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Campaign Crawlers
Oranges and Lemons
Marco Rubio is doing sweetly — but Rick Scott has left too many Republicans feeling sour.
TAMPA — Sixty-two days left. But who’s counting? Last week’s primary cleared a lot of political underbrush, leaving Florida with one major state-wide race that looks good for the conservative candidate, another that’s problematic.
The problem is political newcomer Rick Scott, who confounded last-minute polls and the entire Florida Republican establishment by beating Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum by three points for the Republican nomination for governor. The operatically rich Scott spent about $50 million of his own money in the primary campaign, one of the nastiest in Florida’s history. Now he wants those establishment types he carpet-bombed in the primary to help him raise money for the general.
Scott ran in the primary as an outsider, making him one of the few candidates who’ve recently run as an outsider who actually is an outsider. He made his unlikely fortune as a health care entrepreneur and executive and has never sought political office before. His name was not on the Rolodex of a single political consultant when he declared for the office just a few months ago. Rick Who? He’s running for what?
Scott ran on conservative themes, promising among other things to cut state spending and to get at least as tough on illegal immigrants as Arizona has. He said the state’s establishment Republicans, all of whom lined up behind McCollum in the primary race, have made a botch of things and he plans to use his business skills to clean up the mess they’ve made. In a year in which being an incumbent isn’t an advantage, it worked.
Trouble is, Scott could now use some of these establishment screw-ups (his characterization) and “career politicians” to help him in what will surely be a tough race against his Democratic opponent, former banking executive and current Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink.
Though she’s to the left of Scott on most issues, she supports ObamaCare, for example, she’s not seen by Floridians who know her as a left geek. Unlike most Democratic office holders and wannabes, Sink has not only worked in the private sector most of her career but has succeeded there. She rose to be CEO of Bank of America’s Florida operation. She can raise money and she will be difficult to run a negative campaign against. Even some Republicans say she is more predictable and less apt to shoot from the hip than the mercurial Scott.
Republicans held a “unity Rally,” the first of many, in Tampa Monday with Scott, party officials, candidates, office-holders, fund raisers, and others who would be useful to Scott as he runs against Sink, who was able to keep her powder and her campaign cash dry during a primary where she faced only token opposition. There was a lot of smiling, air-kissing, and solidarity talk at the rally (had they been Democrats they would have sung “Kumbaya”). But many of the smiles were over gritted teeth. Though the official line is that Republicans are united behind Scott (and they may eventually be), the truth is lots of Republicans just don’t like this guy. He takes about 40 percent negatives into a tough campaign.
McCollum himself hasn’t yet said he will support Scott in the general. For now he and his team of CPAs are still trying to compile an exhaustive (and exhausting) list of all the nasty names Scott called McCollum during the campaign and all the over-the-top charges he made against him. McCollum may come around. But, understandably, he’s still smarting now. If this campaign were conducted by the same rules of etiquette that apply in Major League Baseball, McCollum would still owe Scott about 10 brush-back pitches.
In addition to the nasty campaign, Florida Republicans are understandably concerned about the fact that Scott was CEO of HCA/Columbia when that hospital chain was accused of Medicare fraud, which eventually led to the company paying a record $1.7 billion in fines. Scott’s exact responsibility in this, if any, was not ferreted out in the primary campaign, though the media and McCollum tried hard enough. The Sink Campaign will be all over it.
Hard to tell what will happen in this one over the next two months. But for now call it a toss-up, or leaning Sink.
CONSERVATIVE SENATE CANDIDATE Marco Rubio looks to be in much better shape than Scott. The youngish — 39 — former Florida House Speaker has run an inspiring campaign on conservative themes and a vow to vigorously oppose the efforts of Obama and his Democratic enablers to remake American along statist lines. Where Scott is fighting dislike and distrust in his own ranks as well as having to run against the Democrat, Rubio is well liked by most Florida Republicans, from establishment types to the grass roots.
Rubio has caught the attention of national conservatives — George Will, Steve Forbes, Jim DeMint, Grover Norquist, et al. — who say Rubio’s promises to attempt to cut federal spending, to support limited government and push for a vigorous foreign policy based on keeping America the strongest military force in the world, are proof that he gets it, and that there is hope, with office holders like Rubio, that the Republican Party could recover from its fall from grace.
Whether Rubio wins the Senate seat or not, he’s already performed a public service by forcing Florida’s formerly RINO governor Charlie Crist to quit pretending to be a Republican. In April, trailing Rubio by two to one in some polls in a race for the Republican Senate nomination, Crist announced he would no longer run as a Republican, as he had said over and over he would, but would seek the office as an independent. Since then he’s been trying to convince Florida voters that he feels very strongly both ways about just about everything. It isn’t working.
