On Tuesday, the two leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination -- former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and businessman Herman Cain -- added to their teams in Florida which, as the fourth state in line to determine who the GOP nominee will be -- continues to rank as one of the most important political battlegrounds in the nation.
A day after announcing his political and financial leadership team in the Sunshine State, Romney announced that 24 Republicans in the Florida Legislature had endorsed his presidential candidacy -- bringing his total up to 36.
I am thrilled to have earned the support of so many respected legislators in Florida, saidRomney in a statement released on Tuesday. They are champions for the taxpayer, fighting for the middle class that has been hit so hard by President Obamas failed economic policies. Their hard work in Tallahassee will help put many Floridians back to work. Im excited to work with them to bring my message of reduced spending and fiscal restraint to Washington.
Two Republicans in the state Senate -- Nancy Detert of Venice and Garrett Richter of Naples -- endorsed Romney on Tuesday.
Florida Republicans are getting behind Mitt Romney because he is the one candidate with the leadership experience and conservative solutions to help fix our countrys struggling economy, insisted incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, who was named to the Romney leadership team on Monday. I welcome these legislators who share Mitt Romneys vision for our countrys future. They join an already impressive Florida team and I look forward to working with them to elect Mitt Romney and defeat President Obama in November 2012.
Republican members of the Florida House who endorsed Romney on Tuesday are: Doug Broxson of Milton; Steve Crisafulli of Merritt Island; Marti Coley of Marianna; Fred Costello of DeLand; Jose Felix Diaz of Miami; Jim Frishe of Belleair Bluffs; Eddy Gonzalez of Hialeah Gardens; Ana Rivas Logan of Miami; Charles McBurney of Jacksonville; Larry Metz of Eustis; Peter Nehr of Tarpon Springs; Bryan Nelson of Apopka; Jeanette Nunez of Miami; Jose Olivia of Hialeah; Kathleen Passidomo of Naples; Jimmy Patronis of Panama City; Ray Pilon of Sarasota; Stephen Precourt of Orlando; Lake Ray of Jacksonville; Patrick Rooney of Palm Beach Gardens; John Tobia of Melbourne; and Mike Weinstein of Orange Park.
Cain, who won the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando last month, also added to his team in Florida. Cain named Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, the only state legislator to back him before the straw poll, as a state chairman. Joining Plakon will be former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, former state Sen. Carey Baker and Kathleen Shanahan, who served as chief of staff under former Gov. Jeb Bush.
The Cain camp will also bring in former Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Vice Chairwoman Deborah Cox Roush, who had been serving as Hillsborough County GOP chairwoman, and Republican strategists Arlene DiBenigno and Adam Goodman. Roush resigned the chairmanship on Tuesday.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
