Dan Gelber (D-Miami Beach) is out in front of both Dave Aronberg (D-Green Acres) and potential GOP Jim Lewis (R-Ft. Lauderdale). In a Sachs/Mason-Dixon Poll presented July 1st, Gelber earned the highest approval rating of all three candidates who have announced their intentions to run. This poll, combined with a strong fund raising quarter and some heavy-hitter endorsements from Florida's Democratic ranks, demonstrate that Gelber is poised to become Florida's next Attorney General.
Florida 2010 is the place to watch. The entire Sunshine State could flip Red to Blue. As Kos himself stated, even Charlie Crist might pull an Arlen Spector. This landslide shift of tectonic proportions could be noted in such indicators as:
1) Obama decisively winning the Sunshine State;
2) Incumbent Mel Martinez abdicating his Senate run;
3) The Jebster declining to take a crack at the vacant FL-Senate seat;
4) FL Gov. Charlie Crist groveling to Obama for stimulus money.
The race for Florda Attonrney General is heating up. Incumbent Bill McCullom is challenging Alex Sinkfor Crist's job as Crist takes on Kendrick Meek for vacated Martinez Senate Seat. Dan Gelber is by far the strongest candidate in line for the AG Job.
DAN GELBER RUNNING STRONG
Gelber is an experienced federal prosecutor tough on white collar crime and public corruption. An established legislative leader, he constructed Florida's terrorism bill. Dan Gelber is AV-Rated and has directed an office of 200 lawyers. FL-Dems are quickly lining up behind Gelber's AG Run. Several Tampa-Area Legislators, State Senator Arthenia Joyner and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler have all officially backed Gelber. Former State Senator and Education Secretary Betty Castor heartily gave her thumbs up. Worthy of note, Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon gave her endorsement Gelber. This is important because Gelber's Democratic rival Dave Aronberg also hails from PB County.
DAVE ARONBERG'S VOUCHER BILL PROBLEM
Stormy weather is brewing for Aronberg. As first reported in a post by FLA-Politics blogger Tally, Aronberg voted for a Republican backed Voucher Bill in the Florida Senate. Aronberg's Voucher Bill vote will not sit well with Florida Teachers.
HB453/SB1310- The Voucher Bill - amounts to yet another tax holiday to businesses that fund vouchers. In a year that saw a decline in state revenue, spending for Districts slashed, and hundreds of teachers laid-off, Aronberg joined the likes of super-scary GOP Rhonda Storms (of creationism-in-the-science-classroom fame) and voted in support of Vouchers.
Aronberg's Voucher Bill Vote undermines his Ralph-Nader-Wannabe-Consumer-Protection stance. As most eloquently stated in Tally's post:
If he can't protect kids from vouchers how can we trust him with poison peanut butter or toxic FEMA trailers? If D. Aronberg can't even stand up to the Home-Schoolers lobby then how will he do against drug dealers and crooked insurance companies?
Good point.
DAN GELBER - PROTECTING OUR FUTURE
Florida Teachers should get behind Dan Gelber. He opposed the Voucher Bill from the start. He just wrote a great editorial in the Miami Herald slamming the FCAT. He stood up in Tallahassee this winter and vote back against deep cuts to public education. Dan Gelber has a personal connection to public education: His mom was a teacher, his sister currently teaches High School, and his three daughters attend local public schools. Dan Gelber understands why we must invest in education.
WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP DAN GELBER
CLICK HEREto contact Florida Educational Association and tell them why FEA should endorse Dan Gelber.