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Political junkie

Big name may join race to replace Jim Sebesta

By Times Staff Writer
Published July 20, 2005

The state's most unpredictable and widely watched state Senate race - the contest to succeed Republican Jim Sebesta in state Senate District 16 - might get even more volatile if an iconic name joins the Republican field.

LeRoy Collins, the 38-year-old grandson of the celebrated former Florida governor, has been talking to a lot of politicos about jumping in to the race. The Tampa resident, who works in economic development for the city of Tampa, said Tuesday he is studying the race "to make sure that if I do this, I can give it 110 percent."

The former Army Ranger is untested as a candidate, but some Republicans see him as a potential heavyweight.

Most of the district's voters are in eastern Pinellas County, but the key to winning that race may be the roughly one-third of voters in Hillsborough. With two formidable Pinellas Republicans running - state Reps. Frank Farkas of St. Petersburg and Kim Berfield of Clearwater - observers have long predicted a strong Hillsborough candidate would be well-positioned to win the GOP nomination.

Could LeRoy Collins III be that candidate? In an election cycle where Lawton Chiles III started running for governor this year, stranger things have happened.

District 16 is a moderate district where Republicans barely outnumber Democrats and one in five voters is registered with neither party. Democrat Betty Castor last year won the district in her unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid, and Democrats see the race as their best prospect statewide for picking off a Republican-held seat.

So what's the Democratic candidate doing to encourage that optimism? Remarkably little.

State Rep. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg, horrified some party activists recently by reporting that he raised less than $6,300 during the three-month period that ended June 30. All told, he has raised about $9,400.

For those keeping score, the low-key academic adviser has raised a one-tenth of what Republican state Rep. Frank Farkas has for the race and one-twelfth what Republican state Rep. Kim Berfield raised. Berfield and Farkas have to pay for a potentially bruising primary, of course, but Justice's weak fundraising so far is doing little to discourage prospective Democratic challengers. St. Petersburg City Council member Richard Kriseman, a Democrat running to succeed Justice in the state House, even managed to raise more than twice what Justice did for a much bigger district.

"You will see through the next report and the next report and the next report that I'm very serious. . . . We're a little bit slow starting, but from the commitments we have, we feel very comfortable," said Justice, estimating he has "about $115,000 in pledges up to this point with more to come."

Dwight "Chimurenga" Waller entered the race for St. Petersburg City Council on Mayor Rick Baker's turf. Well, his sidewalk.

Waller, the president of the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement and an outspoken critic of the mayor, announced his candidacy for District 6 this week in front of Baker's $650,000 home.

It was an event that lured several television cameras and newspaper reporters. An e-mail Friday said members of the Uhuru movement would discuss their "participation in the upcoming municipal elections" at Baker's Old Northeast home.

The e-mail also said this: "On Sunday, we will go to the rich white neighborhood where the politicians and economic rulers live to make our plans known."

So cameras and reporters scrambled. So did Baker, apparently - his blinds were drawn, and the house appeared lifeless.

At the home Sunday, 40 supporters gathered behind Waller, who plans to take on incumbent Earnest Williams.

"When (Baker) wanted to win, he came running to the African-American community," said one supporter, Gaida Kambon. "Now, we came to him, and he's running from us."

With so many seats open in Pinellas, candidates are dialing for dollars more aggressively and earlier than most anyone can remember. But of all the candidates who filed quarterly fundraising reports this month, the top dog among state House candidates was Angelo Cappelli of St. Petersburg, a Republican candidate to succeed Frank Farkas in House District 52. His Republican rival, Ross Johnson, has raised a strong $16,663 so far this year, but Cappelli took in more than $37,000 this quarter.

The Democrat in the race, Liz McCallum, raised $5,110, but spent most of that on her campaign consultant. She's unopposed for the Democratic nomination, but Chris Eaton, who ran unsuccessfully against Farkas in 2002, might jump into the race.

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

[Last modified July 20, 2005, 00:57:15]