Diverse Donor Base Fuels (Johnnie) Byrd's Florida Senate Effort

St Petersburg Times ^ | October 21, 2003 | STEVE BOUSQUET

[Pubbie]

TALLAHASSEE - House Speaker Johnnie Byrd's U.S. Senate campaign is getting financial support from hundreds of contributors, including some who benefited from legislation in 2003.

Byrd's donors include health care executives, hometown friends from Plant City, influential lobbyists and partners in the Broad & Cassel law firm that Byrd hired to oversee changes to the House computer system.

Byrd, a Plant City Republican, raised $846,000 in the three months ending Sept. 30, more than any other GOP Senate candidate. The nearly 300-page report shows most of Byrd's money came from Florida, and $50,000 was donated by Washington political action committees.

Tampa lawyer Steve Burton, managing partner of Broad & Cassel's Tampa office, and his wife gave Byrd $4,000 each, the maximum allowed in a Senate race. Five other Broad & Cassel lawyers gave $10,000.

Byrd hired Burton as a legal adviser on Election Day 2002. The firm has billed the House for more than $500,000 in fees related to changes in House computers and is representing the House in a suit filed by Hayes Computer Systems, which claims it is owed $1.9-million for installing the system.

Other Byrd supporters include executives of two South Florida hospitals that Byrd helped to win expanded heart surgery operations without lengthy state review. A state judge found the law unconstitutional.

The hospitals, Martin Memorial Health Care Systems in Stuart and Bethesda Memorial Health Care Systems in Boynton Beach, were represented by lobbyists Mike Corcoran and Brian Ballard, both Byrd supporters.

"The speaker asked me to raise money for his campaign and I did," said Ballard, who gave Byrd $1,000. "The process is, people got to know him, worked with him, liked him and wanted to support his candidacy."

Another Byrd donor is Fort Lauderdale lawyer Terrence Russell, a former Florida Bar president and a Democrat. Russell said he gave $2,000 because Byrd kept his commitment to provide state funding for legal services to the poor.

"There isn't a lot of political mileage in helping poor people, but he did it," Russell said, "and I don't forget friends like that."

Byrd's Plant City ties helped him too. They include Valrico businessman Sam Rashid, accountant Dan Raulerson and lawyers Howard Stitzel and Robert Trinkle, Byrd's law partner.

Byrd received $1,000 from Don Gaetz, the elected superintendent of schools in Northwest Florida's Okaloosa County. Gaetz said he was asked to support Byrd by two friends who are Panama City businessmen, Earl Durden and Charlie Hilton.

"Johnnie Byrd is a Northwest Florida conservative with the kinds of values that I think represent our part of the state," Gaetz said.

Lobbyists who contributed $2,000 each to the Byrd campaign include Paul Bradshaw and David Rancourt of Southern Strategy Group, one of Tallahassee's most prominent lobbying firms; Mike Corcoran of Zephyrhills, Byrd's former aide and one of his closest political advisers; Associated Industries president Jon Shebel; Larry Overton, a lobbyist for HMOs and hospitals; and Guy Spearman of Cocoa, who represents Anheuser-Busch, Eckerd Youth Alternatives and Tampa Electric.

Seven employees of FECP Cast-Crete, which makes precast concrete and is headed by Hillsborough political activist Ralph Hughes, gave Byrd $28,000.

Byrd also received $15,000 in contributions from 19 executives of WellCare, a Tampa Medicare HMO, and 15 employees of U.S. Sugar in Clewiston, a big player in the Capitol, gave Byrd $4,250.

Byrd received $2,000 donations from Richard Fain, chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines; Armando Codina, a Miami real estate developer whose former partner was Gov. Jeb Bush; Miami City Manager Jose Arriola; and Pinellas Park real estate investor Brent Sembler.

Some of Byrd's House colleagues gave too.

Rep. David Simmons, R-Longwood, who chairs the House budget subcommittee on education, gave Byrd $2,000. Rep. J. Dudley Goodlette, R-Naples, the House policy chairman, gave $1,050. Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, and Rep. Mark Mahon, R-Jacksonville, each donated $1,000.

Fundraising reports on the other Senate candidates were not yet available.

[Pubbie]

Go Johnnie!

[Pubbie]

I used to prefer Daniel Webster, I now prefer Byrd to get the nomination because he is a fundraising machine and he has higher Name ID than the other GOPers thanks to the Terri Schiavo crisis.

[Theodore R.]

Speaker Byrd said at one time that he had an alternative plan for Terri Schindler if Terri's Law is declared unconstitutional by the liberal FL judiciary. Does anyone know what his alternative is?

How old is Byrd? How long has he been in the House? I understand that he left the Episcopal Church recently and became Baptist because of the homosexual priest issue.

[JohnnyZ]

I used to prefer Daniel Webster, I now prefer Byrd

I've gone somewhat the opposite direction. Byrd is a magnet for criticism and has been involved in several "bad government" controversies over the last two years. There is plenty of material for the Rat candidate to run a string of commercials alleging corruption. Is Byrd at fault? Probably not. But he sure left himself open to criticism on multiple occasions.

I like Daniel Webster better because he can exploit the right-leaning electorate without losing the middle through "good government" failures.

[Pubbie]

I don't know what else Byrd plans to do in case the Courts do something sneaky.

