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The Buzz: Florida politics

The other capitol is a good target

State Sen. Rod Smith rebutted U.S Rep. Jim Davis' criticism of "those politicians in Tallahassee" by praising the recent reform on lobbying.

By Times staff writers
Published January 22, 2006

In the Democratic primary for governor, state Sen. Rod Smith of Alachua is getting sick of U.S. Rep. Jim Davis' broad-brushed bashing of "those politicians in Tallahassee" or "this crowd in Tallahassee" or the "failure of leadership in Tallahassee."

"You know what the Legislature desperately needs? Adult supervision," the Tampa congressman last week in Miami told a group of African-American pastors, who roared with laughter. Smith, one of that "crowd in Tallahassee," was stone-faced.

But the state senator apparently has decided Davis is campaigning from a glass house, working in Washington: "I did come from a simple father who (told) me a long time ago as a farmer, "Be careful when people come down and tell you, I'm from Washington and I'm here to help you,' " Smith told delighted Florida Realtors in Orlando on Friday.

Earlier in the week in Miami, Smith shot back at Davis' criticism over irresponsible budgeting - "I want you to look at the level of debt we have coming out of Washington right now. It is unprecedented" - and Davis' talk of special interests controlling Tallahassee.

"It's been said we have problems with politicians in Tallahassee, and I guess that refers to all of us in Tallahassee. . . . I'm proud of what Tallahassee's done to reform lobbying and say, "We're not taking any gifts.' Let me ask you this, when did Washington do it?"

Davis brushed off Smith's new penchant for Washington bashing. "If he wants to reform Washington, he should run for Congress," Davis said.

WHAT TAX INCREASE?: Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher, campaigning as a strong conservative, faces regular questions about his record, which includes describing himself as prochoice, supporting big tax increase proposals such as the ill-fated services tax under Gov. Bob Martinez and the 1994 Penny for Prisons proposal to fund prison construction.

In an interview, though, Gallagher came up with some unusual spin on that Penny for Prisons proposals. Though it was widely described as a measure to let voters approve a 1-cent sales tax increase, Gallagher now says that's not so.

"I wanted to offer to the people an opportunity to vote to spend a penny on prisons. Didn't say it had to be a new penny - could have been an old penny," Gallagher said.

As for his overall ideological evolution, Gallagher noted that he is now married and has a son. "I think it was Winston Churchill that said if you are not a liberal when you are a child you have no heart, and if you're not a conservative when you grow older you have no brain. . . . I'm not a bit embarrassed about having evolved. I'm comfortable where I am today."

Gallagher's interview airs today at 11 a.m. on Political Connections on Bay News 9. Starting Monday, the interview can be seen on Channel 340 (Tampa Bay on Demand).

CRIST'S COMPANION: From a White House Christmas party to this morning's Martin Luther King breakfast in St. Petersburg, the couple are being spotted more and more: Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and Katie Pemble, the chief operating officer of the Bank of St. Petersburg.

"We're dating," the longtime banker confirmed last week.

Pemble, 41, and Crist, 49, have been seeing each other for several months. And in terms of politics (which, of course, is how The Buzz views everything) this relationship has loads of small world wrinkles.

A former regional executive with Bank of America, Republican Pemble is a longtime friend and former colleague of Democratic chief financial officer candidate Alex Sink. She gave Sink's husband, former Democratic gubernatorial candidat e Bill McBride, a $100 contribution in 2002.

She is also sister-in-law of John Kynes, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Davis' district director. She gave Davis' campaign $100 in March. But Crist needn't be too steamed: She gave his campaign $200 in June.

BENSE'S AGENDA: State House Speaker Allan Bense's top priority in 2006 is also a priority of the business lobbies that are stalwart supporters of Republican legislators. It is repealing the age-old doctrine of joint and several liability, in which deep-pocket defendants can be liable for damages in a case based on their ability to pay, not based on the extent of their liability.

Bense told the St. Petersburg Times editorial board last week that his goal is to pass the repeal law in the first two weeks of the session and send it to the Senate.

Bense stopped short of saying he would use the repeal as a club and hold the Senate's agenda hostage until the tort reform bill goes to the governor. "I've never been a person who tries to get even,' Bense said. "I don't think horse trading should happen."

The trial lawyers oppose a repeal of joint and several liability, and they have significant influence in the more moderate Senate, which is led by Republican Tom Lee of Valrico, a candidate for chief financial officer. Lee's designated successor, Ken Pruitt of Port St. Lucie, has also benefited from trial lawyer campaign support.

Finally, there's this: One of the groups pushing repeal, the Florida Justice Reform Institute, is headed by William Large, a lawyer and former deputy chief of staff for Gov. Jeb Bush.

WIDE OPEN RACES: Poll results released last week by Vantage Point Strategies conclude the gubernatorial primaries have barely begun and anyone can win. In the Republican primary for governor, Gallagher leads Crist, 28 percent to 23 percent, with 49 percent undecided. That can't be called a lead for Gallagher because the poll of 330 likely GOP voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points.

The story is much the same on the Democratic side, with one big difference: the undecideds (or "unsure" in Vantage Point's survey) are a whopping 75 percent. Davis scored 14 percent and Smith 11 percent in this poll of 331 likely Democratic voters.

Adam C. Smith, Steve Bousquet and Mary Jane Park contributed to this week's Buzz. For more political news check out www.sptimes.com/blogs/buzz

[Last modified January 22, 2006, 01:01:11]