Foley wouldn't mind more GOP rivals in Senate primary

The Sun Sentinel ^ | July 19, 2003 | Anthony Man

[Jacvin]

Florida House Speaker Johnnie Byrd could liven up local Republican politics when he spends a day in Palm Beach County next week.

Given all the campaign money here, it's a natural early stop for Byrd, who just announced his interest in the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

It's also home base for U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Palm Beach Gardens. He's amassed a huge treasury while campaigning for months, including multiple trips to Byrd's Tampa Bay back yard.

Byrd is making the standard stops: a Republican club luncheon in Boca Raton and the party's annual Lobsterfest in Delray Beach. He's also having a closed-door meeting with the county Republican trustees. These heavy hitters, each of whom must contribute at least $5,000 a year for membership, could help Byrd finance a statewide campaign.

Not on the official county party agenda is another closed-door event. Conservative activist Jack Furnari is hosting 40 to 50 people at his house for a get-acquainted session with Byrd, a champion of conservative causes, skeptic of government and critic of taxes.

Conservative backing of Byrd isn't necessarily bad for Foley. He's undoubtedly praying daily for a field that includes Byrd and the other four possible candidates.

Such a contest would split conservative money and votes, and would make it possible for Foley to position himself (with an eye on the general election) as the responsible moderate. With no runoff to worry about next year, he could easily win.

Not that Foley is likely to be so lucky. Certainly not all will run, and a one-on-one with someone such as Byrd might be harder for Foley to win.

County Party Sid Dinerstein comes from the conservative end of the spectrum, but he's so much in the Foley camp that he isn't planning to attend the gathering at which Furnari introduces Byrd to local conservatives.

Still, he welcomes Byrd. "The fact that we have a hometown favorite does not mean that we don't want the 250,000 Republicans in the county to be able to kick the tires of all the folks," he said.

[Jacvin]

The Senate Primary is heating up.

[Jacvin]

BUMP.

[Impy]

"Such a contest would split conservative money and votes, and would make it possible for Foley to position himself (with an eye on the general election) as the (sic)responsible moderate."

Duh.

So who do you like?

[Jacvin]

I am a Conservative and will support a Conservative.

The field is not clear yet and won't be until Jan or Feb of 04.

There won't be all those Conservatives in the race.
Support will coalesce around one and the others will drop out.

I'm leaning towards Speaker Byrd but will wait to see how it plays out a little longer.

[Impy]

What do you think of McCollum?

[Jacvin]

Nice guy. Not all that Conservative.
No charisma. Can't win.

[jagrmeister]

I'd prefer no primary. Save the resources and beat the Democrats in the fall.

[fieldmarshaldj]

FL Senate race *ping*

It's gonna be Mark Foley. It's just gotta be, it's gotta ! See, I'm right because that's my opinion and my opinion is always right. I have no facts to back up my claim that it will be Mark Foley, but I don't need facts because I'm right and that's that.

The previous was a parody of a loon from another thread, in the event that the previous was not a parody and was serious, please take me to the nearest emergency room to remove the gerbil from my kiester. =8-0>

For the record, I'm rooting for Daniel Webster. We definitely need a Daniel Webster back in the Senate again. Maybe if he loses the primary, he can run as a Whig like his namesake. :-)

[Pubbie]

Somebody needs to tell McCollum to hang it up and give Webster a clearer path in the Primary (Yes, that means YOU Rove!)...

: D

[Kuksool]

Assuming Bob Graham does not run for Senate re-election, we have 4 candidates from South Florida running for the Senate: Mark Foley, Alex Penelas, Alcee Hastings, and Peter Deutsch. Do you think having so many So. FL candidates would, in fact, drain away potential votes from Foley in the GOP primary? I have a feeling that whoever is going to win the GOP nomination, needs to carry the panhandle and the I-4 corridor.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Well, you're talking about different candidates with different bases in different parties. I haven't yet analyzed all of the regional bases of the GOP candidates, but looking at the South FL 'Rats, Deutsch's base are the Gold Coast Jews, Hastings' base are amongst Dade-Broward Blacks, and Penelas' base is... well, all 5 Cuban-American 'Rats. Penelas won the Miami-Dade Mayorship because of his ethnicity, not party loyalty. That guy will be toast in a 'Rat primary. In any event, I think a few more kids will be jumpin' in the pool before they close the gates...

[Kuksool]

Wouldn't the Miami Cubans cross over and vote for Alex Penelas? Also, calling Penelas Mayor of Miami-Dade is misleading. He is not the Mayor of Miami. He is the county board president of Dade County.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Wouldn't the Miami Cubans cross over and vote for Alex Penelas?"

In a general, perhaps, but he'd have trouble enough with that. In a primary, I would say no. Most Cubans don't vote in 'Rat primaries, the real action in Cuban areas of FL are fought out in the GOP primaries. General elections in those areas are anti-climactic (some of those local seats don't even feature 'Rat opponents, except usually for some hapless schmoe Caucasian who runs or a senseless Cuban who forgets he's running on a party label that hasn't much of a problem with the Castro regime).

"Also, calling Penelas Mayor of Miami-Dade is misleading. He is not the Mayor of Miami. He is the county board president of Dade County."

I know he's not the Mayor of Miami City, that being Manny Diaz, but on the main website, his title is listed as Miami-Dade County Mayor (did they not change the title officially ?).

[Kuksool]

Changing the name of Dade County to Miami-Dade was silly. It made things alot more confusing.

[fieldmarshaldj]

No argument there. Having two people with what seem to be overlapping jurisdictions both being called "Miami Mayor" makes it that much worse. I've heard practically nothing about Mayor Diaz, and he certainly doesn't cut a swath like his legendary predecessors.

[Jacvin]

So who decides on the nominee then?

[Jacvin]

Checked your home page out. Nice job. Love all the "pictures". except the last one. HeHe
How do you know so much about Florida politics if you're from Tennessee?

[jagrmeister]

I think we can get a good sense of who will win the general election through polling and fundraising. I would be happy with Foley, McCollum, or the state legislator who's thinking of running. I don't mind politicking to see who's the strongest candidate but then before the primary gets bloody, join forces and take on the Democrat nominee.

[Impy]

So was that Republican Mayor Joe Carollo (got arrested for fighting with his wife and lost reelection iirc) Mayor of the City of Miami or "Mayor" of the County?

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Checked your home page out. Nice job. Love all the "pictures". except the last one. HeHe"

Heh, thank you... That's a little "gem" for those who can actually make the long journey to the bottom of the page... =8-0>

"How do you know so much about Florida politics if you're from Tennessee?"

Doesn't everybody know about Florida politics now ? :-) It helps when I mind-meld with Michael Barone.