The latest polls show Rubio leading Crist by about 10 points with Democrat Kendrick Meek trailing badly. As an independent, Crist faces some formidable arithmetic. With the popular and charismatic Rubio holding Crist to around 20 percent of Republican votes, Crist will have to get somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 percent of Democratic votes as well as at least half of independents to be competitive Nov. 2. He may need even more Democrats as there is more enthusiasm for this race among Republicans than among Democrats, and the R’s may well win the turnout race by a substantial margin.
Tall order. Crist is gaining only about 35 percent of Democratic voters now, even though he has shifted almost all of his formerly conservative positions to the left to accommodate Democratic voters, who he sees as his only chance.
A lot can happen in two months and change. Crist has shown in the primary that he’s capable of going negative. It didn’t help him then, and it’s even less likely to now with Crist being squeezed from both the left and right. For now, Advantage Rubio.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
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Jim O'Brien| 9.1.10 @ 7:28AM
If the Demo Sink wins, Florida can look forward to a state income tax, other new taxes, and further economic decline.
Crist will draw enough votes away from Rubio to hand the Senate seat to Demo Meek, a clone of Obama. Dismal outlook. Vomit.
Cliff| 9.1.10 @ 12:41PM
Umm, not a single poll has shown Meek in anything but third place.
Warrior | 9.1.10 @ 3:04PM
Crist hurts Meek as much or even more than Rubio. You don't seem to have a grasp of Florida politics.
xcon| 9.1.10 @ 8:51PM
The first polls show Scott up by 6.
Does that give the libtwit Sink the lead?
Doctor Right| 9.1.10 @ 8:17AM
I'm so sick of these kinds of stories.
I've had to hold my nose and vote for establishment-RINOs too many times to count. McCain and my worthless Congressman Leonard Lance are the two best examples.
Seems like a lot of the whining this time around is from the RINOs and CINOs who don't want to support a conservative, Tea Party-type candidate.
These RINOs and CINOs have the support of left-leaning, pseudo-Republican idiots like David Brooks and David Frum, bot of whom go out of their way to disparage Sarah Palin and the Tea Party whenever they can.
So my advice to these RINOs and CINOs in Florida is thus:
Vote for the Democrat, you pusillanimous fools!
Go ahead! Why should you EVER "go along to get along", like we Conservatives have to do in nearly every election.
Make a statement! Screw the state of Florida!
...I really despise these panty-waists...
Glenn Yates| 9.1.10 @ 8:58AM
It was 1.7 billion, with a b.
Had a friend who worked on his legal defense, and she liked him. He was already gone by the time I got to HCA, so no first-hand knowledge, but at least he opposes Obama Care, unlike the higher-ups we have here now.
Charlie The Wafer| 9.1.10 @ 9:57AM
Sink will win because of Scott's massive negatives.
Rubio will win by 10 points, and he will be a great senator and future presidential candidate. Crist is the ultimate "empty suit", thin as a wafer, with no moral compass at all.
I live in FL, and this is the "feeling" I get talking to people.
Shamus| 9.1.10 @ 10:08AM
He's got tough competition. His opponent is probably the best candidate fielded by the Democrats in 2010 Senatorial or gubernatorial races. Add to that the baggage which Scott carries, and he could lose.
Scott is a weaker candidate than Rubio, but if they work as a team they might both win. The combination of Scott's money and Rubio's voter appeal could get enough of their supporters to the polls.
bert| 9.1.10 @ 11:03AM
The GOP insiders and the TROLLs are out today trashing Scott as usual .
Scott has the ability as a outsider to pin this Lefty CEO of BOA who let go over 25,000 FL employee s under her reign.
The serfs are fed up and MS STINK is considered another Dem politican with more baggage then Scott in the end .
Crist is snake and a fool to think he will get even 20 % of the vote . Indy alway poll well but in the end the voters go with the party in favor that year.
The usual Dem party media Pollsters in FL do the usual over polling of Dems.
I recall all the supposed close races Jeb Bush was in according to so called Pollster sfor the usual suspects ( ST Peter Slimes, Orlando Slantinal,etc) where in fact he won in double digits.
I see the same Dem media spin this year too.
2Anglico| 9.1.10 @ 12:14PM
The candidate who trys to satisfy everybody will satisfy NOBODY! Scott is fine with me. The notion of a "moderate" donkey is a joke. Sink is pro-Abortion, enough said!
Tom Rowan| 9.1.10 @ 3:44PM
I had to re check If I was reading an article at Huffington Post or American Spectator.
