Posted on 08/16/2010 7:40:57 PM PDT by JulieRNR21
Breaking from Newsmax.com
McCollum Gains Big: 12 Points Ahead of Scott
By Jim Meyers
Bill McCollum has opened a 12 percentage-point lead over Rick Scott in his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor in Florida, according to a new poll released by the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
The poll of likely Republican primary voters shows McCollum with 45 percent of the vote, Scott with 33 percent, and roughly 20 percent undecided.
Attorney General McCollum has a comfortable lead over businessman Scott among moderates, 48 percent to 27 percent, as well as conservatives — 43 percent to 36 percent, according to the polling firm, McLaughlin & Associates. He also has a huge lead over Scott among Hispanic voters, 52 percent to 21 percent.
A Mason-Dixon poll released last week showed McCollum leading Scott by four percentage points, as did a survey by the Florida Medical Association.
McCollum’s comeback has amazed political observers and McCollum critics and supporters alike. Some earlier surveys had him trailing Scott by double digits, and as recently as Aug. 4, a Mason-Dixon poll showed Scott leading McCollum by 37 percent to 31 percent.
Voters evidently are becoming increasing concerned about Scott’s highly questionable business dealings and his refusal to release a deposition he gave in regard to a lawsuit alleging fraudulent practices at a healthcare company he now heads.
The new allegations likely remind voters of fraudulent practices uncovered at Scott’s former company, Columbia/HCA, the nation’s largest hospital chain.
Continued Here: http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/McCollum--Scott--Florida--governor/2010/08/16/id/367633
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
In 1997, Scott was forced to resign as CEO of the firm while it was being investigated for massive Medicare and Medicaid fraud. The FBI launched a multistate probe that led to the firm pleading guilty to criminal charges of overbilling the government.
It remains the largest Medicare fraud case in U.S. history, and ended with Columbia/HCA paying a record $1.7 billion in fines, penalties and damages.
Scott, who walked away from the company with $310 million, accepted responsibility for what occurred at Columbia and said he had learned “hard lessons” from the case.
But Scott is once again under pressure, this time for his role at Solantic — a chain of about 30 walk-in Florida clinics he co-founded after leaving Columbia/HCA — as the company, ironically, faces an allegation of billing irregularities involving Medicare.
MCCollum was against the AZ law before he was for it. Rubio is another open borders RINO.
Crist is just a liar and a freak.
McCollum’s making a big comeback.....PING
My recollection of him is as a pretty solid conservative, with some of the worst political luck I have ever seen.
Bill was against Arizona before he was for it.
At least he is sueing Obama. I would vote for a Kangaroo before a Democrat or Crist at this point.
McCollum is a flip flopper on the immigration issue. Although I do like his credentials, polls show he has trouble beating the Democratic candidate, Alex Sink for Gov. Rick Scott, who admittedly has issues fares better as he is running as the ‘outsider’ candidate. He however, has some baggage as well.
I am somewhat torn on who to vote for in the primary.
Yes....a solid conservative who was one of the House Managers during the Clinton Impeachment. He is pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, supports the Second Amendment, and a fiscal conservative.
He was also the first state Attorney General to bring a case that the Obama Health Care insurance mandate is unconstitutional. Numerous states have followed his lead.
He also recently proposed an Illegal Immigration Law for Florida that is similar to the Arizona law.
Actually the polls I’ve seen indicate that McCollum is more electible against Sink than Scott.
I like McCollum’s conservative record andI trust him to be a solid conservative governor.
With all the shady Medicare stuff that has gone on with Scott’s past & current companies....I don’t trust him to manage Florida.
McCollum was one of the members of the House’s managers of Bill Clinton’s impeachment and trial.
In 2000, he was the GOP nominee for US Senate but lost to Bill Nelson.
In 2004, he ran again for US Senate but lost the GOP primary to Mel Martinez.
In 2006, he was elected Attorney General of the state of Florida.
In 2008, he was state campaign manager for Rudy Giuliani’s Presidential campaign.
McCollum is a conservative, but he’s also a politician. I think he’ll be much more conservative than Crist, more in the vein of Jeb. Jeb wasn’t the perfect conservative, and McCollum won’t be either, but he’ll be a whole lot better than the alternatives. At this point, I don’t think Scott can beat the Dem. He has too much baggage. McCollum will also have a tough time with the Dem, but can probably pull it out in a Republican year. Denying the Dems control of the governorship will help the GOP a lot in 2012.
McCollum is a conservative, but he’s also a politician. I think he’ll be much more conservative than Crist, more in the vein of Jeb. Jeb wasn’t the perfect conservative, and McCollum won’t be either, but he’ll be a whole lot better than the alternatives. At this point, I don’t think Scott can beat the Dem. He has too much baggage. McCollum will also have a tough time with the Dem, but can probably pull it out in a Republican year. Denying the Dems control of the governorship will help the GOP a lot in 2012.
Yeah. I’m afraid Scott will just embarrass the GOP.
McCollum and Sink are tied in the polls. The billion dollar scandal ridden Rick Scott could hardly be a wise choice as nominee.
At this point, I don’t think Scott can beat the Dem. He has too much baggage. McCollum will also have a tough time with the Dem, but can probably pull it out in a Republican year. Denying the Dems control of the governorship will help the GOP a lot in 2012.
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I agree. And the liberal Florida newspapers would have plenty of ammo to ‘sink’ Scott’s Campaign and that would mean Florida is stuck with the ultra liberal Alex Sink during the critical 2012 election....not a good scenario!
McCollum isn’t just surging against Scott; he’s doing much better against the Democrats. Funny that even NewsMax can’t even suppose that it’s at least partly due to the fact that he has “seen the light” (at least politically) on Arizona-style immigration enforcement.
“That’s not the case when it comes to Scott. She blows him away by a 40-24 margin. Only 42 percent of Republicans would support Scott against Sink — but if she faced McCollum, he’d receive 69 percent of the GOP support.
Translation: Scott might be unelectable.”
Easy choice - we MUST nominate McCollum, he’s a good conservative and Scott is unelectable.
Yes, coming out in favor of an Arizona-style law (which McCollum says is a stronger enforcement law) for Florida has gotten a lot of attention.
That has certainly helped McCollum.
Also recent news about charges of Medicare fraud at Solantics has definitely hurt Scott. Looks like a pattern of corruption....that would be used & repeated by the Dems.
BIG BUMP.....what you said!
Brilliant......WOSG quotes the poll I saw a couple of days ago...with McCollum beating Sink.
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