Florida 2014 Congressional Races

[Donerail]

Talk Show Host Bill Cunningham

That would be difficult, seeing as he lives in Ohio.

State Sen Anitere Flores (District 37)

This would also be difficult, as she lives in Miami.

State Representative Kevin Rader (81st district)

Lives in Palm Beach County.

State Representative Larry Lee Jr. (District 84)

Port St. Lucie.

State Senator Dwight Bullard (District 39).

Well, Bullard could be best. Well-known, not especially liberal. But - Black, and i can't imagine this R+12 Southern conservative district to elect even very moderate Black (even less - a Democrat)

Dwight Bullard is a very liberal candidate and defeated a more conservative Democrat in the primary for his Senate seat. He is also not well-known - none of his district overlaps with FL-19 and the vast bulk of his campaigning would have been in different media markets than Ft. Myers and Naples. More importantly, he lives in Miami - not Naples and not Ft. Myers. Not sure what NYExpress is thinking.

The only serious candidates for this seat will be fmr. State Rep. Paige Kreegel, Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, and fmr. Rep. Connie Mack IV.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Adam Hasner has decided against taking on Patrick Murphy in FL-18.

[smoltchanov]

Dwight Bullard is a very liberal candidate and defeated a more conservative Democrat in the primary for his Senate seat. He is also not well-known - none of his district overlaps with FL-19 and the vast bulk of his campaigning would have been in different media markets than Ft. Myers and Naples. More importantly, he lives in Miami - not Naples and not Ft. Myers. Not sure what NYExpress is thinking.

The only serious candidates for this seat will be fmr. State Rep. Paige Kreegel, Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, and fmr. Rep. Connie Mack IV.

I mistook him for his mother, probably. She did't had an especially high ratings from liberal organizations (and decent - from conservatively inclined) on Vote Smart. Sorry. No chances for Democrats then. At all. Can you describe positions of Republicans (except well-known Mack)? Usual tea-party???

[ElectionsGuy]

Trey Radel resigning today

It is unclear whether Rick Scott will schedule a special election sometime before November, or have it with the regular election (like NC-12). There is already a crowded field in this Safe R district.

[free my dawg]

Trey Radel resigning today

It is unclear whether Rick Scott will schedule a special election sometime before November, or have it with the regular election (like NC-12). There is already a crowded field in this Safe R district.

Good night, sweet prince.

[Donerail]

Dwight Bullard is a very liberal candidate and defeated a more conservative Democrat in the primary for his Senate seat. He is also not well-known - none of his district overlaps with FL-19 and the vast bulk of his campaigning would have been in different media markets than Ft. Myers and Naples. More importantly, he lives in Miami - not Naples and not Ft. Myers. Not sure what NYExpress is thinking.

The only serious candidates for this seat will be fmr. State Rep. Paige Kreegel, Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, and fmr. Rep. Connie Mack IV.

I mistook him for his mother, probably. She did't had an especially high ratings from liberal organizations (and decent - from conservatively inclined) on Vote Smart. Sorry. No chances for Democrats then. At all. Can you describe positions of Republicans (except well-known Mack)? Usual tea-party???

The race is still young, so there's not that much ideological distinction - a PAC backing Kreegel has already begun attacking Benacquisto for running ads to promote her campaign for State Senate as being unspecific and serving to promote her as a candidate for Congress (she still hasn't declared), and the RPOF has attacked that PAC, so Kreegel will most likely be backed by his donors (he has many) and Benacquisto will be backed by the RPOF establishment. There's also the possibility of powerful State Sen. Jack Latvala backing Benacquisto - Benacquisto supports Joe Negron for the Senate Presidency, but if she leaves, her seat's open and Latvala-backed State Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen can grab it.

[publicunofficial]

Nominating Connie Mack IV would be replacing an admitted cokehead with a cokehead who hasn't been caught yet.

[smoltchanov]

Dwight Bullard is a very liberal candidate and defeated a more conservative Democrat in the primary for his Senate seat. He is also not well-known - none of his district overlaps with FL-19 and the vast bulk of his campaigning would have been in different media markets than Ft. Myers and Naples. More importantly, he lives in Miami - not Naples and not Ft. Myers. Not sure what NYExpress is thinking.

The only serious candidates for this seat will be fmr. State Rep. Paige Kreegel, Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, and fmr. Rep. Connie Mack IV.