I think Byrd is relatively young, and if he runs, we would have a good shot at picking up his Congressional seat.

[Theodore R.]

Byrd is Speaker of the FL House. He is not in Congress.

[Pubbie]

Oh, my mistake, I meant to say the Johnnie Byrd is young (Mid 40's).

[Pubbie]

Yeah I screwed up, disregard that comment.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I like Daniel Webster better because he can exploit the right-leaning electorate without losing the middle through "good government" failures."

---

I agree. I think a controversial and polarizing candidate would be counterproductive in FL in 2004. W. will carry the state, and if we run a nice, clean, experienced conservative Republican we will beat whoever the RATs throw out at us (now that Graham is out of the way). So I would rather if we didn't nominate Byrd or (if she enters the race) Katherine Harris. The most imporatnt thing, though, is to make sure a "moderate" doesn't sneak in there and win against a divided conservative base. Weldon has to sh!t or get off the can, and someone should have a talk with McCollum and let him know that he's not going anywhere. Either Webster, Weldon or Byrd should be our standard bearer, and I would rank them in that order.

[Pubbie]

I thought you wrote "Boyd" not Byrd.

:)

[Theodore R.]

This is from "Human Events Online", Nov. 10, in regard to the FL Senate race:

GRAHAM GOES: Having previously aborted his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Florida Sen. Bob Graham last week became the fourth Democratic senator from the South to announce his retirement in '04. While three-termer Graham was long considered a cinch for another term, the more leftist Democrats now vying to succeed him—Representatives Peter Deutsch and Alcee Hastings and former State Commissioner of Education Betty Castor—are all considered sitting ducks for a conservative Republican nominee. The three Republican candidates are all considered strong conservatives: House Speaker Johnny Byrd, State Sen. Daniel Webster, and 2000 Senate nominee Bill McCollum.

[Theodore R.]

Biographical Information
City of Residence: Plant City
Occupation: Attorney
Spouse: Melane Sherer
Child(ren): Melane Anne, Sherer E., Amanda T., Johnnie "Bryars" Byrd, III

Education: Auburn University, B.S., Business Administration, 1973
University of Alabama School of Law, J.D., 1976

Born: February 8, 1951 Brewton, AL
Moved to Florida: 1988
Religious Affiliation: Baptist

[Theodore R.]

Here are the stats on Byrd's intraparty rival, Daniel Webster, a state senator and former Speaker himself:

Legislative Service
Elected to the Senate in 1998, reelected subsequently
House of Representatives, 1980-1998
• Minority Floor Leader, 1982-1984

• Orange County Delegation Chair, 1985, 1991

• Minority Whip, 1988-1990

• Republican Leader Pro Tempore, 1992-1994

• Republican Leader, 1994-1996

• Speaker of the House of Representatives, 1996-1998


Other Public Service
The Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Conservancy Award, 1998
Greater Orlando Association of Realtors, Legislator of the Year Award, 1998
Inducted into Georgia Tech's Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni, 1998
Prevent Blindness, Florida Person of Vision Award, 1997
The Florida Reading Association, Legislator of the Year Award, 1997
Republican Party, Florida Statesman's Award, 1997, 1995
Florida League of Cities, Quality Floridian Award, 1995
Honorary Doctorate Degree, Clearwater Christian College
Republican Caucus Leadership Award, 1991-1992
First Republican Speaker of the Florida House in 122 years.

Highlights
"I would like to acknowledge that any accomplishments I may have achieved come only from the investment that God and others have made in my life."



Biographical Information
Occupation: Air Conditioning Contractor
Spouse: Sandy Jordan of Orlando
Children: David Lee, Brent Alan, Jordan Daniel, Elizabeth Anne, John Elliott, and Victoria Suzanna
Education: Georgia Tech, B.S.E.E., 1971
• Tau Kappa Epsilon
• Intramural sports
•Student government, 1968-1970
Born: April 27, 1949, in Charleston, West Virginia. Moved to Florida in 1956.
Religious
Affiliation: Baptist

[caltrop]

I'm not positive, but I believe Weldon has taken himself out of the race and will run for reelection.

[Kuksool]

Right now, I am undecided between Webster and Byrd. But it would be fun to visit the DUmmie site on the night Katherine Harris becomes a US Senator!

[OXENinFLA]

You can't understand how ELATED I was to learn Bob Gram was retiring!


FL needs Republican Senators!!!!

[AMNZ]

I have to say that Daniel Webster is a most impressive gentleman. He has the polish and stature that makes you feel most comfortable in having him working on your behalf. He seems very mild mannered, but unlike a RINO, I sense he can handle a big stick when needed.

Check Daniel Webster out.

[Pubbie]

What do you see as Byrd and Webster's strengths and weaknesses?

[AMNZ]

With all these great Republican candidates, it is hard to figure out why we have put up with Graham. I'll plug Webster as an outstanding and winning real Republican.

[livius]

I saw Johnnie Byrd speak in Gainesville last week, and I was favorably impressed. I don't know much about Daniel Webster, so I guess I'm not quite ready to make a decision.

I don't think Katherine Harris would be a good candidate because the Dems hate her with a passion and would try their crookedest tricks to derail her. Of course, they might do that to any Republican candidate, anyway.