Senate Republicans trawling for cash
by John Kennedy | May 16th, 2011Florida Republican senators put the legislative session in the rearview mirror Monday and went fishing — raising money for Sen. Don Gaetz’s bid to become the next Senate president.
Billed as the 3rd Annual Boca Grande Fishing Tournament, the two-day event in Southwest Florida is expected to lure more lobbyist cash than any sportfish. But that’s the idea.
“We’ve got to start early and often,” said Senate Rules Chairman John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, who was among the nine GOP senators listed as ‘captains’ of the excursion. “Sen. Gaetz is doing what’s necessary. We might have 40 senate races next year. Part of being a leader is being prepared.”
Lawmakers start session early next year — in January, to begin once-a-decade redistricting. When the line-drawing is completed, all 40 Florida Senate seats will be up for grabs, unlike most election years when only half the Senate is on the ballot.
Thrasher, a former House speakerand past Florida Republican Party chairman, didn’t want to talk of where he might position himself in the line of succession following current Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and Gaetz, R-Niceville.
Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, another of this week’s tourney ‘captains,’ has gathered support for 2015-16.
“I just take each election as they come,” Thrasher said Monday, following a round of golf at the swank Gasparilla Inn and Club. “At some point, I’ll have to make a decision. But right now, I’m just looking to help Sen. Gaetz.”
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May 16th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
If the republicans are trawling for cash, how do the democrats get theirs?
May 16th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
@nemo: Prayer?
In all seriousness, I’d take these guys for running the Senate over any of the competition. Smart group of people here.
May 16th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
nemo does have a point. Are the Senate Dems not raising money too? That’d probably be news to any personal injury lawyer in Florida right about now. Would those Dems be ‘trawling’ for cash, to use your loaded word, or are they nicer about it? Fair and balanced…not.
May 16th, 2011 at 7:44 pm
Eh, it is what it is, papabear. One way a Repub can know he’s the right guy for the job is when the media has to stretch like this to hit you on a slow news day. So I guess all of these guys have something to be proud of, they all got hit in one post.
May 16th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Point taken, sauceman. Guess these media guys just can’t deal with conservatives like Gaetz and Gardiner being on the ball and ready to continue Haridopolis’ conservative work in the President’s chair. I’m sure the people of Florida will feel much better than they do about it.
May 16th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
Hey fellas, Delmar here. Chairman Greer and I are on the way on the chartered plane. See you on the dock.
May 17th, 2011 at 6:53 am
Yes, lets contribute more money to the republican Nazi machine so they will be ablwe to take away more civil rights of women, blacks, jews and gays.
May 18th, 2011 at 11:12 am
Despite raising huge amounts of cash,both Democrats and Republicans should be aware that voters shall remember who voted down immigration law enforcement and e-verify
May 21st, 2011 at 1:06 pm
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May 23rd, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Would this be the Thrasher of Jacksonville who voted for in state tution for illegals and vote down both immigration law enforcement and e-verify?