Floridas newest gubernatorial candidate hit Pensacola on Tuesday to discuss the oil spill in the Gulf. Independent candidate Lawton Bud Chiles met with a teen volunteer group, talked with restaurant owners about how the spill impacted sections of the economy, toured the beach and received updates on oil cleanup efforts Chiles was not the only candidate in Pensacola Tuesday. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Greene was also in town, talking to economic leaders and businessmen about the spill Greene and his chief rival for the Democratic nomination, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, have agreed to debate on June 22. Former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre, who is also running for the nomination, was not invited
Organizing for America and the University of Central Florida College Democrats, one of the most active College Dems chapters in the nation, hosted a kickoff for the campaign season Saturday featuring state CFO Alex Sink, the likely Democratic gubernatorial nominee. Also in attendance was Amy Mercado, the Democratic challenger to incoming Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, and Loranne Ausley, front--runner for the Democratic CFO nomination Democratic congressional candidate Scott Fortune will be holding a booth at Orlandos Juneteenth Music Festival on June 19. Fortune, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, will be sponsoring the main stage at the event. The candidate will be working the crowd at the event, which honors the emancipation of slaves during the Civil War
A high-profile week for Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan in Washington. Buchanan has been very vocal in support of Israels right to self-defense in stopping ships headed to Gaza -- but he is also getting some unwanted attention for being the highest spender in Congress for the first quarter of 2010 when it comes to mass mailings. Buchanans mailings to his district in the first quarter came to $239,361The Washington County Republican Party will be hosting some of the states leading Republicans in Chipley on June 12. The GOP front-runner for the state CFO nomination and Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, agriculture and consumer services commissioner candidate U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, attorney general candidates Pam Bondi and Holly Benson, Rep. Brad Drake, R-Eucheeanna, and Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker, are expected to be in attendance
New endorsements in the Democratic primary contest between Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, and former Leon County Democratic Party chairman Rick Minor: Rehwinkel Vasilinda picked up the support of the Florida AFL-CIO and the Florida Professional Firefighters, while Minor is being backed by the Business and Professional Women of Florida Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, has hit the airwaves, running television ads for his bid to replace Atwater in the Senate. Domino faces Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, in the Republican primary with the winner to face Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton Look for Broward County politicians to start talking about education and jobs. The Broward County School District laid off more than 1,300 employees, including 568 teachers, on Tuesday.
