State Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, sidestepped a U.S. Senate primary over the weekend but may be headed into a three-Democrat battle for the party’s attorney general nomination.

Gelber, state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, and former Democratic state Sen. Rod Smith of Alachua are all continuing to explore runs for the state’s top legal post in 2010. Incumbent AG Bill McCollum is running for governor.

The three potential Democratic candidates have talked extensively to each other over the last few weeks about avoiding a primary, but so far none has ruled out running.

“When we get into these primaries, it tends to become a circular firing squad,” Gelber said today.

To avoid such a firing squad in the Senate race, Gelber withdrew and left U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, as the Democratic favorite. U.S. Rep. Corinne Brown, D-Jacksonville, has also expressed interest in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Mel Martinez.

Gov. Charlie Crist and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio are seeking the GOP Senate nomination.

Gelber said his decision to drop his Senate bid was based in part on his expectation that Crist will win the Republican primary and be a formidable general election candidate.

“I knew not only was it going to be a hard primary but the guy you’re going to reach at the end is very well-known and well-funded,” Gelber said.

There’s no clear Republican favorite in the attorney general’s race. Potential GOP candidates include Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and state Rep. Bill Galvano of Bradenton.

Aronberg said the lack of a GOP favorite gives Democrats more time to try to sort out the attorney general’s race.

“We’re talking and we’re hopeful that we can resolve it,” Aronberg said. “If it can’t be resolved, then I think I’d rather have the people decide (in a primary) than have a candidate anointed by party leaders.”

Some Democrats have suggested Aronberg should run for chief financial officer or challenge freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta. Aronberg has shown little interest in those races.

“I don’t close the door on things. But clearly, if it can’t be worked out, you go where your heart is and my heart has been there a long time,” Aronberg said of the attorney general’s race.

Gelber today stressed that he doesn’t want a Democratic primary for attorney general, but said one may prove to be unavoidable.

Smith couldn’t be reached today. In the past, Smith has said he respects Aronberg and Gelber and doesn’t want a primary. But he has also said his decision on whether to run for attorney general won’t be based on what other candidates do.

Tags: Bill Galvano, Dan Gelber, Dave Aronberg, Jeff Kottkamp, Kendrick Meek, Rod Smith

This entry was posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm and is filed under 2010 campaigns, Bill McCollum, Charlie Crist, Marco Rubio, Mel Martinez, Tom Rooney. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.