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.
All you care about is the gun issue?
Jim McGreevy resigned as governor of the great state of New Jersey over a scandal for fraternizing with a state employee whom he fell in love with. As far as I can tell, Crist just uses people, doesn't actually fall in love.
CHARLIE CRIST LET MY DAUGHTER DIE:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1675381/posts
I heard your tag line today at the store. I was shocked.
I demand royalties!
McCain and Martinez endorse Crist..wonder why. He just admitted he's a compassionate conservative..and wants florida to go in that direction....the begining of the end!
Maybe Crist should borrow Capital One's slogan "What's in your wallet".
Charlie wants child support to become an entitlement for adoptive parents. They're not my children and I don't owe adoptive parents $5,000 per year per child until they reach the age of 18.
Charlie Crist is not an expert at economics! He should be.
CRIST FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR 2006!
Please tell me you picked them up to burn them.
Tom Gallagher is just as pro-gun, except he's not for "civil" unions or pro-gay adoption (which Crist said on a recent radio interview that he is - and said nothing on the subject during the debate, despite Happy Valley Pant's assertions to the contrary and the article he pulled up which is ridden with errors).
Crist is also fiscally reckless. It was Gallagher who fought to cancel the bullet train. Crist would have rather gone speeding down it. Now the jerk is promising $5,000 per year per child to every adoptive couple. He's a liar, makes promises that he has no intention of keeping and is fiscally reckless.
I was leaning toward Crist a few weeks ago. Then started looking at the issues. Run as fast as you can.
When's the last time you heard President Bush pushing civil unions (although Charlie claims that he does!) or fag adoption?
Please don't disgrace the name of President Bush by comparing him to that jack ass donkey in elephants clothing for Pinellas.
He was a centrist until he had a kid. He was never a flaming liberal like Crist and is just as pro-gun. The NRA just figured Crist would win so they may as well get in early. After the debate that now seems more and more unlikely.
A must read:
http://www.tg2006.com/pdf/comparison.pdf
HUH?
It was my response to Happy Valley's inane remarks to you.
What exactly don't you understand about?
"He was a centrist until he had a kid." - and therefore at a certain period of time supported measures that he hasn't supported in the past 8 years.
However
"He was never a flaming liberal like Crist and is just as pro-gun. The NRA just figured Crist would win so they may as well get in early. After the debate that now seems more and more unlikely." - They are a political organization which rely heavily or lobbying and it's crucial to them to be on the side of the guy they think will get elected as long as he is pro-gun. Well, they called this one wrong.
It was meant for Happy. Sorry if you thought it was for you (just copied you because it referred to the nonsensical comparison he tried to make in response to your post - something he does often)
I see...no problemo.
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