Kicking off his CFO drive, the Hillsborough Republican Senate leader admits it's a tricky path.
By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor
Published September 1, 2005
BRANDON - When Johnnie Byrd presided over the state House while running for U.S. Senate last year, few people were more vocal in accusing Byrd of using his position to advance his own career than fellow Hillsborough Republican Tom Lee.
On Wednesday, state Senate President Lee formally kicked off his own statewide campaign, acknowledging he's stepping into tricky territory, juggling his legislative leadership with his campaign for chief financial officer.
"I made a commitment to myself that I am going to separate my own personal political aspirations from . . . my primary responsibility of presiding over the Senate," Lee said in an interview, after a crowd of hometown friends and family members cheered on his first statewide campaign.
"I know there's going to be a higher focus on things that go on inside the legislative process because of my candidacy statewide," said Lee, 43, a home builder.
"But I really welcome that in a way because I think that if I handle this in the way I intend to handle it, I can erase some of the perceptions people have about presiding officers seeking political office."
The chief financial officer oversees the state's purse strings, cuts checks, oversees audits and serves as a consumer advocate on insurance issues. Inside a packed Brandon Chamber of Commerce building Wednesday, Lee touted his experience helping lead a small home building business and presiding over the state Senate.
"I'm running for CFO to ensure that our state's financial house is in order. With systems that work. With people dedicated to making them work. And with the same attitude I've always had, what I learned as a little boy growing up here in Brandon: that to meet problems head on you focus on solutions, not excuses, that you invoke principle over politics."
As a lawmaker demanding more sunshine on lobbyists, decrying the influence of special interest money and sometimes bucking his party leaders, Lee generated reams of glowing press clips. But potentially undercutting his image as a campaign finance reformer is a Senate leadership campaign account with more than $1-million that Lee could use to promote his own candidacy.
Lee won't make any decision about using the money in his Floridians Uniting for a Stronger Tomorrow committee until at least after the next legislative session.
"None of this money will be used for any other purpose except for what it was intended without full public disclosure and without the permission of the donors," Lee said.
Republicans in the race for CFO include state Rep. Randy Johnson of Celebration and state Sen. Charlie Clary of Destin. Democrats include retired banking executive Alex Sink of Hillsborough and lawyer Eric Copeland of Miami.
Adam C. Smith can be reached at 727 893-8241 or adam@sptimes.com
