House Democrats huddle around Rep. Ron Saunders, D-Key West. (Florida House photo)

Sen. J.D. Alexander and Rep. David Rivera — two of the state’s more important budget writers and both Republicans – were chatting last month in a Capitol hallway when Ron Saunders strolled up.

Saunders, one of the top Democrats in the House, suggested that the minority party’s votes might be needed on some budget issues.

Rivera

But one of the final votes of a legislative session scheduled to end in overtime on Friday will be whether to allow new games at Seminole casinos so the state can collect hundreds of millions of dollars to protect its depleted budget.

And Republicans might need some help to do it.

Nearly half of the 76 Republican House members voted against a similar gambling measure last month. With 33 Republicans already opposed, the 44-member minority could finally flex a little muscle if they threaten to oppose the gambling bill.

The need Democratic votes to pass a bill in the House is such a rare occurrence that House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, said his party hasn’t even bothered to count the votes.

Cretul

In a caucus meeting this morning, House Democrats agreed to vote against the budget bill and discussed the possibility of a locking down against the gambling bill.

Saunders said a decision should wait until at least the gambling bill was printed (which would happen at about 3 p.m. today).

But several members were clearly less interested in the policy.

Sachs

“They need our votes. Let’s use our leverage as a minority party to work these votes that they need from us to get something for us.”

After the meeting, Sachs said she didn’t have anything specific in mind, but wanted “to bring something home to my people.”

“I’m tired of whining and messaging. It’s time to get involved in the construction,” she said.

Some members, including Rep. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, said time for negotiating was over. “It’s too late for that,” she said.

Republicans leaders gave the possibility little chance.

Lopez-Cantera

Aside from the Sisyphean task of corralling a notoriously independent House Democratic caucus, Democratic leaders might have tough time asking many of their members just to vote against the gambling bill.

Saunders acknowledged the caucus had many “friends” who wanted the bill to pass.

“I’m not talking about killing anything dead,” Saunders said. “We’re maybe talking about using the stun gun and maybe coming back a few minutes later.”

Conceivably, some of those friends include Ron Book and Lori Weems, two high-powered lobbyists who cornered Sachs after the caucus meeting. Both Book and Weems are representing some of the state pari-mutuels and want to see the bill passed.

Book

Book said he needed to keep his gambling issue separate from Democrats’ frustration over their perception that they’ve been ignored by Republicans.

Saunders, however, tried to enflame that irritation by telling members he had been taunted by Speaker Designate Dean Cannon on the House floor and ignored by Republicans who assembled the gambling deal.

Saunders said he approached Cannon about working out a deal, but Cannon said the Republican vote count was “for me to know and you to find out.”

“I didn’t appreciate it and since then I haven’t spoken to Dean Cannon,” Saunders said.

Saunders also told his caucus that he attended every conference committee since Friday and was never asked for input.

Saunders

“My reason I kind of like what Maria said to a certain extent is I want to start sending messages not for the next two days, but the next three years. If the Republicans continue to do what they did to us this session, we’re going to have war I will guarantee that.”

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Tags: Democrats, gambling, State House

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 7th, 2009 at 2:45 pm and is filed under 2010 campaigns, legislature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.