Miami Herald - Davis has skipped a lot of votes, says it doesn't matter

[DoYouEverWonder]

U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, running to replace Gov. Jeb Bush, has missed more congressional votes than all but one of his colleagues. But being there would not have changed the results.

Jun. 07, 2006

Since he began running for governor 16 months ago, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa has racked up the second-worst voting record in Congress.

Only one of the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives has cast fewer votes than Davis: Lane Evans of Illinois, whose Parkinson's disease is forcing him to step down at the end of his term. Even Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island, who has checked into drug rehabilitation twice since Christmas, has participated in more votes than Davis.

A vote database compiled by washingtonpost.com shows that Davis has missed 168 votes, or 18.8 percent, since the 109th Congress took office in January 2005. Among them were contentious votes on the federal budget and mundane votes on renaming government buildings.

Davis' presence would not have changed the outcome in any of the votes, a point he uses in his defense.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/14758822.htm


Pretty lame excuse. Seems the more Davis opens his mouth, the better Rod Smith is starting to look.

[flpoljunkie]

1. I wonder if you don't already support Rod Smith. If not, why post this?

The Miami Herald is right. These votes do not matter. The man is running for governor of Florida, and not re-election to the House.

[gerrilea]

2. Thanks, I thought the same thing, why the post?

Repeating what the MSM is reporting isn't anything but participating in the "spin" and the destruction of democracy!

And the article is obviously spin...to discredit Davis...period....if the votes don't count and will not change a thing...???

Hello is anyone listening?

:argh:

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Why the post?

Because it's on the front page of the friggin' Miami Herald.

If you support Davis then you need to deal with this stuff head on. Ignoring it will do nothing for your cause.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. I lean toward Smith

because I know more about him and his record.

However, I was keeping an open mind because I didn't know anything about Davis. So far from what I've read lately, I'm not impressed.

What are his positives, other then having a D behind his name?

[flpoljunkie]

7. Am supporting Davis because Rhea Chiles, Bob Graham are supporting him.

I understand Rod Smith is considered to be a "conservative Democrat" in the Florida Senate. That said, I will, of course, support whoever wins the primary in September against the Republican nominee. I hope Gallagher is the Repug nominee, but Charlie "Chain gang" Christ is now leading Gallagher in the polls by 19%.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/07/State/Crist_maintains_lead_.shtml

A Florida Chamber of Commerce poll shows Charlie Crist leading Tom Gallagher 42 percent to 23 percent in the Republican gubernatorial primary.
The recent poll, conducted by McLaughlin & Associates, included 800 likely Republican primary voters in Florida. Polling was conducted from May 23 to 25, and the margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. A chamber poll conducted in December showed Crist, the state attorney general, leading 38 to 19 percent for Gallagher, the state's chief financial officer.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. This info will make an effective attack ad in the fall if

Davis is the nominee.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. Especially if he continues to respond

like an arrogant snot, which is how the Herald is portraying him.

[wakeme2008]

3. Davis is DLC

No vote here for him.

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. So is Rod Smith

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=104&subid=210&contentid=1827

[flpoljunkie]

10. Thanks for clearing that up. Rod Smith considered to be "conservative" D.

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Just because they have his bio up

doesn't mean he's DLC. Alachua County doesn't need the DLC to get Dems elected. Smith wins both the liberal and conservative vote in Alachua County because he appeals to both groups. He was a good State Attorney general, he's a well respected lawyer and he's not an asshole.



Bio: Prosecution of serial killer Danny Rolling. Twice elected chairman of the Florida Juvenile Advisory Board. Named regional prosecutor of the year by the Capitol Governmental Attorney's Association, and person of the year in law enforcement by The Gainesville Sun.

[flpoljunkie]

13. Then why was he singled out as a "rising New Dem star?"

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=104&subid=210&contentid=2608

DLC | New Dem Daily | November 14, 2000

Rising Stars

The Summer 2000 issue of The New Democrat magazine featured "One Hundred To Watch" -- profiles of 100 state and local elected officials representing the next wave of New Democrat leaders around the country. We're happy to report that quite a few of these rising stars in fact rose to the occasion on November 7 and moved up in the ranks of elected officials:

Florida Insurance Commissioner Bill Nelson was elected to the U.S. Senate, a Sunshine State result that is not in dispute.

