U.S. Reps Featured in Latest Round of Dem AG Race Endorsement Battle

On paper there seems little to differentiate the two state senators running in the Democratic primary for attorney general. They are both from South Florida. They often hold the same positions on the issues and they have both done well with fundraising.

The campaign has now settled into a holding pattern and has become a contest of picking up endorsements and here the two camps have shown different strategies. State Sen.Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, has been focusing on gathering the support of county sheriffs in an attempt to reinforce his crime fighting credentials. Aronbergs rival, state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, has been reeling in the support of big name Democrats like Jim Davis, Janet Reno, Betty Castor and Buddy MacKay.

The battle of endorsements continued this week as the two candidates brought out new backers and both campaigns continued their patterns with Aronberg getting the backing of another sheriff while Gelber landed another big name.

On Wednesday, Aronberg announced that he had picked up the backing of Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young. Young becomes the 13^th county sheriff to back Aronberg.

On Friday morning, the Gelber campaigncountered with the endorsementofU.S. Rep.Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Vice Chair of the DNC and a vocal proponent of health care on the national level. Wasserman Schultz praised Gelbers experience in the Legislature and in the legal arena and said he reminded her of former AG Bob Butterworth. She also praised Gelbers political appeal, including the pickup of 9 state House seats in 2006.

Upon hearing this news, the Aronberg changed their tactics and brought out the endorsement ofU.S. Rep.Ron Klein who served with Aronberg in the state senate.