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Away from politics, a normal life

By ADAM C. SMITH
Published March 18, 2007

Four months after losing the Florida governor's race to Republican Charlie Crist, Democratic former U.S. Rep. Jim Davis is practicing law at Holland & Knight in Tampa, serving on the board of the Judeo Christian Health Clinic and about to join the board of the Tampa Bay Partnership. St. Petersburg Times Political Editor Adam Smith caught up with Davis recently:

How's Gov. Charlie Crist doing? Give him a grade.

It's too soon to grade the governor, but I think he's off to a good start. Tallahassee was long overdue for some openness and being receptive to good ideas wherever they came from, and I think Charlie has certainly done that.

After his State of the State speech, where he talked about paper trails (for voting), the environment, teacher pay, one Democrat called him "one of the best Democratic governors Florida has ever had."

There's no reason why Democrats and Republicans can't agree on many of those issues. I think Charlie, having been fresh off the campaign trail and gotten an earful as I did, knew what people expected. ... The one area they have not discussed, and I hope they will as a parent, is improving the schools and changing the way we use the FCAT.

What are you doing with your law practice? ... Will you be lobbying?

I'm offering advice to people who are trying to deal with regulation or government issues. ... There's a one-year (congressional) ban in terms of me lobbying. A year from now if someone asks me to speak to someone on Capitol Hill or in Washington ... I'll do what I can to help.

As you look back on the campaign, is there anything you learned or anything you wish you'd done differently?

I wish I didn't have to spend so much time raising money and could have spent more time out talking to people. ... I'm not sure yet how I could have done it differently, but I know that having to spend 90 percent of my time raising money slowed me down as a candidate. ... I gave it my best. I'm glad I ran. I believed to my core that we needed change in Tallahassee, and Gov. Crist has brought about some of that change.

Any thoughts of running again?

I have no plans to run. I'm happy practicing law again. After the election my family said they hadn't seen me for a long time, they wanted me home. (Laughing) After about a month, they said, okay, it was time for me to get out of the house, particularly my sons. So I think I've found my balance for now.

[Last modified March 18, 2007, 00:29:27]