Florida voters like U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and former Gov. Jeb Bush. But if either of the Republicans decides to run for president in 2016, Floridians could back Democrat Hillary Clinton instead, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.
The News Service of Florida has a story on the poll, and full coverage of Florida politics and government, with a free trial subscription.
Former Congressman Allen West had a clever response when asked on WMAL radio in Washington, DC whether he’d rule out challenging U.S. Sen Marco Rubio, a fellow Republican. “Chirping …. chirping … chirping…” West replied, before adding: ”If I see people that are not taking our country down the right path, if I see people that are not standing up for the right type of principles, and putting their own party politics before what is best for the United States of America,” he might.
Former boxer Mike Hill is the new representative of House District 2 in Pensacola, becoming the first black Republican elected from the Panhandle in over a century. Sunshine State News has a profile today
With the Democratic field remaining unsettled, Republican Gov. Rick Scott is seeing improvement in his poll numbers — though he still trails former Gov. Charlie Crist by double digits in a potential 2014 election battle. Quinnipiac University on Tuesday released a poll that shows the Republican-turned-Democrat Crist leading Scott by a margin of 47 percent to 37 percent. While that is a significant edge for Crist, it is down from a 16-point margin in a March poll.
More from The News Service of Florida on this story (free trial subscription available)
U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, who replaced scandal-chased Rep. David Rivera, has problems of his own. National Journal reports this morning that former Miami-Dade school board member Carlos Curbello has an eye on the seat now.
National talking head Larry Sabato believes six congressional races in Florida will be at least a littl competitive in 2014. According to Sabato, Rep. Steve Southerland’s District 2 is now less firm for his re-election, noting the entrance of Democrat Gwen Graham into the race. Sabato has Democratic U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy’s seat as a toss-up and several others as leaning toward the incumbent or likely to be retained, as opposed to safe for the incumbent. Sunshine State News, meanwhile this morning, while looking at Sabato’s predictions, has a broader look at how congressional races are shaping up.
“It will be based on my record,” Jeb Bush tells the Christian Broadcasting Network’s Brody File on how he would run for president. ”And that record was one of solving problems from completely from a conservative perspective. I cut taxes every year, I shrunk the size of government.”
Former Gov. Jeb Bush’s parents are split on whether he should run for president, Bush said today on ABC’s This Week
Former Gov. Charlie Crist got a warm reception Saturday from the Democratic Women’s Club of Collier County. The Naples Daily News reported that the Republican-turned-Democrat discussed the need to elect a Democratic governor in 2014 but said he doesn’t know when he will make a decision about a possible run.
“Floridians are smart,” the Daily News quoted Crist as saying. “They know what to do and I think we’re going to have a very, very bright future together.”
Here is a link to the Daily News report.
The Sun-Sentinel’s Anthony Man doesn’t break any new ground here – but it’s a good primer (or refresher) on all the reasons Democrats have had trouble winning in Florida.
Here’s his story on why it’s hard to be a Democrat seeking statewide office in Florida