While Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio's battle for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination is grabbing headlines, other Florida primary fights are also shaping up. Four Democrats have already announced plans to run for commissioner of agriculture.
The campaign field currently consists of former Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox, former state Rep. Rick Minton, former Suwannee County Commissioner Randy Hatch and Thad Hamilton, who serves on the Broward Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors.
On the Republican side, the only candidate is U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam. He has had noticeable fundraising success, hauling in more than $1.1 million for his campaign in 2009.
Political insiders active with the party say Maddox is the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. Maddox has the most statewide recognition thanks to his tenure as chairman of the Florida Democratic Party and previous bids to be attorney general in 2002 and governor in 2006. While none of the campaigns have released their fundraising figures for the first quarter of 2010 yet, Maddox far exceeded the rest of the field in raising money in 2009, despite entering the race later than the other candidates.
Highlighting consumer protection
At 42, Maddox is already a veteran of the political scene. Elected to the Tallahassee City Commission in 1993, Maddox became mayor two years later. He ran for the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2002 and served two years as chairman of the state party before making a brief run for the gubernatorial nomination in 2006.
The chief issue of his campaign, Maddox said, is "consumer protection, be it in agricultural subject matters or other areas.
He has made opposition to offshore oil drilling one of the centerpieces of his campaign.
Oil drilling is a consumer protection issue, Maddox said. It is a threat to our economy. It is a threat to the safety and well-being of the state.
Maddox also talked up his agricultural background. I was raised on a farm, he said, noting that his mother still lives on the site and that his wifes family has farmed the same land for 200 years.
The largest challenge that Florida agriculture faces, Maddox said, is working with farmers still reeling from freezes and price fluctuations resulting from inclement weather.
Maddox also said he believes Florida would do well to continue the Farm to Fuel program, which encourages farmers to create biofuels.
'Something I have prepared for all my life'
Former state Rep. Rick Minton hopes his experience will propel him to victory. Im the most credentialed Democratic candidate, he said Tuesday.
A farmer for more than 35 years with undergraduate and graduate degrees in agricultural sciences and management from the University of Florida, Minton served four terms in the Florida House from 1992 until 2000 and served as an adviser to three state agriculture commissioners.
Minton calls himself a very conservative Democrat and refers to Bob Graham and Lawton Chiles as his political heroes. He said he was very active in state efforts to reform welfare during Chiles first term as governor.
Bill Clinton picked up my welfare bill and took it across the country, Minton said.
Minton is bringing up issues on both the agricultural and consumer fronts, including food safety, telemarketing and outreach programs on healthy eating. He is also pushing for biofuels as a way to reduce Americas dependency on foreign oil. Pointing to Brazils use of biofuels, Minton said, Theyre self sufficient and we should be by now, too.
Unlike some of his rivals, Minton said, he is not using the position as a springboard for future office. This is something I have prepared for all my life. Im not using this post to hop to the next position, he said.
Sizing up his competitors for the Democratic nomination, Minton said, Scott Maddox is the front runner now but I have the qualifications.
Touring Florida at 20 mph
Randy Hatch, the former commissioner of Suwannee County, thinks Floridians have had enough of career politicians and are looking for a political outsider.
People are really responding since Im doing something no one else is doing, Hatch said. Im listening.
Hatch has been involved in farm issues in the Sunshine State since 1977, when he helped lead the farm strike.
He has logged more than 800 miles in his Florida at 20 MPH tour as he drives across the state in his tractor. On Tuesday, Hatch said his tour has increased his visibility and political prospects.
Fundraising is picking up, he said, adding that appearance requests are, as well.
Hatch has more than just farming on his resume. A former president of the Florida Association of Counties and former chair of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Hatch is the author of the Florida Right to Farm Act, which protects farmers from frivolous lawsuits, and is an expert on agricultural issues.
My background is ideal, Hatch said. Im absolutely the most qualified candidate.
Helping veterans and aiding education
Rounding out the field is Thad Hamilton, who grew up on a farm and studied agriculture at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He worked for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 36 years, including stints in New Mexico and Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. He also served in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Hamilton said his experience with agriculture at the state and national levels as well as his extensive resume qualify him for the post. We have to bring agriculture, the environment and the people of the state of Florida together, he said.
While he has many years of experience in agriculture, Hamilton said he also understands the other functions of the office. We need to protect the consumers from unfair and fraudulent business practices, he said.
Hamilton talked about the plights veterans face and the challenges of education in Florida, saying he would try to address these issues.
Were moving ahead at a very good pace, he said. The campaign is doing great.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or (850) 727-0859.
