Florida 2014 Congressional Races

[Miles]

Adam, just a suggestion, but having that much linked text is kinda obnoxious. I'd try to just link a handful of words or so.

[Deus Naturae]

DCCC hits Jolly on abortion.

[Zioneer]

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.

This guy sounds pretty awesome, actually.

[Miles]

FL-18: Allen West's candidate, Ellen Andel, is dropping out.

[publicunofficial]

FL-18: Allen West's candidate, Ellen Andel, is dropping out.

She raised $13K last quarter, and only had about $6K in the bank. It's probably for the best she got out.

I'm guessing the nomination goes to Carl Domino. He can self-finance, but still never get near Murphy's numbers.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

FL-18: Allen West's candidate, Ellen Andel, is dropping out.

She raised $13K last quarter, and only had about $6K in the bank. It's probably for the best she got out.

I'm guessing the nomination goes to Carl Domino. He can self-finance, but still never get near Murphy's numbers.

I was undecided if I would work for Domino or Andel's campaign. Now I am stuck with Domino, which is not a bad thing. Domino won't win (I'm sure of that) but I wouldn't write him off. He has the money to make it competitive. I really, really wished Hasner would have run.

[Donerail]

Bumping since Graham pulled in $485K this quarter and has $1.4M CoH.

[Deus Naturae]

FL-19: GOP Reps. Ann Wagner and Diane Black endorse Benacquisto in special election to replace Radel.

[Miles]

Fundraising about even in CD2:

Southerland- $510K, $1.2M CoH
Graham- $485K, $1.4M CoH

[Miles]

How bout that; good news for Dems. Rothenberg moves FL-18 from Tossup/Tilt D to Lean D.

[Donerail]

FL-19 primary is tomorrow.

[Donerail]

Curt Clawson will be the next Representative from FL-19.

[RogueBeaver]

Beverly Young is back and she's not exactly thrilled with Jolly.

[Tender Branson]

Nelson Says He's 'Tempted' to Run for Florida Governor

"Despite assurances that he's not planning to run for governor, Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson told a group of local business leaders Wednesday he's tempted to run because he doesn't like where Florida is headed," the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

"Speculation has mounted that Nelson might enter the governor's race if Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist stumbles in challenging Scott."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2014/04/24/nelson_says_hes_tempted_to_run_for_florida_governor.html

[Zioneer]

Interesting fact about Curt Clawson; he's the first LDS Congressman from Florida. Florida also has the first and only female LDS Senator (and first woman Senator from Florida), Paula Hawkins.

[Donerail]

Nevermind on that then.

[free my dawg]

Nevermind on that then.

They surely weren't complaining when Sink carpetbagged from an R+8 district.

[Donerail]

The filing deadline is tomorrow. DCCC still doesn't have a candidate. Justice is out, Long is out, Ehrlich is out, Sykes is out. No idea who Dems will field here.

[free my dawg]

The filing deadline is tomorrow. DCCC still doesn't have a candidate. Justice is out, Long is out, Ehrlich is out, Sykes is out. No idea who Dems will field here.

I guess Sink again? Maybe Kriseman?

[Donerail]

The filing deadline is tomorrow. DCCC still doesn't have a candidate. Justice is out, Long is out, Ehrlich is out, Sykes is out. No idea who Dems will field here.

I guess Sink again? Maybe Kriseman?

Sink has said she's not running again, and Kriseman just got elected - optics wouldn't be good for him to run for Congress now, especially since he's got a big new plan on the Pier coming out today. Eric Lynn (who I'd never heard of, but who apparently is a foreign policy advisor in the administration) is also not running.

The only name I've heard being mentioned recently is a guy named Joel Cantor, who's a real estate investor. He has similar residency issues to Sink, seeming to split his time between here and Colorado and living in upscale Tampa, though he does also have a beachfront condo. He seems a reluctant candidate - part of the reason the DCCC is bullying other candidates out of the race to give him a clear field. He's also a self-funder, but the opposite side of that coin is that he has ties to Wall Street and has given money to the RPOF and RNC.

Edit: It's believed Cantor's wife is registered to vote in Colorado, though my attempt to check that with Colorado's voter records has been fruitless. He also doesn't have a homestead on his condo in St. Pete Beach; his home in Colorado is listed as his personal residence.

[publicunofficial]

Yes.

YES.

YEESSSSSSSS

[free my dawg]

So safe to say FL-26 Leans D with him.

However, Rubio is firmly against him.

[Donerail]

Relevant.

[Donerail]

There will be no FL-13 candidate with a D after his name. The DCCC is backing some guy from Tampa (doesn't even live in the district) who's unknown in local politics, has never held office, and is running as an NPA. Someone really needs to send the DCCC a memo reminding them that FL-13 is in Pinellas, not Hillsborough.

[publicunofficial]

There will be no FL-13 candidate with a D after his name. The DCCC is backing some guy from Tampa (doesn't even live in the district) who's unknown in local politics, has never held office, and is running as an NPA. Someone really needs to send the DCCC a memo reminding them that FL-13 is in Pinellas, not Hillsborough.

I read he lives in St. Petersburg, which is better.

Still, I'm SO GLAD the Pinellas Democrats pushed Sykes aside for this guy. But hey, at least he's not Sink right guys?!?!