Politics

Dueling pollsters defend thier numbers

By Adam C. Smith, Times Political Editor
Published September 23, 2007

As if Floridians didn't see enough skirmishing among politicians, now we're seeing it among Florida pollsters. Insider Advantage's Matt Towery last week wrote a column blasting a Sept. 3-9 Quinnipiac University poll, which showed Rudy Giuliani leading Fred Thompson by 11 percentage points among Florida Republicans.

"Somewhere in their methodology they continue to misread the state they claim to know so intimately," sniffed Towery, who had his Insider/Advantage firm and Mason-Dixon poll Florida Republicans Sept. 17-19. Both polls found Thompson and Giuliani in a dead heat, with 24 percent support for Giuliani and 23 percent for Thompson.

"We stand by our numbers," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Connecticut-based Quinnipiac Polling Institute, which has been polling in Florida for three years.

There are a couple logical reasons for the differing results. Thompson had not yet jumped in the race during part of the period Quinnipiac polled, and Quinnipiac also included potential candidate Newt Gingrich as a choice, which likely cut back Thompson's numbers.

The people who can raise the money

The bold-faced names for Barack Obama's Sept. 20 fundraisers at Donna and Tim Main's Snell Isle pad in St. Petersburg and Linda and Tom Scarritt's in Old Hyde Park in Tampa (minimum ticket is $1,000, and co-chairs are supposed to raise $10,000):

Tampa: Event chairs Linda and Tom Scarritt and Frank Sanchez; Co-Chairs: Hakim Aquil, Simone Barfield, Yvonne Yolie and Juan Capin, Babs and Don Evans, Lorna and Douglas Gregory, Caren and Dick Lobo, Norma Gene Lykes, Frank Morsani, Shaun Porter, Sara and David Scher; Hosts: Bill Hamilton, Albert Lee, Jr., Nick Martinez, Rosalind and Don Moffett, Sid Morgan, John Ring, Gil Sanchez, Craig Sher, Dr. Aaron Smith.

St. Petersburg: Event Chairs Donna and Tim Main and Frank Sanchez; Co-Chairs: Yvonne Yolie & Juan Capin, Melonie Wilkerson and Jeffrey Gonzalez, Marilyn and Marty Landry, Wendy LaTorre, Victor Young; Host: Dr. Aaron Smith.

Sink deals with an awkward fan

CFO Alex Sink joined Gov. Charlie Crist at a TaxWatch news conference last week and was asked to speak. But as she stepped toward the podium, Sink had to avoid recreating the skirt-raising scene millions of movie watchers remember of Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch.

"Whoa, this fan!" Sink said in her distinctive North Carolina twang, referring to one of the fans the governor likes to aim at himself during press events. "I think we better . . ." The fan was quickly twisted away and Sink laughed it off.

The difference between men and women

Interesting tidbits in the cross tabs of the latest InsiderAdvantage FL presidential poll showing a Thompson/Giuliani dead head in Florida: Republican men back Thompson over Giuliani 31 percent to 23 percent, while Republican women back Giuliani over Thompson 25 percent to 16 percent.

Giuliani crushes the field among Hispanic Florida voters with 47 percent, followed by John McCain with 13 percent.

Visit Florida, one county at a time

Don't be surprised to see a big Mitt Romney bus soon. Having driven the "Mitt Mobile" through all 99 counties in Iowa, Romney's sons now aim to hit all 67 Florida counties.

Maybe they should compare notes first

On the same day we learned that Focus on the Family founder James Dobson has been trashing Fred Thompson - "Isn't Thompson the candidate who is opposed to a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage . . . and can't speak his way out of a paper bag?" - we learn that Dobson's main man in Florida, John Stemberger, has landed Thompson as the keynote speaker for his Florida Family Policy Council dinner in Hollywood Nov. 16.

Elizabeth Edwards to be at luncheon

On Oct. 4, Elizabeth Edwards, the breast cancer survivor and wife of presidential candidate John Edwards will headline a St. Anthony's Health Care Foundation luncheon at the Carillon Hilton supporting breast care services.

A possible vote for Pedro

U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite recently posted an ad for a legislative aide: "Candidate must be hard-working, have a cheerful personality, be extremely well-organized, and know how to cook a delicious bass. ... Please send cover letter, resume and recipes."

Napoleon Dynamite fans will get the reference.

Political Connections

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Tarpon Springs, appears today on Political Connections on Bay News 9. The interview runs at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Adam C. Smith and Alex Leary contributed to this week's Buzz.

[Last modified September 23, 2007, 00:49:26]