I mistook him for his mother, probably. She did't had an especially high ratings from liberal organizations (and decent - from conservatively inclined) on Vote Smart. Sorry. No chances for Democrats then. At all. Can you describe positions of Republicans (except well-known Mack)? Usual tea-party???

The race is still young, so there's not that much ideological distinction - a PAC backing Kreegel has already begun attacking Benacquisto for running ads to promote her campaign for State Senate as being unspecific and serving to promote her as a candidate for Congress (she still hasn't declared), and the RPOF has attacked that PAC, so Kreegel will most likely be backed by his donors (he has many) and Benacquisto will be backed by the RPOF establishment. There's also the possibility of powerful State Sen. Jack Latvala backing Benacquisto - Benacquisto supports Joe Negron for the Senate Presidency, but if she leaves, her seat's open and Latvala-backed State Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen can grab it.

Thanks!

[publicunofficial]

Gwen Graham has outraised and has more cash on hand than Steve Southerland for the 2nd quarter in a row.


I'm feeling pretty confident about this race.

[smoltchanov]

Gwen Graham has outraised and has more cash on hand than Steve Southerland for the 2nd quarter in a row.


I'm feeling pretty confident about this race.

IMHO - too early. This district has rather conservative past tradition (though - more conservative Democratic then conservative Republican), and i am always very apprehensive about Democratic perspectives in such districts. Most of them still have rather heavy Democratic registration advantage, but this in no way prevents them from going Republican on regular basis

Tossup for me...

[Donerail]

Mack is out.

[Dereich]

Honestly, my view of FL-2 from living here is that it's not going to be the big race y'all are all hoping or expecting it to be. There is little to no talk about it in Tallahassee, even from the political types who are big into this sort of thing; the race for Governor and the upcoming session of the legislature are much bigger news around here. Either way, unless something wacky happens this is going to be a 2 or 3 point race and which side turns out more people is going matter much much more than who gets the very few persuadable voters.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/gop-groups-12-million-florida-102857.html

[publicunofficial]

State Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto has been spotted meeting with the NRCC, most likely to enter the FL-19 race.

[Donerail]

Sink skipped another debate today. Really thinking she'll blow this race.

[Dereich]

State Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto has been spotted meeting with the NRCC, most likely to enter the FL-19 race.

I have friends in the district who called this months ago. Benacquisto started running ads for her state senate reelection campaign suspiciously early and was probably planning to go for it either way. I'd be surprised if she wasn't the favorite to take the whole thing.

[Donerail]

Benacquisto is in, Goss is out.

The FL-13 debate will be streaming here. It'll be featuring the first Libertarian to get into a nationally televised debate, so that should be interesting.

[Donerail]

The Libertarians nominated a diving instructor and he had a better debate performance than Alex Sink.

[JerryArkansas]

I am going to laugh my ass off if she throws this race too.  I mean that is just bad if you do that two times in a row.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I am going to laugh my ass off if she throws this race too.  I mean that is just bad if you do that two times in a row.

If she was twenty years younger, I'd say she is well on her away to becoming the Harold Stassen of Florida.

[Miles]

Ros-Lethenin in hot water?

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[Deus Naturae]

Americans for Prosperity launches pro-Southerland ad in CD-2.

[Miles]

AFP is also spending $400K against Grayson.

Did they get the memo that his district is over 60% Obama now?

[Deus Naturae]

In response to AfP spending, the House Majority PAC is spending 90k on an ad defending Joe Garcia.

[LeBron]

Joe Newman of Sarasota, a 101-year old great-great grandfather and activist, has launched a write-in campaign against Republican Vern Buchanan of Florida's 16th district which has a PVI of R+6. He says he won't run in the Democratic or Republican primary because he wants to be able to criticize both major political parties while fulfilling his major priority of funding social security which was established when he was only a college student in the 1930s.

He says it's his responsibility and while he knows he likely won't win, he wants to encourage people of all ages to get actively involved as well. If he somehow did manage to win, he would break the record as the oldest serving member of Congress which is currently held by 90-year old Republican Rep. and WWII veteran, Ralph Hall of Texas.

It will be fun to see what the comedians (Fallon, Letterman, Kimmel, Ferguson etc.) go with this story tonight and the obvious joke of a 101 year old man running for office in Florida.