Democratic challengers gain, but Bush keeps lead in poll

South Florida Sun-Sentinel ^ | 7/2/2002 | Linda Kleindienst

[Joe Brower]

TALLAHASSEE

[Joe Brower]

DO WE REALLY WANT THIS CREATURE
AS FLORIDA'S NEXT GOVERNOR?

I would have posted a picture of McLawyer as well, but I have none.
The cockroach must be campaigning from his bedroom, and I ain't going there!

[Joe Brower]

[JulieRNR21]

He's hoping to win over more Democrats like Kathleen Tamayo of Coral Springs, who plans to vote for Reno in the primary and Bush in the general election.

"I have no complaints about what Gov. Bush has done," said Tamayo, who said Bush has worked to improve Florida education and the child welfare system. "He's handled a lot of the situations here in Florida very well."

GO JEB GO!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

In a head-to-head matchup, Bush leads Reno 53 percent to 37 percent, with 10 percent undecided . . .

But Reno has the highest unfavorable rating of all the candidates, with 48 percent of those polled saying they had a mostly unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of her.

The governor's support slips below 50 percent when he is paired against McBride, who remains unknown to nearly half the voters polled. Bush has a healthy lead over McBride -- 49 percent to 31 percent -- but 20 percent could not yet pick a favorite.

Republicans can't stand her, but Democrats prefer her 2-1 over McBride.

What softens Bush's support v. McBride?? Are there pubbies hoping McBride's more conservative than Bush?

[chudogg]

someone needs to flood the airwaves with this picture the day before the elections.

[floriduh voter]

Yes, and Laura's being coming quite the celebrity at 79% approval rating per Fox. (don't hold me to that - heard it an hour ago.) FV It's her warm personality and her engaging smile imo.

[floriduh voter]

Re: Elian's closet photo easily fits on a side car window so you don't endanger yourself in traffic. I wouldn't add any commentary though. But everyone agreed that IT WAS HANDLED BEYOND BADLY and I bet that Elian would love the opportunitly to be ABLE TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WITH HIS AMERICAN FRIENDS on our soil.

[floriduh voter]

McLawyer's law firm Holland & Knight's 2001 profits dropped sharply WHILE HE WAS THERE. We don't want him to overtake Janet either. A poor businessman we don't need. McLawyer is JUST AS BAD AS JANET. Let us not forget. And, he looks just like Liberace. Let me find that photo for you. FV

[Common Tator]

Are there pubbies hoping McBride's more conservative than Bush?

A lot of the population in Florida are registered Democrats. But while there are more Democrats in Florida than Republicans, the Democrats do not have a majority. They need the center too. Bush has all the suport of the Repubicans, a very few Democrats, and most of the center against Janet Reno. The center does not like Janet Reno.

The far right to which you belong has no value to either party. In any election in which the Republicans need the far rights votes to win, the far right is always off voting for some far right wing 3rd party lost cause. When the Republicans don't need the far right to win, why should they care. So they don't. Friends you can't count on are not friends.

The center hopes McBride is more honest than Janet and nicely liberal. Janet is too crooked for most of the center to accept. Bush is too far right for some of the center, especially if a reputable liberal is running. When a crooked liberal like Janet is running they will vote for Bush. When a nice liberal is running they will vote for the nice liberal.

Bush will get enough of the center to win easily this time. He has not fallen for the losing stratety of the far right. Bush knows he must have the center and that he must work to get it.

Bush's acceptance by much of the center will make him an easy win. That victory will help make the case that the only road to victory for Republicans is through the center.

The left constantly tries to tell the voters from the center that Republcians are all far right wing nuts. If the far right constantly attacks the Republicans, it is hard for the Democrats to make the center believe it. Of course the Republicans try to make the center believe that all Democrats are far left. Ralph Nader is a big help in making the Democrats look less liberal.

If enough right wing nuts get out there and scream that Bush is a leftist swine, Jeb would win in a landslide.

[clintonh8r]

There are a lot of RATs who would vote for Jeb over Uncle Janet, but see McBride as more palatable than Reno, and would vote for him in the general election. McBride is smart, presentable and well financed. He isn't as scary as Reno and would be a formidable opponent. I hope enough of the RAT crazies vote in the primary to give Shake 'n' Bake the nomination.

[glc1173@aol.com]

"someone needs to flood the airwaves with this picture the day before the elections."

The "mainstream" media will never run it. That's why you have to go guerrilla.

Take "the photo" to the same Little Havana printshops that ran it as a poster in the weeks after Reno's Rangers dragged Elian out at gunpoint. Then plaster it to every utility pole in Dade and Broward Counties at night two days before the election - and pass it around in Cuban-American groups to put in storefront windows in Little Havana.

And - especially if Jackboot Janet wins the primary - nuke every local talk show in Florida with the story of Reno's "girlfriend."

[caltrop]

Bush presided over 7 1/2% increases in spending his first two years in office, pushed a change in accounting which makes it very difficult to make year to year comparisons in his third (if you believe the raw numbers the budget declined in year three!), stretched many of the tax eliminations he promised out instead of eliminating them in sequence (to keep the Florida Restaurant Assn., for example, on his team and contributing), is perceived as arrogant, not that bright, unsupportive of his legislators and, through his dominance of the RPOF, makes sure his interests are always considered at least first and perhaps exclusively. In Florida they say "the further North you go, the further South you get". In Northern Florida, there's a strong feeling he's a Rockefeller Republican, not only a believer in government but more comfortable in Connecticut than Florida. He greatly strengthened the Governor's office - a long standing liberal goal. He has no military service and, to the best of my knowledge, has never been seen with any sort of firearm. I know plenty of North Florida voters who, while they'd never vote for Reno, simply won't vote for JEB on the grounds he's really a phony telling them whatever he thinks he has to.

[summer]

If enough right wing nuts get out there and scream that Bush is a leftist swine, Jeb would win in a landslide.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gee, Common Tator, did you ever get THAT right! Or, should I say LEFT! :)

[summer]

Plus, people like caltrop believe Jeb really IS leftist swine! GO CALTROP!!!! TELL IT TO THE WORLD!!!!!! LOL... :)

[summer]

Thanks for the ping, Joe. :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Bush bump!

[MeekOneGOP]

Bush bump! 2

[floriduh voter]

This is a superficial post but from the looks of the local paper, I believe that McLawyer has had some cosmetic surgery around the eyes and the jowls. If he's trying to look 49, that's not going to happen.

Why can't dems just be who they are? If you check a recent picture, you will notice a change. His law firm had a very bad 2001 when he was still there. Just what we DON'T NEED. FV

[mafree]

GO JEB!!