Crawford endorses Lee

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published September 9, 2006

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TALLAHASSEE - It was tit-for-tat in the race for Florida chief financial officer Friday, as Republican Tom Lee received the endorsement of a former Democratic Cabinet member.

The announcement that former Agriculture Commissioner Bob Crawford supports Lee came a day after former Comptroller Bob Milligan, a Republican, endorsed Lee's Democratic opponent, Alex Sink.

"Tom Lee has been an independent-minded and courageous leader who has stood up for consumers, even if that meant bucking his own party," Crawford said.

Like Milligan, Crawford has a history of crossing party lines. In prior elections he endorsed Gov. Jeb Bush and President Bush, Republicans.