NC Attorney General Mike Easley and MO State Treasurer Bob Holden were elected Governors of their states.
CA State Rep. Susan Davis and CA State Sen. Adam Schiff were both elected to the U.S. House.
NC State Sen. Roy Cooper was elected Attorney General of his state, replacing Governor-elect Easley.
AZ State Sen. Chris Cummiskey has been elected Co-Leader of the AZ Senate (Democrats secured a tie on November 7).
AZ State Rep. Ken Cheuvront was elected Minority Leader of the AZ House.
MI State Rep. Kwame Kilpatrick was elected Minority Leader of the MI House.
State Reps. Bob Hagedorn of CO and Ryan Deckert of OR both moved up to the State Senate.
FL State Attorney Rod Smith was elected to the FL Senate.
Tracy, CA City Councilwoman Barbara Matthews was elected to the CA Assembly.

And aside from these rising stars, the following members of the "One Hundred To Watch" won re-election to their current positions: UT State Rep. Patrice Arent, AK State Rep. Ethan Berkowitz, OR Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, TX State Rep. Jaime Capelo, Jr., CA State Assemblyman Dean Florez, IL State Rep. John Fritchey, KS State Rep. Jim Garner, WA State Rep. Jeff Gombosky, MN State Rep. Gregory Gray, CO State Rep. Dan Grossman, FL State Rep. Robert Henriquez, CA State Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, NY State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, AR State Rep. Steven Jones, Portland, OR Mayor Vera Katz, WA State Rep. Lynn Kessler, PA State Rep. Jennifer Mann, WA State Rep. Ed Murray, San Francisco, CA Supervisor Gavin Newsom, WI State Rep. Antonio Riley, PA State Rep. T.J. Rooney, and CO State Rep. Jennifer Veiga.

We hope to recognize some newly-elected New Dem state and local rising stars in the very near future. For those we list above: Congratulations, and here's looking at you.

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=104&subid=210&contentid=2608

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. Isn't Davis DLC too?

BTW: How does being sited in an article about DEMS who won seats in the 2000 election makes someone DLC?

[flpoljunkie]

16. Yes, they are both DLC. No one has said Jim Davis was not DLC.

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=104&subid=210&contentid=1804

DLC | The New Democrat | August 1, 2000

The New Democrat Magazine's "100 To Watch"
TND's Special Democratic National Convention Issue

From left to right: Jonathan Miller, Martin O'Malley, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Dean Florez, and Antonio Riley

Chances are, you're already quite familiar with the New Democrat movers and shakers on the national stage: the senators, congressmen, governors, and of course, the President and Vice President of the United States.

As proud as we are of those figures' accomplishments, theirs is only part of the New Democrat success story. Across the nation, in statehouses and state government offices, in city halls and council chambers, New Democrats are making a difference in the lives of their fellow Americans. Like their higher-profile colleagues, what sets them apart is their dedication to seeking out modern means to advance the Democratic Party's traditional values of opportunity, responsibility, and community.

It's high time their story was told. Here, we'll introduce you to 100 New Democrats who have made a mark at the state and local levels. Of that group, we've singled out for closer attention 10 New Democrat officeholders, all under age 40, whom we believe you'll be hearing much more about in the years ahead.

Philip Angelides, State Treasurer, CA
Patrice Arent, State House Assistant Minority Whip, UT
Thurbert Baker, State Attorney General, GA
Sharon Sayles Belton, Mayor, Minneapolis, MN
Ethan Berkowitz, State Representative, AK
Cory Booker, City Councilman, Newark, NJ
Bill Bradbury, Secretary of State, OR
Bob Buckhorn, City Councilman, Tampa, FL
Cruz Bustamante, Lieutenant Governor, CA
Robert A. Butkin, State Treasurer, OK
Jaime Capelo, State Representative, TX
Linda W. Chapin, Clerk of the Courts, FL
Ken Cheuvront, State Representative, AZ
Michael B. Coleman, Mayor, Columbus, OH
Kathleen Connell, State Controller, CA
Roy Cooper, State Senate Majority Leader, NC
Emily Couric, State Senator, VA
Chris Cummiskey, State Senate Assistant Minority Leader, AZ

