Orlando Sentinel's Thomas: "Smith Would be Fiasco for Dems, Environment"

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-miket1706aug17,0,5548873.column

Smith would be fiasco for Dems, environment

Mike Thomas
COMMENTARY

August 17, 2006

If you are a Democrat, please vote against Rod Smith for governor in next month's primary. I suppose this means voting for Jim Davis. Yes, he is dull. You'd think he was a mime in that commercial with Bob Graham. But this is about alternatives. And I would no more vote for Smith than I would take a bubble bath in red tide.

Smith would be the worst thing for Florida's environment since the invention of air conditioning and mosquito control. He is a wholly owned subsidiary of Big Sugar, something he failed to mention during that shouting match with a helicopter in his last commercial.

The South Florida sugar growers are investing big bucks in him. Most recently, they mailed out a sleazy attack ad implying Davis doesn't support Israel.

<>But the growers do care that Davis has a strong environmental record and might object to their continued use of the Everglades as a toilet.

If Smith wins, he'll owe them. He will sit, fetch, lie down and beg for his new masters. That much was evident by his failure to denounce Big Sugar's big lie about Davis.i The implications for natural Florida are frightening. The governor has tremendous power over the birds, bees and manatees. In addition to pushing legislation and manning the bully pulpit, he has the power to appoint. He can pack water-management boards and regulatory commissions with lackeys from development and agriculture.

<>Meanwhile, environmentalists would abandon Smith in droves to support Christ. He consistently supports their causes. In an issue very dear to their hearts, he wants to drain the Rodman Reservoir and restore the Ocklawaha River. Smith has blocked those efforts while in the Legislature.

more...

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-miket1706aug17,0,5548873.column

[T Roosevelt]

1. Where's a good overview of the Dem candidates for gov?

I'm ashamed to say I live in Florida and haven't been paying much attention to this race...so much other stuff going on.

[flpoljunkie]

2. Rhea Chiles, widow of Lawton Chiles is supporting Davis, also Bob Graham.

That is good enough for me.

Both Smith and Davis are considered to be moderate Democrats--evidently required to win in the state of Florida. Bob Graham, willing to vote no on the Iraq War Resolution, was considered to be a moderate Senator and Governor of Florida.

Am not sure where you could get a good overview of the Democratic candidates for Governor here in Florida, but I will try and research it.

[T Roosevelt]

4. I did find this

Interesting...

Posted on Wed, Aug. 09, 2006
CAMPAIGN 2006 | GOVERNOR'S RACE
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/15229833.htm">Sugar growers finance attack on Davis
Big Sugar is investing big money on behalf of Democratic state Sen. Rod Smith's campaign for governor.
BY BETH REINHARD AND GARY FINEOUT
[email protected]

Four years ago, a group financed by sugar growers hurled attacks at Everglades crusader Mary Barley and helped sink her bid for state agriculture commissioner.

This week, the group that calls itself Florida's Working Families surfaced again, this time in the contest to replace Gov. Jeb Bush.

The new target: Democratic candidate Jim Davis, who often tells voters that if he had been governor, he would have vetoed a 2003 measure weakening Everglades pollution limits on sugar growers.

Davis' opponent in the Sept. 5 primary, state Sen. Rod Smith, supported the sugar-backed bill.

The industry has given $100,000 to Florida's Working Families and another $295,000 to a group that did pro-Smith mailings.

But sugar growers' efforts on Smith's behalf could backfire. Voters may cringe at the negative attack against Davis while questioning Smith's popularity with an industry maligned by environmentalists.

The Davis campaign isn't taking any chances. He's shoring up his defense against an attack ad paid for by Florida's Working Families, which raps the Tampa congressman for missing last month's vote in Washington condemning the terrorist attacks against Israel, which could hurt his standing in South Florida's large Jewish community.

A Jewish member of Congress, Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, vouched for Davis' commitment to Israel in a call with reporters. Another Jewish lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler of Boca Raton, defended Davis in a written statement.

''This shady group has decided to try to scare Jewish voters in South Florida and distract them from the main issues in the campaign because the group's candidate is faltering in the polls,'' Wasserman Schultz said. ``I call upon Rod Smith to condemn this negative attack and the politics of distraction.''

snip...

