Rick Scott's Finance Co-Chair Calls it Quits

Mike Fernandez, Gov. Rick Scott's campaign finance co-chair, abruptly left his position Thursday evening after weeks of disagreement and internal conflict.

According to the Miami Herald, Fernandez expressed frustrations to top Scott allies and "complained about two campaign aides who had joked around in a cartoon-style Mexican accent en route to a Mexican restaurant in Fernandezs home town of Coral Gables."

Fernandez said he was splitting from the campaign to spend more time with his family and businesses.

Together, we have helped the governor raise more than $35 million," wrote Fernandez in a letter released by Scott's campaign. "This has been an unprecedented effort, which is only matched by our shared commitment to re-elect our governor this November.I am proud of the team the governor has put together, and I am confident that we are on course for victory."

Even though he's not officially working with Scott's campaign anymore, Fernandez expressed he'd remain committed to doing all he could to help the governor defeat Charlie Crist in November.

Charlie is not an option, Fernandez said. Rick is the doer. Charlie doesnt have an opinion that is his own. He has a record of not accomplishing anything substantial. Scott has created jobs. Charlie did not.

Democrats were quick to pounce on the news, citing Fernandez's departure as an indicator of a crumbling campaign.

"With his pay-to-play tactics exposed, the turmoil in Rick Scott's campaign has become impossible to hide, saidFlorida Democratic Party spokesman Joshua Karp.After giving Mike Fernandez over $1 billion in state contracts, Rick Scott thought he had found his money man for 2014. But sunshine is the best medicine, and with their relationship exposed, it was only a matter of time before Mike Fernandez had to leave Scott's campaign.

"It looks like Rick Scotts new slogan, 'lets keep working,' actually refers to his never-ending search for replacements to his scandal-plagued, soon-to-be fired senior officials.