Donald T. Cunningham, Mayor, Bethlehem, PA
Wayne K. Curry, County Executive, Prince George's County, MD
Susan Davis, State Assemblywoman, CA
Ryan Deckert, State Representative, OR
Douglas M. Duncan, Montgomery County Executive, MD
Joseph L. Dunn, State Senator, Ca
Judith H. Dutcher, State Auditor, MN
Michael F. Easley, State Attorney General, NC
W. A. Drew Edmondson, State Attorney General, OK
Eric D. Fingerhut, State Senator, OH
Elizabeth G. Flores, Mayor, Laredo, TX
Dean Florez, State Assemblyman, CA
Tom Flynn, State Senator, IA
Karen Freeman-Wilson, State Attorney General, IN
John A. Fritchey, State Representative, IL
Douglas F. Gansler, State's Attorney for Montgomery County, MD
Jim D. Garner, State House Democratic Leader, KS
Lauren Beth Gash, State Representative, IL
Jeff Gombosky, State Representative, WA
Ron Gonzales, Mayor, San Jose, CA
Phil Gordon, Phoenix City Councilman, AZ
Gregory N. Gray, State Representative, MN
Darlene Green, City Comptroller, St. Louis, MO
Dan Grossman, State Representative, CO
Lars A. Hafner, State Representative, FL
Bob Hagedorn, State Representative, CO
Karen Hale, State Senator, UT
Bob Henriquez, State Representative, FL
Dario Herrera, County Commissioner, Clark County, NV
Robert M. Hertzberg, State Assembly Speaker, CA
Bob Holden, State Treasurer, MO
Scott Howell, Senate Democratic Leader, UT
Sam Hoyt, State Assemblyman, NY
Daniel W. Hynes, State Comptroller, IL
Les Ihara Jr., State Senator, HI
Wendy Jaquet, State House Minority Leader, ID
Evan H. Jenkins, State Delegate, WV
Steven B. Jones, State Representative, AR
Vera Katz, Mayor, Portland, OR
Rob Kerth, City Councilman, Sacramento, CA
Lynn Kessler, State House Democratic Leader, WA
Kwame Kilpatrick, State Representative, MI
Ronald Kirk, Mayor, Dallas, TX
Scott Maddox, Mayor, Tallahassee, FL
Dannel P. Malloy, Mayor, Stamford, CT
Jennifer L. Mann, State Representative, PA
Jack Markell, State Treasurer, DE
Barbara Matthews, City Councilwoman, Tracy, CA
H. Carl McCall, State Comptroller, NY
Jonathan Miller, State Treasurer, KY
Tom Miller, State Attorney General, IA
Marc Morial, Mayor, New Orleans
Eva Moskowitz, City Councilwoman, New York, NY
Ed Murray, State Representative, WA
Janet Napolitano, State Attorney General, AZ
Bill Nelson, State Treasurer, FL
Gavin C. Newsom, Board of Supervisors, San Francisco, CA
John Norquist, Mayor, Milwaukee, WI
Martin O'Malley, Mayor, Baltimore, MD
Alex Padilla, City Councilman, Los Angeles, CA
Bart Peterson, Mayor, Indianapolis, IN
Debra A. Powell, Mayor, East St. Louis, IL
Mark Pryor, State Attorney General, AR
Eric Miller Reeves, State Senator, NC
Antonio Riley, State Representative, WI
Carroll G. Robinson, City Councilman, Houston, TX
T.J. Rooney, State Representative, PA
Laura Ruderman, State Representative, WA
M. Susan Savage, Mayor, Tulsa, OK
Adam B. Schiff, State Senator, CA
Kathleen Gilligan Sebelius, State Insurance Commissioner, KS
Rod Smith, State Attorney, Gainesville, FL
Eliot Spitzer, State Attorney General, New York, NY
Greg Stanton, City Councilman, Phoenix, AZ
Mark Taylor, Lieutenant Governor, GA
Michael L. Thurmond, State Labor Commissioner, GA
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Lieutenant Governor, MD
Jennifer Veiga, State Representative, CO
Kirk Watson, Mayor, Austin, TX
Wellington E. Webb, Mayor, Denver, CO
Anthony Williams, Mayor, Washington, DC
J.D. Williams, State Controller, ID

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. So then why is this even an issue?

I don't like the DLC either but would you prefer Chaingang Charlie?

[flpoljunkie]

18. I never said it was. As I said, I will support whoever wins Dem primary.

[ChiciB1]

12. Got A Call From Gallagher Earlier This Week Urging Me To Vote

for Rod Smith. That is an indicator where the sentiment is leaning.

[flpoljunkie]

14. Guess he must think Rod Smith will be easier to beat if he wins GOP nod?

[ChiciB1]

19. Ya Think??? (nt)