Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Politics

Democrats at odds in homestretch

By WILL VAN SANT
Published October 11, 2006

As Nov. 7 approaches and the attention of area politicos turns to getting out the vote, the state Republican Party will again enjoy a smooth, focused relationship with the county's GOP leadership.

That's a help when it comes to getting hands on levers - or fingers on touch screens - come Election Day.

But for Democrats, who are banking on wins in Pinellas to bring them a few more seats in the state Legislature, there is strain between the state and local parties.

Cheryl Forchilli, a state Democratic Party employee who manages Bill Heller's House District 52 race, has no plans to rely on the local Democratic apparatus in the weeks to come.

And she's not alone among state operators.

Not only did local Democratic Party chairman Ed Helm back Liz McCallum over Heller in the primaries, but the few short months of Helm's tenure have been marked by a debilitating level of internal bickering, Forchilli said.

"The DEC appears to have enough of its own problems right now," she said. "There is zero effective organization."

Certainly, other Democratic candidates who have modest support from the state are eager to work with the local party, which has made gains recruiting new members under Helm.

But for years, the local GOP has managed to get out a higher percentage of its voters than the Democrats. And a lack of coordination between the local and state parties won't help change that.

HELM SACKS MOLINARO: In the latest move that has angered his detractors, chairman Helm over the weekend booted Toni Molinaro from her job managing the local Democratic Party's Web site.

According to a mass e-mail Molinaro sent Monday, Helm replaced her with a high school intern.

She had been doing the job for two years.

"I am the last of a long line of talented, energetic committed Democrats who have been dismissed by our current chair," Molinaro wrote.

SPEAKING OF TURNOUT: The Pinellas GOP hit the streets Saturday, canvassing in 73 targeted Pinellas precincts on behalf of their statewide candidates.

Party chairman Tony DiMatteo said about 90 party members were knocking on doors.

According to DiMatteo, his organization has benefited from day-by-day coordination with state GOP representatives and is ready to pull the trigger on its turnout effort.

"The planning is over," DiMatteo said. "If you don't have everything down by now, you're done."

OLDSMAR CITY COUNCIL POPULAR: It seems like everyone wants a piece of the Oldsmar City Council these days. Former council member Loretta Wyandt announced she will run for Seat 1 in March.

Four of five council seats are open. Council member Jim Ronecker will resign from the last two years of his term on Seat 1 and seek the mayor's seat. Council member Don Bohr, who has served two terms, also announced he will run for mayor.

And council member Suzanne Vale said she will run for re-election.

Mayor Jerry Beverland, who is term-limited and cannot run, said so many candidates are stepping forward because they won't have to serve with him if they win.

Wyandt has lived in Oldsmar since 1967.

She has served on the City Council twice, most recently in 1990. She lost in the 2000 election to David Tilki.

She was chairwoman of the Ordinance Review Committee and is president of the Top of the Bay Garden Club and of the Oldsmar Historical Society.

"I've been a civic activist for many, many years," Wyandt said. "I don't think there's a club I haven't been involved in."

Wyandt said she has a lot of time to devote to the city since her husband died three years ago. She said she has the experience to serve on the council and that her husband's support before he died gave her the impetus to run.

"One of the last things he said before he passed away, 'Loretta, you love Oldsmar. You've always been committed to it. Whatever happens, stay with it,' " she said.

Beverland's reaction? He's happy he gets to watch this election cycle from the sidelines.

"I think it's going to be a very fascinating election, and what's even more fascinating is I'm not going to be in it," he said.

Tamara El-Khoury and Will Van Sant contributed to this week's Junkie. For more political buzz, go to www.sptimes.com/blogs/buzz. Staff writers can be contacted at political junkie@sptimes.com.

[Last modified October 11, 2006, 06:46:18]