Jim Greer’s ‘weekend of smiles’ and other notes from the Florida Republican annual meeting
by Michael C. Bender | January 9th, 2010You could say its been a tough week for Jim Greer. The Republican Party of Florida chairman resigned Tuesday (effective Feb. 20), a casualty of the war between conservative and moderate members of the state party.
But tonight — the start of the annual meeting in Orlando — he strolled up to the podium in a ballroom at the Rosen Plaza hotel, and graciously welcomed some 400 Republicans. (Sorry in advance for sub-standard audio.)
For some more scribbles from the first day of meetings, continue reading.
1)The battle to replace Greer as head of the battle is still being waged. Both Sharon Day and John Thrasher addressed the county chairman’s caucus to let them know their interest. I, of course, had just stepped out of the room. Great timing…
2) I caught up with Day for a moment earlier in the afternoon, and she was planning to work a few rooms during Friday and Saturday. She wanted to make clear that she and Thrasher would work together no matter the outcome.
3) Thrasher was also busy pressing the flesh, being led around Greer’s reception at one point by St. Lucie County Republican Allen Miller. Christian Camara tweeted that Thrasher’s line to the committeeman’s caucus about staying neutral in primaries received “rousing applause.”
4) Thrasher even had a table set up in the lobby promoting his candidacy. It included “John Thrasher for Chairman” stickers, pledge cards asking for public endorsements, a bio page and a DVD entitled “Florida’s Unsung Heroes.” I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet…
5) If the campaigns hadn’t released their 4th quarter fundraising totals with a press release or on Twitter (here’s another plug for our page of Florida political tweets), they didn’t really want to talk about numbers.
6) What everybody wants to know is the totals for Gov. Charlie Crist and former House Speaker Marco Rubio, whose race gets 8,000 words in Sunday’s New York Times Magazine on Sunday. We also hear that Rubio’s face is the cover of the issue…
7) Rubio is still staying far away from the chairman’s race. He’s says they’d both do a great job. But these are the type of questions that it will be fun to watch him navigate.
8.) There’s got to be pressure for him to back Thrasher, who was speaker when Rubio was first elected to the House. Thrasher was also the pick of Sen. Mike Haridopolos and Rep. Dean Canon, both of whom Rubio was close during his nine years in the legislature. Meanwhile, Day is the choice of the grassroots, Tea Party movement people who have given Rubio’s campaign a significant boost in the past six months.
9) Back to money: For the first time, Rubio is facing major expectations in his fundraising. This is no joke – people are openly wondering whether he can collect more money that Crist — a legendary fundraiser — in the fourth quarter. Rubio has been getting great press for the past few months, receiving a wave of national press after the conservative turnout in the NY-23 U.S. House race in November. He’s also been fairly aggressive with direct mail pieces and e-mails asking for help.
10) Crist’s folks aren’t talking numbers either. But some of his people did seem quick to say they’ll have a better “burn rate” (meaning they’re spending relatively less) and will certainly have more cash on hand, which they say is, in the long run, the most important number. And while that’s probably true, it will also be a fact buried several paragraphs deeper in the stories…
11) Sen. Paula Dockery, who is running against Attorney General Bill McCollum in the party’s gubernatorial primary, also says her campaign is still putting together numbers. She won’t even say what she’s spent herself. But her campaign paid for its own party Friday night, which included a performance from Nashville recording artist Kenyon Lockry. Dockery says he’s an up-and-comer.
Tags: annual meeting, Jim Greer, Republican Party of Florida
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January 9th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Want Fiscal conservative, no demoncrats who tax and spend.
Alexandra Sink = raisd taxes, commit the state to debt, push county districts to institute the MOBILITY FEE (FEE=political term for TAXES)
Time to find the fiscal conservatives for BOTH parties, ANY parties.
And remember which ever party wins they’re in the seat to control and organize the State politically for the next ten years…RE-districting after the 2010 census.
The guv leads the way!
Demoncrats=Taxing, Spending, no fiscal constraints: spend, spend, spend, raise, raise, raise FEES, TAXES.
Get the State more money by DRILLING! Save the residents of FL from PAYING more taxes, fees.
January 9th, 2010 at 9:56 am
Last legislative session, Sen. Dockery got real cozy with the Florida trial lawyers lobby to derail the last piece of legislation necessary for the SunRail project to move forward. The legislation was later modified so her close pals the trial lawyers dropped their opposition.
Dockery is a pro-choice, free spending liberal who stands with trial lawyers instead of citizens and doctors and business owners. She is completely out of touch with Republican Primary voters here, who stand with AG Bill McCollum who has a long and distinguished record as a true conservative.
January 9th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Dockery = RINO
January 10th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Pinellas’ Nancy Riley “probably” throwing her hat in the ring for RPOF Vice-Chair. #sayfie #gop
http://myloc.me/2LhRT