Posted on 08/22/2006 6:27:34 AM PDT by Happy Valley Dude
Voting in Florida's primary election begins today with the start of early voting – and will culminate on Sept. 5 with the actual ballot vote.
As Florida voters take to the ballot box, NewsMax strongly endorses Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist for the Republican nomination for governor.
Simply put, we believe he's the more qualified candidate and the one most likely to keep the governor's post in GOP hands come November. While Crist's opponent in the primary, chief financial officer Tom Gallagher, is an able candidate and a conservative, Crist's solid record on crime, education, and taxes (he opposes them) makes him the "Reagan conservative" – our choice for the GOP nod.
Throughout his career Crist has been a fighter for innovative, positive change. As a state senator, Crist fought for and passed the STOP (Stop Turning Out Prisoners) legislation that required prisoners to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences.
He also co-sponsored legislation to implement the charter schools bill, which gives parents the freedom to pick the best schools for their children.
As commissioner of education, Crist supported early reading programs to better prepare children to read at grade level when they enter school. As attorney general, Crist helped draft and worked to pass tougher price gouging and looting laws, supported stronger penalties for identity thieves, and spearheaded landmark legislation requiring prescription drugs to be tracked from the manufacturer to the pharmacy to ensure drug safety.
He also created an innovative program to aid victims of domestic violence, and was named the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence's 2005 Advocate of the Year. He has vowed that as governor, he will promote business in Florida and appoint conservative, not activist, judges to the courts. Despite Gallagher's claims to the contrary, Crist is solidly pro-life and supports a constitutional amendment to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.
Significantly, polls have consistently showed that Crist is the stronger GOP candidate, and he would fare better against either of his Democratic rivals, Rep. Jim Davis and State Sen. Rod Smith, in the general election to replace outgoing Gov. Jeb Bush.
One recent poll revealed that in a head-to-head match-up, Crist outpolled Davis 48 percent to 32 percent, compared to Gallagher's margin of 41 to 38. Against Smith, Crist won by 18 percentage points; Gallagher led by only 10.
Crist has also won an impressive list of endorsements. Recently Sen. John McCain expressed his support for Crist, as did the National Rifle Association, whose past president Marion Hammer said "no one has been stronger" than Crist in support of Second Amendment, self-defense and anti-crime issues.
Other endorsements have come from Sen. Mel Martinez, Congressmen Mario Diaz-Balart and Jeff Miller, the Police Benevolent Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Florida Association of State Troopers, the Cuban American Veterans Association and the Florida Nurses Association, as well as 46 members of the Florida legislature and 28 county sheriffs.
Gov. Jeb Bush promised to remain neutral in the race and has not endorsed a candidate. But NewsMax believes Charlie Crist is the best candidate to continue Gov. Bush's legacy in Tallahassee and keep Florida among the most prosperous states in the Union.
He won't win votes from Real Republicans that know he will be a liberal as a Governor. Perhaps the Democrat would be better.
At your convenience, Juliernr21, If you have our new slogan about freepers and the mainstream media handy, we could sure use it on this thread.
Who was in the honor guard at Arlington Natl. Cemetery? (it wasn't cc).
Crist relate? He's just acting. Crist is Florida's Al Gore. Watch the debate tonight and see for yourself.
I'm outta here.
This endorsement for Congressman Weldon will do more for Tom Gallagher than 1000 endorsements for Crist by liberal FL newspapers......the savvy FL base knows that if the Palm Beach Post & the Sr. Pete Times likes Crist....that means he's a RINO....
CONGRESSMAN DR. DAVE WELDON ENDORSES TOM GALLAGHER:
Two weeks from now in the September 5th primary election, we will be deciding on the Republican Candidate to be our next Governor. This is a critically important decision and I urge you to take the time to vote.
I have endorsed Tom Gallagher for Governor because I believe that Tom best represents the conservative Republican values that are important for Florida's future. Tom has recently been endorsed by Dr. James Dobson, which gives us all a good indication of Tom's values.
Tom has been on Governor Bush's cabinet for the last 8 years and he has helped Jeb implement many of the ideas that have made Florida a better place to live.
I believe we need Tom to carry on these ideas. Tom has been very clear on the issues and his platform. Tom is Pro-Life, Tom is against amnesty for illegal immigrants, Tom is against civil unions for gay couples, and he has taken a position alongside Governor Bush to develop alternatives to the class size amendment which will cost taxpayers many billions to implement.
Tom has clear plans on many of the issues facing Florida, I encourage you to visit his web site www.TG2006.com and become familiar with his ideas.
Some polls show Tom running behind his opponent, however, in primaries low turnout polls are often wrong. So your vote in this race is critical. Please join me on September 5th and vote for Tom Gallagher for Governor.
Thanks
[Congressman] Dave Weldon
Re: Law Enforcement: The Fraternal Order of Police NARROWLY chose Crist over Gallagher. That's not much of an endorsement since Crist is their so-called boss. I'm outta here. I'm not helping Crist, Florida's Al Gore without the global warming by bumping this thread.
Vote for Tom Gallagher for Governor instead.
I can't resist one more. WHO can handle a bottle of sun tan lotion like nobody's business? Beware of the wuusification of Florida.
Vote for Tom Gallagher for Governor instead.
Gallagher freepers, try not to bump this thread too much. I'm lvg here after this post.
The only gun issue in this race is that Tom is supporting your right to carry a gun in your car, and Charlie is not. John Walsh, Mr. Crist's celebrity stalking horse, supported the AWB. Do not believe a Charlie supporter, they do not engage on the issues, and are so sucked in to the Charlie charisma, that they will risk the reputation of the people of Florida with another potential Jim McGreevy scandal. RINOism - pretend conservatives with proboscis in the air.
That NewsMax email is such bunk there are few words to describe it. The editors and site owner of NewsMax are located here in Florida and they are probably his friend. He's failed to support any conservative platforms, differing with Gallagher and Gov. Bush.
The biggest joke is when they call him pro-life. He's also pro-gay adoption, pro- uncivil unions, etc. The man is liberal and if his reaction to Schiavo's father is any indication he's also arrogant. He's not even the most electable candidate. His commercials helped Davis in a general match up.
The following table is true and accurate:
http://www.tg2006.com/pdf/comparison.pdf
Vote for Crist and you will be voting for a Hillary wannabee.
Nine different companies run by Miami developer and former lobbyist Chris Korge have doled out at least $4,500 to Republican Tom Gallagher's campaign for governor. That wouldn't be blogworthy if not for Korge's title as chairman of Democrat Rod Smith's campaign for governor.
Korge said the checks were sent last year, long before he came on board with Smith's campaign, and that his business partner is a Republican. He added: "I've known Tom Gallagher for 20 years, and maybe I shouldn't say this, but I didn't object to the checks.''
Korge is a Democratic party soldier who has raised lots of money for big-time Democrats such as former President Bill Clinton, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, and former presidential candidate Al Gore. But he is also a businessman who occasionally supports members of the party in power, including Republican state Reps. Ralph Arza of Hialeah and Julio Robaina of Miami.
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