Two of the leading Republicans are taking to the airwaves this week, backing two different candidates in the tightly contested Florida gubernatorial race.
The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) will release a TV ad on Wednesday featuring former Gov. Jeb Bush backing Gov. Rick Scott. In the ad, Bush ignores Democratic candidate former Gov. Charlie Crist though he throws a subtle jab, contrasting him with Scott.
In my experience as governor, I found that there are two kinds of politicians, Bush says in the ad. Those that are driven by personal ambition and those that deliver results. Rick Scott delivers results. Under Rick Scotts leadership, our state is moving forward again. Unemployment has been cut in half. And more than 600,000 jobs have been created. And Rick is increasing our investment in education.
Bush, who has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, endorsed Scott last year. Back in 2010, Bush endorsed then-Attorney General Bill McCollum over Scott in the Republican primary.
But Crist is getting some help of his own from Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano who had been one of the leading Republicans in Tallahassee for almost 20 years. Fasano was appointed to his current post by Scott last summer.
Fasano, who had been expected to back Crist, appears in a new ad for the Democratic candidate. Crist had been an ally of Fasano when he was a Republican. After being caught by Marco Rubio in the 2010 U.S. Senate primary, Crist left the GOP to run with no party affiliation. Crist joined the Democrats at the end of 2012.
"When I saw the smears from Rick Scott against Charlie Crist, I had to say something," Fasano says in the new ad. "Listen, I've known Charlie Crist for decades. We don't agree on everything, but he's a good man and was a good governor."
First elected to the Florida House in 1994, Fasano rose to become majority leader in that chamber. In 2002, he was elected to the Florida Senate where he served a decade, becoming president pro tempore under then-Senate President Jeff Atwater. Facing term limits in the Senate in 2012, Fasano ran once again for the Florida House.
In more recent years, Fasano has clashed with the Republican leadership in Tallahassee. Fasano remained behind Crists Senate campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2010 even after the then-governor ditched the GOP. Fasano also clashed with the current House leadership on expanding Medicaid in his last session in Tallahassee in 2013.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
