Poor Mel

A dKos front page post yesterday:

[Public Policy Polling] polled Martinez, first elected in 2004, against Florida's popular Democratic CFO, Adelaide "Alex" Sink.

Sink (D) 37
Martinez (R) 31

31% reelect? Ugly, ugly, ugly.

The numbers aren't a lot better for Martinez against Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler:

Wexler (D) 33
Martinez (R) 33

Although Wexler's name recognition is surely pretty high for a Congressman (he's a regular face on national TV), I doubt it's anywhere near as high as Martinez'. Not only that, but Wexler is no centrist Democrat; he's an uabashed liberal ...

Martinez' approval/disapproval numbers are truly dismal: 23% of voters approve of his job performance, 43% disapprove. By comparison, 43% approve of the job Democratic Senator Bill Nelson has done, with 29% disapproving. ...

The poll also shows Obama defeating McCain in Florida this year:

Obama (D) 46
McCain (R) 44

Plenty of discussion here: "FL-Sen 2010: Mel Martinez already in deep trouble".




Death politics

"Last-minute appeals denied; Schwab executed".

In the meantime, Charlie milks it: "Gov. Charlie Crist was solemn, yet certain, as the hour approached for the first execution from a death warrant he signed." "Crist oversees first Fla. execution in 18 months".




Not so fast, mister

"An incumbent Republican congressman is boasting of his union support -- but two of the unions say not so fast."

Locked in a competitive reelection battle, Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart last week touted endorsements from several local unions.

''I am deeply honored by the broad support my campaign for reelection is receiving from the working men and women of our community,'' he said in a news release, citing backing from unions such as the Fraternal Order of Police and United Teachers of Dade.

But two of the 12 unions on the list -- the Transport Workers Union Local 291 and International Longshoremen's Association Local 1922, both AFL-CIO affiliates -- say they didn't endorse the Republican incumbent.

"2 unions deny endorsing Diaz-Balart".




Graham vs. Rubio

"Republican Hialeah Council President Esteban ''Steve'' Bovo and Democrat Nancy L. Stander, a former staffer for U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, are running for the seat vacated by Republican Rep. Rene Garcia due to term limits. Bovo, who works as a lobbyist for Miami Children's Hospital, has ties to Tallahassee. His wife and campaign treasurer, Viviana Bovo, is a legislative aide to outgoing House Speaker Marco Rubio. Stander, a teacher at Bob Graham Educational Center in Miami Lakes, was encouraged to run by her former boss. Now the question is: Whose backer will resonate with voters?""House candidates have formidable backers".




Never mind

"Florida's proposed purchase of nearly 300 square miles of land for Everglades restoration moved forward this week when water managers who would oversee the property endorsed the state's $1.75 billion offer. But even as most environmentalists here continue to cheer about the acquisition, skeptics have identified complications that they fear will keep the Everglades from being saved." "Flaws surface in Everglades plan".




Another RPOFer Laff riot

"Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer wants Congressman Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, to reimburse taxpayers for a mail out that featured an image of a former soldier of the Soviet Union’s Red Army. ... "

“Is a taxpayer-funded mail piece featuring a Soviet Veteran who defended communism really the way that Congressman Mahoney wants to ‘honor’ our men and women in uniform?” Greer stated Tuesday. “Floridian's hard-earned tax dollars should never be used to promote a communist veteran, whether it is a mistake or not, and it is time for Tim Mahoney to reimburse the taxpayers of Congressional District 16 for this ridiculous waste of money, not to mention his insensitivity and complete lack of understanding of veterans' issues.”

"Florida Republican Party wants Mahoney to pay for mail out that featured Soviet".




Your "tax woe" is bigger than my "tax woe"

"Given their own well-documented run-ins with the IRS, one might assume that congressional rivals Vern Buchanan and Christine Jennings would avoid talking about each other's tax problems in their rematch campaign. Not so." "Candidates Take Each Other To Task Over IRS Woes".




Requiem for a wingnut

"We've Lost A Major Player In Political Arena".




Not on your side?

"Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is going after maligned mortgage-lender Countrywide Financial Corp. for what he called a pattern of deceptive sales pitches to homeowners." "State sues Countrywide over 'deceptive' home-loan pitches".




Expulsion

"Planned Parenthood has expelled its struggling Boca Raton chapter, citing a pattern of substandard finances, management, medical controls and clinic conditions, national office leaders said Tuesday." "Planned Parenthood expels South Palm Beach, Broward chapter".




More 'Glades

Joel Engelhardt: "Back to the mining debate".




Veto

"The rejected measure (CS,HB 679) included provisions that would have let homeowner associations lien and foreclose on owners who don't pay fines of more than $1,000; required new directors within 30 days of election to file statements that they have read the association's rules or be disqualified from serving; allowed a majority of owners to terminate reserve accounts; and created 23 pages of contradictory requirements that owners and boards would have had to follow for resolving disputes before going to court." "Crist praised for veto of flawed bill on homeowner associations".




Oops!

"Circuit Judge P. Kevin Davey ordered former Leon County School Board member Fred Varn off the Aug. 26 Democratic state House primary ballot Tuesday for violations of the state's resign-to-run law. Varn resigned retroactively from his school board post, but not in compliance with dates that required his resignation before the end of candidate qualifying. The ruling, which followed more than 90 minutes of legal wrangling by three lawyers, gives Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda the Democratic nomination to succeed Tallahassee's Rep. Loranne Ausley." "Judge orders Varn off ballot".




"Basement price"

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "In the academic year that just ended, state universities charged the third-lowest tuition rate in the nation, about $3,500 per year. If the basement price produced a top five series of educational universities, then that would be something to brag about." "Florida's college tuition increases justified".




Gambling

"For the second consecutive year, Florida's policymakers are betting the state won't be hit by a major hurricane. Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet had told the state's risk managers to find potential buyers for as much as $11 billion in bonds that would be needed to pay claims if the state is racked by a Katrina-sized hurricane. But with financial markets in tatters, state money managers say they've struck out." "Financially, state is betting against a major hurricane this year".




Another plate at the table

"What might Hispanics have in common with manatees, sea turtles, coral reefs, largemouth bass and panthers? Hispanics may soon join the state's list of specialty license plates." "Hispanic heritage specialty license plate proposed".




Guns, guns ...

"Today, you can pack heat in car".




"Odor"

Sue Carlton: "A cow can be a cash cow whether the owner of the land upon which it grazes is an actual farmer, a developer biding his time or an elected official like Hillsborough Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson." "Cows leave odor on vote chief".




A better way?

"Motorists without credit cards or bank accounts or those with privacy concerns will be able to buy SunPass and replenish their accounts with cash by the end of the year." "SunPass adds cash option for toll accounts". See also "Careless SunPass users could face big fines, state warns".




"A Safe Haven for Newborns"

"Gloria Hope Lewis is one of the 100 babies who have been safely surrendered by their mothers under a Florida law that allows women to drop their newborns off at any hospital or fire station — no questions asked — within three days of birth. Now, as the law begins its ninth year, it is being expanded to give mothers a seven-day grace period." "Florida law to safely give up babies marks eighth anniversary".