbled about the Republican leanings of BayWalk's St. Petersburg developer, the Sembler Co. After all, company founder Mel Sembler is former Republican National Committee finance chairman appointed by President Bush to be ambassador to Italy. In fact, the company is more bipartisan than many people realize. In the atrium of the Sembler Building tonight, for instance, company leaders are scheduled to help Democratic St. Petersburg City Council membe r Rick Kriseman get elected to the state House.

Kriseman is running to succeed state Rep. Charlie Justice in state House District 53. The $250-a-head cocktail reception was organized by Sembler CEO Craig Sher, a committed Democrat.

Among the others hosting the Kriseman fundraiser: Republicans Brent and Greg Sembler (Brent is leading the statewide fundraiser effort for gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist); former state House Speaker Peter Wallace and his wife, Helen; Echelon Development Chairman Darryl LeClair; developer Jimmy Aviram; Tech Data Corp. CEO Steve Raymund; and lawyer and CPA Beth Houghton.

As if the substantial name recognition or sizable war chest wasn't enough, Republicans considering a challenge to Gus Bilirakis in the 9th Congressional District have another hurdle: the backing of one of the House's most influential members.

National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds has endorsed the Palm Harbor attorney, who wants to replace his father, Mike Bilirakis, in Congress. Reynolds' endorsement came at an afternoon picnic before the New York congressman spoke at Pinellas Republicans' Lincoln Day dinner.

"We are working on identifying the brightest talent in our party and recruiting them as candidates - exactly what we have in Gus," Reynolds said. "Gus is a proven leader."

Bilirakis is the only Republican so far running for the seat, which has 33,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats and covers portions of Hillsborough (40 percent of voters), Pinellas (31 percent) and Pasco (29 percent).

Greg Rublee of Oldsmar is running as a Democrat. Rublee will address a local meetup.com group at 7 tonight at the Tech Cafe, 500 Main St., Safety Harbor.

Clearwater will host the final meeting of a U.S. Commerce Deparment advisory committee Thursday to discuss President Bush's proposal to eliminate Community Development Block Grants.

An advisory panel of community leaders nationwide that includes former Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst will finalize its recommendations to Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez during the morning conference at the Harborview Center.

The group is discussing ways to unify the federal grant system to streamline the request process. At the same time, the changes hope to eliminate wasted and misused federal dollars. The changes, however, would cut total grant funding by $2-billion, or 35 percent, opponents have said.

Aungst lobbied hard to hold the meeting in Clearwater, he said.

"These are controversial issues," Aungst said Monday. "I can see the arguments made on both sides."

It has been a good process, Aungst said, "with a lot of thoughtful discussion."

The meeting, which begins at 8 a.m. and lasts until noon, is open to the public.

Ed Hobin, outreach project coordinator for the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is scheduled to discuss environmental aspects of coastline water management when the Greater Tarpon Springs Democratic Club meets at 7:30 p.m. June 6 at Tarpon Springs Community Center, 400 S Walton Ave. The meeting is free and open to the public. Call (727) 942-2408.

Aaron Sharockman compiled this week's Political Junkie from Clearwater with contributions from Adam C. Smith in St. Petersburg and Nora Koch and Richard Danielson in Palm Harbor. Contact the staff at politicaljunkie@sptimes.com

[Last modified June 1, 2005, 00:38:18]