The Buzz: Florida Politcs [Note to Dem lurkers: No, FL AG Charlie Crist is Really NOT Gay]

St Pete Times ^ | Jan 22, 2006 | Times staff writers

[summer]

FL AG Charlie Crist/GOP Candidate for FL Gov

...CRIST'S COMPANION: From a White House Christmas party to this morning's Martin Luther King breakfast in St. Petersburg, the couple are being spotted more and more: Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and Katie Pemble, the chief operating officer of the Bank of St. Petersburg.

"We're dating," the longtime banker confirmed last week.

Pemble, 41, and Crist, 49, have been seeing each other for several months. And in terms of politics (which, of course, is how The Buzz views everything) this relationship has loads of small world wrinkles.

A former regional executive with Bank of America, Republican Pemble is a longtime friend and former colleague of Democratic chief financial officer candidate Alex Sink. She gave Sink's husband, former Democratic gubernatorial candidat e Bill McBride, a $100 contribution in 2002.

She is also sister-in-law of John Kynes, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Davis' district director. She gave Davis' campaign $100 in March. But Crist needn't be too steamed: She gave his campaign $200 in June.

[summer]

I am really not following the FL gov race too closely because I am disappointed that Toni Jennings, FL's first female Lt Gov, is not running. Plus, as a registered independent, I can't vote in the primaries anyway.

But, that aside -- I notice some people in FL, as well as some national Dem blog sites, seem to have a hard time believing that any single male in Florida who is a) considered good looking; b) dresses well, AND c) has a tan, could possibly be straight. They seem to be sure that Charlie Crist, FL's current AG and current candidate for FL gov, MUST be gay.

I am not an expert on Charlie Crist, but I hope the above blurb/news article will enlighten Dems. (Unless of course it later turns out to just be campaign nonsense, and in that case, never mind.)

[summer]

I meant to type: Florida POLITICS (in that headline)!

[summer]

FYI.

[Brilliant]

Ridiculous.

On the other hand, I'm not sure how conservative he really is. But then on the third hand, Gallagher is no more conservative, possibly less.

But then on the fourth hand, either of them will be far more conservative than any candidate the Dems might field.

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

It's an interesting race in that so many voters seem uninterested right now. There is something like 75% of "undecided" Dem voters at this point, despite the fact they have several candidates in their upcoming primary.

[Brilliant]

When you have your choice of any of the Three Stooges, you don't get too excited.

[dawn53]

The St. Pete Times was trying to make an issue out of Crist being a bachelor and Gallagher being married/w kids, but if you read the article, Gallagher is 62, and just married his wife 8 years ago, so now has a 7 year old.

Was Gallagher married before that? I haven't researched it , but I found the entire article rather odd, and wondered what the Times was trying to accomplish by printing such drivel.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/14/Columns/Gallagher_s_public_si.shtml

[summer]

They do print a lot of drivel; that's true.

[summer]

Well, I also think no matter what happens, whomever is FL's next governor will really be dealing with so many policies that Gov Bush put into place that in a way, it doesn't even matter. No one person can possibly "un-do" all that he accomplished in his two terms. Gov Bush's legacy is going to last long beyond the next governor.

[summer]

PS Also, I think that newspaper does not like Republicans at all. So, that may account, in part, for their "odd" reporting style when it comes to the GOP and its candidates.

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

FYI.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Jennings was smart not to run, as a pro-abort RINO, she would've been obliterated in the primary.

[summer]

I do not know anything about her being a "pro abort RINO" -- how do you arrive at such conclusions??

[nj26]

"Was Gallagher married before that? I haven't researched it, but I found the entire article rather odd, and wondered what the Times was trying to accomplish by printing such drivel."

The Saint Petersburg Times is not printing such drivel without a purpose. They know that just a few "rumors" about Crist's personal life is worth a lot of votes, particularly in central and north Florida.

[summer]

They know that just a few "rumors" about Crist's personal life is worth a lot of votes, particularly in central and north Florida.

You're probably right about that.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I had heard the charge repeated ad infinitum that Jeb had picked a RINO to replace Frank Brogan, but this may be unfounded after all. I had heard some claims that Jennings was supposedly a pro-abort, but after reading through several sites to substantiate those claims, apparently this isn't the case. However, some have classified her being against abortion except for rape, incest, and life of the mother as not being Conservative enough. I would not be in that category.

Another complaint about Jennings besides that, and substantiated, is that she hasn't had a stellar record on taxes.

[summer]

I only know she ran a family business, and before that she was a teacher for a short time. She also had sued Gov Bush when she was president of the FL Senate, but, he obviously forgave her and then chose her as his LT Gov.

My gut tells me he very much wanted her to run for governor, because he recognized it would be a very big deal if FL's first female gov was also a Republican.

I don't know why she didn't run. I am guessing she just wants to finish serving him in his administration and call it a day. Too bad, because I think a qualified female candidate from the GOP would have ensured a GOP victory in this upcoming gov race. (And, the GOP would have made history again in this state.)
I am not convinced a Dem can win the FL gov race, but, who knows.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I'm a bit worried for the general, in any event. Assuming Gallagher and Crist don't cut each other to shreds and provide an opening for either Jim Davis or Rod Smith (whomever we nominate probably ekes out a narrow victory), but Katherine Harris with her sky-high negatives won't be able to beat the horrid liberal twit Sen. Bill Nelson. :-(