Ecology could decide Democrats' primary

[Orangepeel]

Jason Garcia
Tallahassee Bureau

June 8, 2006

TALLAHASSEE -- Long a key constituency in Democratic primaries, environmentalists across Florida say the party's two leading candidates for governor are distinctly different shades of green.

U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, has widespread support among environmental groups as he completes his fifth term in Congress. A lobbyist for Audubon of Florida used to work for him. The executive director of 1000 Friends of Florida has contributed $150 to his campaign.

Activists are more ambivalent, however, about Rod Smith, a state senator from Alachua County.

The distinction could be an important one, since Davis and Smith share similar views on issues such as education and taxes.

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Most environmentalists consider Davis a staunch supporter. They credit him with playing key roles in fighting oil drilling off Florida's Gulf Coast and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Davis worked on and supported alternative energy and conservation issues "long before it was sort of the popular, sexy issue like it's becoming today," said Mark Ferrulo, director of Florida PIRG (Public Interest Research Group).

Activists have much less praise for Smith.

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Environmentalists and the farmers around polluted Lake Apopka fought for years until lawmakers finally spent nearly $100 million to buy the farms and shut them down. Sugar growers around Lake Okeechobee are still waging bitter fights over everything from fertilizer restrictions to Everglades cleanup costs.

Smith's contributions include more than $14,000 from employees and affiliates of the state's two largest sugar growers, West Palm Beach-based Flo-Sun and U.S. Sugar Corp. of Clewiston. By contrast, Davis has taken $3,500 from Flo-Sun companies and about $20,000 from agribusinesses, according to finance records.

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