The close contest between Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach and Sen. Dave Aronberg of Greenacres for the Democratic nomination for attorney general is growing increasingly contentious in the final two weeks before the Aug. 24 primary.
Both campaigns are relying on 527 groups to help propel their team to victory; both are taking shots at each other for using the 527s.
I have withstood the temptation to attack my opponent's campaign tactics in this race, or to even bring up his negative campaigning, wrote Aronberg to supporters on Tuesday. After all, negative campaigning is nothing new, and neither side is blameless when the dirt begins to fly. But hypocrisy is something different.
Aronberg unloaded on the Gelber campaign. "I have never before seen a campaign whose rhetoric is so opposite from reality, he said. Soon after last week's poll was released that showed us ahead, my opponent responded by sending out yet another vicious attack mailer that distorts my legislative record.
"What's worse, he didn't send it out from his campaign. Rather, he hid behind a third-party group called Common Sense, that he has been raising money into. That way, he can decry shadowy political attacks and deliver them all at the same time. He can pretend that he will keep his hands clean while his group slings mud.
Common Sense is a 527 based in Tallahassee. Gelber activated it in late July. During the last half of July, the organization gathered more than $30,000.
Aronberg also took a shot at Gelbers political career. Having served eight years in the House, Gelber won election to the Senate in 2008, only to promptly start up a campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 2010 U.S. Senate contest. Gelber quickly bowed out of the race and set his sights on becoming attorney general.
Perhaps most ironic of all is that one of his attack mailers calls me a typical politician, when it is my opponent who is running for his third different office in a period of seven months, wrote Aronberg. The fact that my opponent has jumped from race to race to race looking for a political job may not upset voters. After all, we have come to expect a certain amount of opportunism in politics. But what voters don't like is hypocrisy.
Gelber quickly responded, sending out an e-mail to supporters on Tuesday accusing Aronberg of swiftboating his campaign -- linking Aronberg to Republicans as well as bringing back memories of the attacks on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry back in 2004.
I just learned that my opponent has transferred nearly $200,000 from the Mainstream Democrats, a group created to help elect Democrats, to a GOP swiftboat fund called Voters Response, wrote Gelber. The Republican lobbyist who runs Voters Response said they will spend the money to take on our campaign.
The people behind this GOP front group are some of the most ardent and partisan Republicans in Florida, continued Gelber. He told the Mainstream donors the money would go to help elect more Democrats, but he instead gave it to the Republicans to attack us.
Clearly my Democratic opponent will stop at nothing to win, even if it means turning to Republican swiftboaters, wrote Gelber.
The Gelber team continued to pound Aronberg on Wednesday. During a conference call, the Gelber campaign had U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, who endorsed their candidate, speak to the media.
I have become deeply disturbed about the conduct of my good friend Dave Aronberg, she said. Hes willing to say or do anything to get elected.
Wasserman-Schultz contrasted Aronberg to Gelber. Dan Gelber has conducted his campaign in a way the voters can be proud of, said Wasserman-Schultz.
She blasted Aronberg for the Republican connections to Voter Response. Why would it ever be acceptable for a candidate trying to be the Democratic nominee to send money to a Republican operative? she demanded.
Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, who has not endorsed either candidate, criticized Aronberg for his handling of Florida Mainstream Democrats, a group that Kriseman once led.
Gelber said that while he opposed the use of 527 groups like Florida Mainstream Democrats, Common Sense and Voter Response, he was forced to rely on Common Sense as long as Aronberg continued to use his. I cant unilaterally disarm, said Gelber.
Aronberg also received backing from an unexpected ally on Wednesday when the campaign team of billionaire financier Jeff Greene, currently battling U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek in a lose contest for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. Senate race, distributed palm cards in Palm Beach County supporting Aronberg.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