Smith denied that the sugar industry's involvement suggested he was beholden to its interests. Smith is a lifelong farmer from rural Alachua who serves as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

''Am I going to remain a strong supporter of agriculture in Florida? Yes,'' he said. ``Is that going to be at the expense of the environment? No.''

But many environmentalists viewed the 2003 vote on the state-federal partnership to clean up the Everglades as a major setback.

more...

[flpoljunkie]

5. Great find! Explains why Thomas feels so strongly re Smith, sugar industry

[T Roosevelt]

6. Of course Thomas is a few days behind...

Howard Troxler at the St Pete Times beat him to it:

Smith lets Big Sugar do the dirty work
By HOWARD TROXLER, Times Columnist
Published August 10, 2006

How nice that U.S. Sugar, which has done so much for - sorry, I meant to - the state of Florida, now is telling people how to vote in the governor's race.

I'm talking about a sleazy mail piece aimed at Jewish voters with the headline, "Jim Davis Fails to Condemn Attacks Against Israel."

The brochure was sent by a group with the name of "Florida's Working Families Inc." Sounds noble, doesn't it? Working families.

But if you look it up, you'll find that the group has been bankrolled this year by a $50,000 contribution from U.S. Sugar and another $50,000 from a U.S. Sugar subsidiary, both based in Clewiston.

Davis, the target of the brochure, is a member of the U.S. House from Tampa. He is one of two Democratic candidates for governor.

The other Democrat is Rod Smith, a state senator from Gainesville and a self-described friend of agribusiness.

more...

[flpoljunkie]

7. Good for Troxler and Mike Thomas! Read about this last week.

[Lochloosa]

3. Jim Davis key votes link here. Also link to overview of D/R running

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/d000114/key-votes/


overview:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/elections/keyraces/36/

[madfloridian]

8. It has been determined by Florida powers that be....

that Davis is it. There is too much nastiness about it now. We are supporting Rod Smith.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Are you sure you do not have that backwards? Sugar is big in Florida.

Why do you think Rhea Chiles and Bob Graham are supporting Jim Davis? Please read all of MIke Thomas' column.

Will check your response later.

[madfloridian]

10. Not just Rhea and Bob. All the party leaders.

We are supporting Rod Smith...most of the ones in our neighborhood (even a few Republicans) are supporting Rod Smith. Many of the teachers I have talked to lately are supporting Rod Smith.

We have our yard sign up, we are getting more of them for others.

[flpoljunkie]

11. Your answer is non responsive. Daytona Intl Speedway supports Smith, too,

and they are big Jeb Bush supporters.

I urge all Florida Duers to read this part of Thomas' column:

If Smith wins, he'll owe them. He will sit, fetch, lie down and beg for his new masters. That much was evident by his failure to denounce Big Sugar's big lie about Davis. The implications for natural Florida are frightening. The governor has tremendous power over the birds, bees and manatees. In addition to pushing legislation and manning the bully pulpit, he has the power to appoint. He can pack water-management boards and regulatory commissions with lackeys from development and agriculture.

<>Meanwhile, environmentalists would abandon Smith in droves to support Christ. He consistently supports their causes. In an issue very dear to their hearts, he wants to drain the Rodman Reservoir and restore the Ocklawaha River. Smith has blocked those efforts while in the Legislature.

more...

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-mike...

[flpoljunkie]

12. The FEA, our largest teachers' union, has endorsed both Smith, Davis.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/05/13/State/Teachers_endorse_Smit.shtml

Teachers endorse Smith, Davis

Both Democrats "are strong on education issues and very supportive of public education," says the union's state president.

By JENNIFER LIBERTO and ADAM C. SMITH
Published May 13, 2006

After throwing millions of dollars and all its might into trying unsuccessfully to elect Bill McBride governor in 2002, the Florida Education Association is playing it safer in this year's governor's race.

The state's largest union on Friday decided to endorse both Democrats, U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa and state Sen. Rod Smith of Alachua.

The move was a disappointment to Smith, who appeared close to winning the coveted endorsement despite new union rules making it much harder to get.

"Both Jim Davis and Rod Smith are impressive candidates and are strong on education issues and very supportive of public education," said union president Andy Ford.