Retired Army officer and Republican candidate Allen West, currently looking to take on Democratic Congressman Ron Klein in a rematch from the 2008 elections, is taking swipes at prominent Florida Republicans Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, saying they should be ashamed for opposing Arizonas new immigration laws While Rubio and Fred Barnes from Fox News will be headlining, the Florida Family Policy Councils dinner in Orlando on Saturday is drawing other big-name Republicans who are running for statewide office. Attorney General Bill McCollum, who is running for governor, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, who is running for attorney general, and Senate President Jeff Atwater, who is running for state chief financial officer, will all be at the event Republican congressional candidate Jason Sager claims that Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waites retirement and endorsement of Hernando County Sheriff Richard Nugent on the last day for candidates for federal office to file have angered many Republican activists in the district and have helped his campaign tremendously. Nugent remains a heavy favorite to win the Republican nod
Looks like an interesting battle is forming in Daytona. Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno and former Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce president George Mirabal, now heading the newly formed Metro Daytona-Volusia Economic Development Corp., have different views of how effective the countys economic and job creation programs have been. At a recent meeting on jobs in Daytona, Republican Congressman John Mica tried to stay out of it and listen to both sides Speaking of Mica, his Democratic opponent, Flagler County Navy vet Heather Beaven, is doing much better than any other challenger Mica ever had when it comes to raising funds -- though Mica has outraised her by almost $500,000. Still, Beaven has already done better in raising funds than the two Democratic challengers Mica had in 2008 put together and has been backed by the Fraternal Order of Police
Republican Congressman Cliff Stearns has teamed up with Democratic Virginia Congressman Rick Boucher to push a bill ensuring greater security and privacy on the Internet Democratic Congressman Alcee Hastings is breaking party ranks and accusing the Obama administration of dragging its feet on dispersing the federal stimulus in order to bolster the presidents 2012 bid for reelection Former Tampa City Councilman Bob Buckhorn is back. Having lost out to Pam Iorio in 2003, Buckhorn is running for mayor again. This could be a crowded race. City Councilman Tom Scott and former police officer Marion Lewis have already jumped in, and there are rumors that other candidates are looking at entering. They include former Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jim Davis and former Mayor Dick Greco
While he faces a challenge from conservative activist and independent candidate Troy Stanley, Republican Congressman Ander Crenshaw received the ACU Conservative Award from the American Conservative Union for his legislative record in 2009... Sen. Thad Altman, R-Viera, is being challenged by businessman Bart Carmichael, who says he is fed up with paying higher taxes and fees -- some of which Altman backed. While Carmichael is new to politics, he may have an opportunity in the Republican primary. Altman continues to endorse Charlie Crists campaign for the U.S. Senate, even though Crist left the Republicans to continue as an independent.
