Florida Wingnuts Unite

"In the Republican gubernatorial race to win over social conservatives, Attorney General Charlie Crist nearly steered into a ditch. The Republican frontrunner scrambled to rearrange his schedule to avoid snubbing an influential conservative Christian activist group holding a major fundraiser." "Crist avoids snubbing Christian conservatives".

"The candidates' participation in the Orlando function demonstrates the heavyweight power of the evangelical or born again Christian constituency, which accounted for 23 percent — or more than 2 million voters — of the electorate in Florida and are credited with President Bush's defeat of John Kerry in 2004." "Crist joins Gallagher in wooing conservative Christian constituency".

"'You've got to remember," said Crist, 'I'm 'Chain Gang Charlie.' He earned that nickname while in the state Legislature for his successful 1995 measure to restore chain gangs for prisoners. He described his political leanings as 'pro-life, pro-gun, pro-business and pro-family.'" "Bush tilts toward gay-marriage ban".

"Gallagher spoke briefly before leading the pledge of allegiance; Crist did not participate in the program." "Crist joins Gallagher in wooing conservative Christian constituency".

Charlie had rearranged his schedule at the last minute, after originally declining to attend the gathering of extremists. See "The Webs We Weave". "The mini political tempest reflected the cross-currents in the GOP gubernatorial primary, in which Gallagher has worked hard to cast himself as the true social conservative. He strongly supported intervening in the Terri Schiavo case, says he would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned, and has made passing a state constitutional ban on same sex marriage a centerpiece of his campaign." "Crist avoids snubbing Christian conservatives".

The Gallagher folks were having none of Charlie's excuses for his initial refusal to attend: "A spokesman for the Gallagher campaign, Albert Martinez, cited Crist's recent high-profile fundraiser with Donald Trump. 'Mr. Crist has no trouble rearranging his schedule to get to Mar-a-Lago to raise money with liberal trial lawyers and gambling interests, but he does have trouble remembering if he's even been invited to meet with a core constituency of our party.'" "Crist avoids snubbing Christian conservatives".

In the meantime, "Bush said Friday night he's moving away from a longstanding position that there's no need for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages." "Bush tilts toward gay-marriage ban". "Bush, who touted his ultimately futile efforts to keep brain-damaged Terri Schiavo alive, said Friday that the conservative Christians are the 'bread and butter' of Florida politics." "Crist joins Gallagher in wooing conservative Christian constituency".




Another Hypocrite

"You'll never guess who had dinner with Gov. Jeb Bush Friday night, along with other Republican politicians who recently curbed deep-pocket lawsuits: an Orlando lawyer whose website trumpets his membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a national group of trial lawyers who have won multimillion-dollar verdicts. John Stemberger also happens to be president of the Florida Family Policy Council, a conservative Christian group that tried to keep Terri Schiavo alive and outlaw gay marriage." "One of the most influential folks you never knew".




Bush Neutral

"Bush continues to stay neutral in the GOP gubernatorial race". See also "Bush continues to stay neutral in GOP gubernatorial race".




Winton

"Bush on Friday appointed Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer to handle all matters related to the arrest of Miami city Commissioner Johnny Winton. Citing her friendship with Winton, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle disqualified herself from the investigation and requested the executive assignment of another state attorney." "Jeb appoints Krischer to handle Miami official's arrest case".




Increase Approved

"Citizens rate increase OK'd"




Big Bucks

"The disclosure reports, filed for the first time under a recently enacted law, reveal that businesses and other groups paid lobbyists tens of millions of dollars just to lobby 160 lawmakers for the first three months of this year." "Florida groups shell out big bucks to influence Legislature". See also "Lobbyists' pay reports begin to trickle in".




Mel AWOL

"On the politically thorny, emotionally divisive question of whether to make English the "national language," Florida's U.S. senators have taken strikingly different approaches."

One stepped right into the fray, alienating some longtime friends.

The other left town.

Bill Nelson, aggravating immigration and Hispanic rights groups, parting ways with all but nine of his Democratic Party colleagues - and perhaps playing politics - voted twice Thursday to make English the official, "common and unifying" U.S. tongue. ...

Meanwhile, bilingual, Cuban-born Mel Martinez - a conservative Republican and key crafter of compromise immigration reform - left Washington, missing the pair of votes on his party's amendments to his legislation.

"Senators Go Own Ways On English Bill".