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Politics

Tricky Time for Candidate-Politicians

February 24, 2010 - 6:00pm

As politicians position themselves for the 2010 elections, sure as the sun comes up in the morning, the ones who hold office will try to use this legislative session to attract attention and lure as much support as they can.

But, the session is tricky. Unsuspecting candidate-lawmakers can find even their best issues -- the points they truly believe define them -- jumping up to bite them in places it hurts them most. Here's an example to illustrate the point:

On Monday, Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, joined House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, in filing a resolution calling on Congress to support an Amendments Convention for the purpose of passing a balanced budget amendment.

Apparently, oops ...

The Capitol press corps came down on Atwater like a ton of bricks. He spent much of the speech's aftermath swatting down reporters questions asking if calling for this amendment was hypocritical in light of how Floridas balanced budget relied on federal stimulus money.

Over the next two days, in four different press stories, Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, lambasted Atwater for being a hypocrite in wanting Congress to balance the budget while relying on federal stimulus money to balance Florida's budget. Fitzgerald also pointed out that Congress hasn't once supported a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution since it was ratified in 1788.

As Atwater balances presiding over the Senate and running for chief financial officer, he might as well break out his flak jacket. Every time he climbs up on a bully pulpit, he'll be fielding buckshot.

Atwater is not alone. Other officeholders/office-seekers are trying to use the spotlight to further their 2010 electoral ambitions.

Gov. Charlie Crist is running for the U.S. Senate. Attorney General Bill McCollum, CFO Alex Sink and Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, are running for governor. Rep. Pat Patterson, R-DeLand, hopes to upset Atwater in the Republican primary for CFO. Lt. Gov, Jeff Kottkamp, Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, and Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach have joined the attorney general race.

Add to those at least 10 state senators and representatives running for Congress, with others on the sidelines still contemplating it.

While legislators will not be able to fund-raise for state office during the session or use staff for campaign activities during regular business hours, those running for higher office will attempt to turn the media spotlight until it focuses on them. But, they do so at their own peril. If they misstep or misspeak, that media glare can turn into a burn.

Political opponents also are ready to throw obstacles in the path of their rivals. The session is only three days old, and McCollum and Sink have already taken shots at each others records on everything from attempts to control costs to ethic reforms.

A relentless reporter corps trying to do its job can pose an obstacle, especially in pointing out a politicians inconsistencies.

Kottkamp is an example. NewsMax.com ran an interview with Kottkamp on Feb. 28 in which the lieutenant governor criticized the Obama administrations handling of the economy. The only in-state story on Kottkamps interview focused on how his comments stood in stark contrast to the Crist administrations support of the stimulus money.

All of the candidates face serious challenges as they attempt to move from one office to another.

The budget could give Crist some major headaches. Both the House and the Senate leadership are already grumbling that the governors budget is too costly and relies on unsecured funding. A protracted fight over it doesn't help Crists aspirations.

Lost in the shadows of the Crist-Marco Rubio battle, Kottkamp will be fighting for attention in his run for attorney general.

Like Crist, Kottkamp is engaged in a tougher-than-expected primary contest. In the last quarter of 2009, he raised less than either of his two chief rivals for the Republican AG nomination. He raised $189,000 during that period, less than either former state Health Care Secretary Holly Benson and Hillsborough County Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi.

Kottkamp looks to build momentum by taking a leading role against the Obama administrations planned budget cuts to NASA. Kottkamp stresses these cuts mean the loss of thousands of jobs on the Space Coast. Kottkamp also looks to shut down pill mills in the state using his perch on the Governors Council on Drug Control.

With two decades in Congress and unsuccessful runs for the U.S. Senate in 2000 and 2004, McCollum will be trying to reintroduce himself to the Florida voters as he runs for governor.

McCollum hopes to brandish his crime-fighting credentials by focusing on anti-gang measures, public safety issues and preventing mortgage fraud. McCollum will also be looking to deflect attacks on his long record in Washington. The Democrats have attacked him for backing congressional pay raises and heavy federal spending.

CFO Sink is a heavy favorite to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Sink has already positioned herself as a fiscal hawk with experience in both the private and public sectors to help guide Florida during tough economic times.

Using the bully pulpit of her office to reinforce her credentials, Sink has been calling for the state to streamline its middle management. She has provided cost-saving tips to various agencies, most famously stressing how much money her office was saving the state by reusing paper clips.

The only Democrat to win a state Cabinet office during the last decade, Sink will defend her experience in the private sector. Republicans have already raised questions about her tenure in charge of Bank of Americas Florida operations.

Atwater hopes to replace Sink as state CFO. He promised quick passage of a number of pieces of legislation, including reforming the state Public Service Commission and deferring the unemployment compensation ta x hike. The tax-hike delay was accomplished on the session's first day.

Atwater also will be in charge of the Senate through what promises to be a divisive and tortuously paced procedure to pass the state budget. Other issues, such as Indian gambling and offshore drilling, might also trip Atwater up.

Recent history offers an example of the perils Atwater and the others may face. In 2006, Tom Lee, who like Atwater was using the Senate President post to run for CFO, spent time during the campaign forced to defend his legislative record and Senate leadership, especially on insurance issues. Sink defeated Lee 53.5 percent to 46.5 percent in the 2006 election.

Each candidate will have opportunities and challenges, but there are some common themes that all of them will stress.

With the Republican Party of Florida reeling from questionable financial practices and former House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin, having resigned after being charged with misconduct, all of the leading Florida politicians are stressing transparency, integrity and honesty this year. All three of the leading gubernatorial candidates have called for ethics reforms in state government.


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