While namby pamby RINOs like Bill McCollum was distancing themselves to the Tea Party, Rick Scott showed up to the rallies here in Naples and across the state.
When our RINO Crist was dispatched, Bill McCollum was mum. When RINO Crist embezzled millions of dollars of conservatives campaign contributions, like mine, Attorney General McCollum was silent. Where was our Attorney General McCollum when Crist appointed a radical activist judge to the Supreme Court.
And who the hell is Alex Sink? She is a political hack married to political hack Bill "Mcbride Slide" McBride.
I am flabbergasted at this author's analysis. After Crist and McCollum have spent years disowning Florida conservatives they whine and moan like the RINOs they are.
Bill McCollum is a registered republican is he not?
And he is telling us he cannot be counted on to vote republican in 2 months time in the most important election in our lifetimes.
And the author of this clap trap article thinks the RINO McCollum has some kind of point?
Pffffisst! Phooey.
Florida Conservatives have outed and slayed two RINOs in Floriday this year. America owes a thanks to Florida Conservatives like Rick Scott and me.
Go pick your establishment candidates elsewhere. In Florida, we have been burned for too long by these pretenders to the throne.
Rick Scott will win in a landslide this November, and Florida will be better off for it.
Stormzeye| 9.1.10 @ 4:58PM
Well said! Conservatives, this is our year and Scott is the only conservative running for governor. His negatives don't come close to the baggage anyone with D after their name has to lug around.
Clint | 9.1.10 @ 10:13PM
Agreed. As a Florida resident I am amazed at the anti-Scott sentiments expressed by presumably Conservative writers. Most of them were so solidly supportive of McCollum and the vitriolic campaign he waged that they cannot now admit their wrongheadedness. Similar to Obamites.
Jimmy| 9.1.10 @ 4:06PM
I went to the polls last week specifically to vote for Scott. I've seen the guilt by association ads trying to lay blame for the Healthcare fines directly at the feet of Scott. Weigh the facts carefully and you will agree that it is better to have a governor that is not beholding to the old guard making tha same empty promises. Even if Scott is "accused" of running a company that was fined he offers much more than the political clone who is currently pouting like an 8 year old... even though he gave at least as much dirt as he recieved. I want an Adult for a change. McCollom is not that Adult and Scott is.... Time for the entire Florida Republican Party to get it's "Adult" on, get on with it, and get the outsider elected. Look to Alaska if you need any more convincing that this is the year of the outsider.
jrjr| 9.1.10 @ 4:15PM
This was my choice - allegedly a crook or a lying politician? Which do you think can do the most damage? A local community organizer or Obama? I cannot tell you the answer but here is a clue. The alleged crook could not, did not, touch my money. The lying politician repeatedly increased my taxes, i.e., took my money at "gunpoint."
George True| 9.1.10 @ 5:15PM
As I am in Arizona, I am not very familiar with Florida politics, other than having followed Rubio's campaign and Allen West's campaign from afar. Having said that, I would think that a higher percentage of Republicans will enthusiatically turn out to vote for Rubio than Democrats to vote for Meek. Also, independents voting for Rubio will turn out in higher numbers than those voting for Meek or Crist. In the process, virtually all of those enthusiastic Repubs and a majority of the indies voting for Rubio will also pull the lever for Rick Scott as governor. Advantage: Scott.
SeattleBruce| 9.1.10 @ 8:28PM
"In the process, virtually all of those enthusiastic Repubs and a majority of the indies voting for Rubio will also pull the lever for Rick Scott as governor. Advantage: Scott."
In a normal year Scott might be in trouble - this year, the winds of change might be at his back too - and especially as an outsider, despite his negatives.
Yosemeti Sam| 9.1.10 @ 11:26PM
Let Floridians vote for Governor on the basis of the
candidates' mien - who's less creepy!
LOL.
Tina Trent | 9.2.10 @ 5:33AM
Yeah, Rubio really stands for limited government. Except when he's the one getting the sleazy, kickback, set-aside, no-work, no-show job at a corrupt public institution.
His behavior in taking this job -- ripping off the taxpayers -- is entirely indistinguishable from Michele Obama, circa 300K+ for public hospital "community relations." Yet here comes the conservative media busily penning mash notes for the photogenic little crook.
I question the real motives of the "national conservatives" who are pretending that Rubio isn't taking a kickback job in utter abdication of everything they purport to endorse. It's disturbing that they have chosen to sweep this under the rug. So much for core principles. And too bad for the voters, who are being given poor choices all around.
Rick Scott will win, and I frankly have no idea what he will do next, which is not in itself a bad thing.