State: Reno's entry may draw spotlight

Reno's entry may draw spotlight

While her opponents in the race to become Florida's governor expect more attention on the race, most say her presence won't alter their plans.

By LUCY MORGAN

While her opponents in the race to become Florida's governor expect more attention on the race, most say her presence won't alter their plans.

TALLAHASSEE -- Janet Reno's fellow Democrats welcomed her into an already crowded race Tuesday, saying she will help call attention to the faults of Republican Gov. Jeb Bush.

"She will be good for the race," said one of the five Democratic gubernatorial candidates, former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Pete Peterson. "I would rather she had decided to get out, but now we can start a primary campaign instead of wondering who is in it."

Reno's presence in the race means more Democrats will be aiming their criticism at Bush, noted state Democratic Party Chairman Bob Poe.

Bush said he is pleased at Reno's entry, saying he wants to focus on his record of improvements to education, the environment and protecting Florida's most vulnerable citizens.

"Right now, the platform of most Democratic candidates seems to be anti-Jeb," Bush said. "I'm not going to focus on other candidates. We've got enough to run on. I think people are tired of negative attacks."

Others predicted Reno's decision guarantees a national audience and lots of national money for candidates on both sides.

"This is the marquee race for 2002," Poe said. "It will draw national and international attention for a wide variety of reasons."

And the lingering anger over last year's presidential recount guarantees it will be the prelude for the 2004 presidential race, he added.

A year ago Poe was practically begging Democrats to get in the race. Now he says he thinks some of the Democratic candidates will get out. But he won't predict who leaves the race first.

"I think they are still trying to figure it out," Poe said.

Al Cardenas, chairman of the state Republican Party, said he thinks Reno's entry into the race will leave Democrats fighting one another.

U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson and Bob Graham, the state's top elected Democrats, have worked in the background to keep Reno out of the race. They refused to discuss that when asked about her decision.

Graham urged all of the Democrats to keep the campaign civil, and Nelson said he was ready "to let nature take its course" in a crowded field.

Nelson said he thinks Reno's decision is additional evidence that there is "vigorous disagreement with the governor's policies and job performance."

Meanwhile each of the Democrats already in the race began assessing their own chances.

"It probably doesn't have much impact on my race," said Bill McBride, former managing partner at Holland & Knight. "My decision to run against Bush didn't depend on other candidates. I'll be on the ballot in September 2002."

Although many political observers think Reno's entry into the race makes her a shoo-in to become the party's nominee, others insisted Tuesday that it is far too early to determine who will win the race and earn the right to oppose the governor in November 2002.

Only U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, hinted that Reno's presence in the race might influence his decision to stick around.

"I'm going to make a decision in the next few days," Davis said. "If I think I can run the kind of campaign I want to run, I'll stay. Reno's entry complicates my decision, but it doesn't make the decision. It gives me the lay of the land."

Davis said he thinks Democrats need to focus on the major issues that affect Floridians. He criticized Bush for "ramrodding" his education program through the Legislature without allowing real debate.

All of her fellow Democrats praised Reno's record of accomplishments, but several of the candidates questioned whether the more liberal Reno can get enough votes in North and Central Florida to defeat Bush in a general election.

Most Democrats shied away from publicly criticizing Reno but privately suggested that she cannot win a statewide election, although she may easily win her party's nomination.

Sen. Rod Smith, D-Gainesville, called Reno "an extraordinarily strong candidate," but said she'll have to find a way to do better than Vice President Gore did in North Florida.

"The polls say she cannot beat Jeb," said state Sen. Daryl Jones, D-Miami, who is running for the nomination. "There was a lot of angst over the former attorney general jumping into this race. It is important we have someone who can bring the state together instead of dividing it."

Reno's decision to file the formal paperwork required of candidates came as no surprise to some Democrats.

"She's been campaigning harder than anyone for three months now," said state Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach.

Frankel was one of the first to enter the race and insists she is in it to stay.

"I'm a new face for the Democratic Party and the voters," Frankel said. "A lot will happen between now and next September."

Peterson said Reno's decision doesn't change his own game plan.

"She has been a bit coy," Peterson said of Reno. "But we were already pretty sure she would get in the race."

Peterson said Reno called him Monday night to advise him of her decision.

"She just wanted to shake hands before the bout," Peterson said.

Although some Republicans were almost gleeful at Reno's entry into the race, others urged caution.

"It would be a mistake to write her off," said Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami. "She is a formidable opponent. She speaks her mind and doesn't shy away from issues."

- Researcher Kitty Bennett and staff writers Alisa Ulferts, Bill Adair and Julie Hauserman contributed to this report.