Benacquisto’s big day: Atwater, Pruitt, de la Portilla endorse in Senate race
by George Bennett | June 10th, 2009
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Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, Majority Leader Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, and former Senate Prez Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, are all backing Benacquisto, her campaign announced this afternoon.
Benacquisto got another break today when Matt Caldwell, the 2008 Republican Senate candidate from Lee County, announced he won’t run in 2010 and will back Benacquisto. Senate District 27 stretches from West Palm Beach to Fort Myers, with about 54 percent of voters in Palm Beach County and 45 percent in Lee County. About 60 percent of the district’s Republican voters live in Lee County.
Democrats overall have a 40-to-36 registration edge in the district and Barack Obama carried it in 2008.
Former state Rep. Sharon Merchant of Palm Beach Gardens has said it’s “highly likely” she will run in the GOP primary. Merchant couldn’t be reached this afternoon. Democrat Peter Burkert, a Fort Myers attorney, is also likely to run.
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June 10th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I’m involved with a municipality in the western communties.
Benacquisto is a tireless worker. Merchant’s only involvement out here has been as a lobbyist for the SWA and she is advancing their agenda to locate a dump at our front door. Not a good record to run on.
June 12th, 2009 at 9:45 am
[...] this week, Benacqusito picked up endorsements from three big Senate Republicans: President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, Majority Leader Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, and [...]