Another year, another close election in Florida but there was much more going on besides the gubernatorial race.
Considered a dead man politically only two years ago, Rick Scott came roaring back this year, defeating Charlie Crist, who in the last four years went from a Republican to running with no party affiliation to a Democrat, by 64,000 votes, 48 percent to 47 percent. It was an ugly race with both candidates going on the attack early and often. Libertarian Adrian Wyllie looked in some polls to be a factor but ended up with only 4 percent. Despite that, Wyllie took a big step forward for his party. By the end of the race, both of the two major candidates were upside down in the polls but Scott held on as voters contrasted his economic record with Crists.
To be sure, there were some dramatic moments that will stay in Floridas political memory for some time to come: Scott staying off stage due to Crists fan during a debate, old rival Bill McCollum finally endorsing Scott, Crists constant game of cat and mouse with Barack Obama and the Democrats. When the smoke cleared, Scott held on even as other Republicans across Florida did much better in the general election.
If Scott won by the skin of his teeth, his three colleagues in the Florida Cabinet scored big wins in November. Democrats hoped George Sheldons longstanding service would help him against Pam Bondi but the Republican attorney general ran over him. Democrats didnt even bother to field credible candidates against Jeff Atwater and Adam Putnam and both of those Republicans cruised to second terms.
But despite the GOPs big wins, Leslie Dougher, even with Rick Scotts support, ended 2014 scrambling to keep her job at the RPOF from three challengers. Despite an abysmal year, Allison Tant remains in charge of the Florida Democrats, even as she faces rising criticism for interfering in the primary process, including helping Crist ignore a challenge from Nan Rich.
Over in the Florida Senate, not a single sitting senator went down to defeat or faced term limits. Only one of them -- Maria Sachs -- even faced a serious challenge though she held off Ellyn Bogdanoff by a whisker in a rematch from 2012. Despite all that, there is now one open Senate seat since John Thrasher headed off to lead Florida State University. In the meantime, as Don Gaetz handed the gavel off to Andy Gardiner, the struggle between Joe Negron and Jack Latvala to be the next Senate president continued, even as Bill Galvano started nailing it down for 2018.
If the Senate remained unchanged, Republicans now have a stronger margin of control in the House, regaining a veto-proof majority as Steve Crisafulli takes over from Will Weatherford as speaker. Six Democrat incumbents went down to defeat -- including Karen Castor Dentel from that Florida Democratic dynasty -- and some familiar faces returned to the House for the GOP: Brad Drake, Eric Eisnaugle, Shawn Harrison, Scott Plakon. In the meantime, James Grant is running for his old seat in a special election while Paul Renner, having lost a Republican House primary in Jacksonville to Jay Fant by two votes in August, now looks likely to pick up an open seat vacated by the race for Thrashers old Senate seat.
Medical marijuana took center stage in Florida politics this year. John Morgan put a proposed constitutional amendment expanding medical marijuana on the ballot but it lost by a slender margin. Morgan did little to help his cause once he put the amendment on the ballot with his sons name floated as a Democratic candidate to take on Bondi and a video went viral of the prominent trial lawyer talking about his own marijuana usage and dropping vulgar words. Plenty of Floridians thought Morgan was more concerned with trying to bolster former employee Crist than in pushing Amendment 2 over the top. Unbowed, Morgan vows to bring back medical marijuana for 2016.
Over in the Legislature, Scott scored some big wins, slashing $500 million in taxes even as the state debt went down and the economy continued to improve. Two rising stars in the Florida House -- Republican Matt Gaetz and Democrat Katie Edwards -- teamed up to pass Charlottes Web on medical marijuana, a step forward even if it did not appease Morgan and Amendment 2 backers. Despite Republican majorities, Weatherfords call for in-state tuition for illegals passed and Debbie Mayfields attack on Common Core went nowhere. A Tallahassee judge ruled against the Legislatures redistricting efforts, forcing a special session in the summer which went smoothly, thanks in part to Galvanos leadership.
A busy year all around in Florida politics -- and, even as narrow as Scotts win was, a good year for the GOP.
Tallahassee political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this analysis exclusively for Sunshine State News.
