CONGRESSIONAL RACES
CD 2: LAWSON UP WITH FIRST AD: Democrat Al Lawson, who is trying to unseat freshman Republican Rep. Steve Southerland in the state’s Second Congressional District, has his first TV ad running in the district. The ad, which went up on Wednesday, is a soft biographical ad meant to introduce Lawson to voters in the Panama City TV market, where he’s not well known. The district also includes the Tallahassee area, but Lawson is already pretty well known there, having represented at least part of the city in the state House and Senate.
The ad can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4anziJalhA&feature=player_embedded
FUNDRAISING
WEATHERFORD COMMITTEE HAS BIG CASH HAUL
With help from road builders and a major Texas donor, a political committee headed by incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford collected $378,750 in contributions between Aug. 10 and Sept. 14, new campaign-finance reports show. The Committee for a Conservative House received $250,000 from Bob J. Perry, a Houston home builder who is a prominent donor to Republican causes nationally. Also, the committee received contributions from the road-building industry, including $30,000 from the Florida Transportation Builders Association. It also received $45,000 from a political arm of the American Council of Life Insurers. In all, the Committee for a Conservative House has raised nearly $1.8 million since starting in January 2011 and has spent about $635,000, according to state records.
LET’S GET TO WORK COLLECTS MORE THAN 300K
A political committee with close ties to Gov. Rick Scott raised $306,700 between Aug. 10 and Sept. 14, bringing its total to more than $4.2 million this year, according to a campaign-finance report filed this week. The Let’s Get to Work Committee received much of its money during the latest reporting period from businesses in the insurance and health-care industries. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida contributed $150,000, while FPIC Insurance Group contributed $25,000 and Molina Healthcare chipped in $20,000, the report shows. The committee also received several contributions from parts of the nursing home industry. With Scott not running for re-election until 2014, the committee’s spending this year has been largely limited to such costs as consulting. The report, for example, lists a $33,500 expenditure on Sept. 5 to Virginia-based Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates for a survey.
ENDORSEMENTS:
SD 35 JEB ENDORSES COURIEL: Republican John Couriel was endorsed in his bid for Senate District 35 by former Gov. Jeb Bush. “I’ve known John to be thoughtful and diligent since we worked on education policy together in 1997,” Bush said. “He will promote economic growth and prosperity in Florida by advocating an agenda of lower taxes, less fraud and waste in government, and measurable excellence in education. As a former federal prosecutor, he’s made our community safer by pursing Medicare fraud, identity theft, and violent crimes.” Couriel is running against incumbent Democratic Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Aventura.
OTHER ENDORSEMENTS:
HD 7: Republican Halsey Beshears was endorsed by state Sen. Charlie Dean.
HD 69: Republican Kathleen Peters was endorsed by the Police Benevolent Association.
YOHO, CAIN AT UF EVENT: Republican Congressional candidate Ted Yoho will introduce Herman Cain on Thursday at an event in Gainesville, the Florida Times Union reported. Cain is touring college campuses on the “College Truth Tour” – www.collegetruthtour.com – and was scheduled to speak Wednesday night at the University of Central Florida before Thursday’s University of Florida appearance. On Friday, he’ll be at Florida State, wrapping up the Florida portion of his tour before heading to Michigan. Almost all of his appearances are in swing states, but Cain isn’t specifically stumping for Mitt Romney. “This is not about any particular president, congress member or corporate leader,” the college tour website says. “This is about the facts. This is about the Truth. …. This is not a lecture. Instead, it will be a fun, educational event with Herman Cain and a popular local band.”
