Embattled Scott plans $100M campaign vs. Crist [Florida, Let's Put Rick Back in Charge!]

politico ^ | 2/6/13 | ALEXANDER BURNS and MAGGIE HABERMAN

[SoFloFreeper]

Rick Scott is preparing to defend his Florida governorship with the most expensive reelection campaign in state history, drawing up plans for a battleship-sized political operation aimed at overcoming the Republican’s deep personal unpopularity.

The anticipated price tag, according to sources familiar with Scott’s plans: $100 million.

[BillyBoy]

And of course, right after I post #20 on this thread, I realize I meant to say "Clearly he has alienated a large chuck of the FL electorate", not "Clearly he has aligned a large chuck of the FL electorate"

D'oh!

[liberalh8ter]

In order for me to answer on the 14 point trail, you'll need to identify the source of your number. If the poll was taken in liberal enclaves such as Dade and Broward Counties, it could explain a lot. What are the demographics of the poll?

[BillyBoy]

The source is listed in the article for this thread if you read it. It’s a Quinnipiac University poll. They polled voters across the entire state of Florida, not some random Democrat county. It also states “among self identified Republicans — allegedly Scott’s base — 37 percent disapproved of how he is handling his business.” If this poll was a fluke and other polls were showing Rick Scott is popular and well liked, that would one thing, but he’s been consistently polling as unpopular no matter what polling firm takes the survey. How do you explain that?

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Putman seems to have a ton of tea party fans but has been underwhelming so far (yeah, yeah, yeah, "he ran in a liberal district and he was the only Republican we could have run there"... still doesn't explain him going nowhere when he jumped into the Senate race)."

------------

I think you're confusing Adam Putnam for someone else--likely for former state representative Adam Hasner. Putnam served in Congress for 10 years, representing Polk County (halfway between Tampa/St. Pete and Orlando) and compiled a lifetime ACR rating of 90.80; he retired in 2010 to run statewide and was elected Commissioner of Agriculture. Oh, and he's only 38 years old. His only downside is that he looks like Opie Taylor.

As for Governor Scott, I didn't say that his electoral prospects are "doomed," merely that he should consider his odds of winning before sinking $100 million into his reelection and perhaps sabotaging another conservative Republican's chances of winning. I agree that one poll 21 months before the election (and 18 months before the primary) is insufficient to make the call, but he's got quite a while before he has to make up his mind.

[liberalh8ter]

According to Quinnipiac December poll:

From December 11 - 17, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,261 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

I can only say the demographics are murky. They haven't identified the calls were made all across Florida and while they identify the calls were made to registered voters, they don't identify the affiliations of the focus group.

Personally, I don't put much stock in the Quinnipiac polls.

[BillyBoy]

You’re right, I was thinking of Adam Hasner when I weighed-in on Adam Putnam. Lots of gaffe’s today on FR. And too many politicians in Florida named Al or Adam! It’s like all the guys with the last name Ryan getting on the ballot in Illinois. (I’m surprised nobody mentioned the Ryan curse in Illinois when Paul Ryan got the veep nomination, my GOP township president said he didn’t even realize it until I brought it up)

[longtermmemmory]

remember crist “married” into a big money democrat party family.

he also came out for fetish based marriage and pro everything communist.

[BillyBoy]

>> Personally, I don't put much stock in the Quinnipiac polls. <<

I wouldn't put much stock in it either, if Quinnipiac was reporting he was unpopular but other polls showed he was doing fine. The problem is that Rick Scott has dismal poll numbers no matter what polling firm does the survey.

The Times/Herald/Bay News, Public Policy Polling, Suffolk, Mason-Dixon, Zogby, Rasmussen, and the Florida Poll all report the same thing in recent months: far more Floridians have an unfavorable than a favorable view of him (http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.com/contests/rick-scott-favorability-fl). Of course liberals are going to hate him, but he's also polling terribly with independents.

If he has done a very good job as Governor, why the public believe otherwise? It's a sincere question. Either the information about what he's done hasn't gotten out there, or they believe the negative attacks on him. Refusing to accept these polls are legit does conservatives no good. When George Allen was struggling against Jim Webb in every poll, his fan club here just blew it off and claimed every single poll was biased and "if it says he's 8 points behind, that means he's REALLY 2 points ahead". As a result of not taking the DemonRat threat seriously, the result was Senator Webb.

I don't want the orange skinned freak back in the Governor's office. Let's take these polls seriously and start thinking about what can done to stop that.

[Impy]

The Florida Governorship (that of the largest competitive state) is of great national importance. I would not risk it over admiration for one man. Nevada’s Governor was unpopular, he was primaried out and GOP kept the office. Gibbons didn’t have 100 mil to scare challengers away though, if that happens we may have no option but Scott.

He could turn things around I guess, there is time. But that does not seem likely to me.

[ExCTCitizen]

Don’t forget Senate Speaker Will Weatherford... so if Scott drops out... it will be interesting...