The state Fraternal Order of Police is endorsing state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, in the 2010 Democratic primary for attorney general.

Aronberg is running against state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, for the Democratic nomination to succeed Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum, who’s running for governor. GOP candidates for AG include Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp.

Says FOP Florida President James Preston: “Dave Aronberg’s history of commitment to public service, and his legislative record of giving special attention to the area of public safety has earned this valuable endorsement. His experience as an assistant attorney general and his leadership in the Legislature as an advocate for public safety and on behalf of law enforcement make him a perfect fit to serve as Florida’s next chief law enforcement official…We are confident in the leadership that Dave Aronberg will bring to the office of Attorney General.”

For years, Broward eye doctor Alan Mendelsohn wrote checks and raised money for a host of elected officials from both parties and funneled big bucks into campaigns through shadowy “527″ political committees.

Then the ophthalmologist/moneyman was hit with a 32-count federal indictment accusing him of siphoning much of the committee money for his personal use and directing $87,000 in concealed payments to an unnamed former public official.

Mendelsohn has pleaded not guilty, but the verdict is already in from the former recipients of Mendelsohn’s largesse. They’re distancing themselves from the former money spigot.

Click here to read about Mendelsohn and local pols in this week’s Politics column.

LAKE BUENA VISTA — Democratic attorney general candidates Dave Aronberg and Dan Gelber traded a few elbows over school vouchers and campaign finance this morning but spent most of their time bashing Republicans during a debate before about 1,000 Democratic activists.

The first debate between the primary rivals saw Miami Beach state Sen. Gelber repeatedly stressing his eight-year record as a federal prosecutor while Greenacres Sen. Aronberg, 38, frequently invoked popular former Democratic Attorney General Bob Butterworth, for whom Aronberg worked in two stints between 1999 and 2002.

The debate’s most heated exchange came when Gelber accused Aronberg of supporting private school vouchers.

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Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell is endorsing Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, for attorney general. That’s a strong indication that Darnell’s friend and former hometown state Senator, Rod Smith, will not run for AG in 2010.

Smith is the former state attorney who prosecuted Gainesville serial killer Danny Rolling before becoming a state Senator and losing a 2006 Democratic primary for governor. He has been considering the AG race and would be considered a formidable candidate because of his statewide name-identification.

Smith today stopped short of saying he won’t run for AG, but noted that he talked to Darnell before she endorsed Aronberg.

“I have not made any announcement on this, but certainly when my friends are announcing their support for other people, it can be assumed that most of them don’t think I’m going to be running,” Smith said.

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Glades County Sheriff Stuart Whiddon is endorsing state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, in the Democratic primary for Florida attorney general. Whiddon joins Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara in backing Aronberg, who faces state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, in the primary for Florida’s top lawyer’s job.

Said Whiddon, in a statement released today by Aronberg’s campaign: “Dave fits the mold of an ideal Attorney General….previous experience already working in the office as assistant AG, a track record of getting consumer protection laws passed, even experience at the federal level fighting terrorism by going after money laundering operations…no one else can offer Floridians that kind of background and dedication to the job.“

State Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, has picked up the endorsement of St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara in Aronberg’s quest for the Democratic attorney general nomination. Aronberg, who’s running against state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, in the primary, unveiled an endorsement from Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw a few weeks ago.

Says Mascara: “Dave Aronberg and I share the same commitment when it comes to law enforcement…zero tolerance for anyone who preys on any Floridian, young or old. We need someone in that office who wants to be Attorney General to protect the public from serious crimes including consumer fraud. “

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw endorsed state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, for attorney general today, our Andrew Marra reports from the Port of Palm Beach.

Aronberg is trumpeting it as the first endorsement by a law enforcement official in the Democratic AG primary. But rival state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, suggests he earned that distinction when he received the backing of former U.S. Attorney General and 2002 Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Janet Reno.

Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno endorsed state Sen. Dan Gelber for Florida attorney general today.

“Dan has the gumption and spirit to make the Attorney General’s office a vital force in the lives of Floridians,” Reno said in a press release issued today, saying Gelber would make a “splendid” AG.

Gelber, a former federal prosecutor from Miami Beach, is running in a primary against fellow Democratic state senator Dave Aronberg of Greenacres to replace Attorney General Bill McCollum, who is leaving office after one term to run for governor.

Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp is the leading GOP candidate in the race so far.

Reno, a Miami native, served under President Bill Clinton as the first female U.S. Attorney General.

National Democrats have been firing salvos at freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, for months.

The national GOP recently added Rooney to its incumbent-protection program in preparation for battle.

The only thing missing is an actual challenger.

That could change soon. Democratic St. Lucie County Commissioner Chris Craft says he’s “leaning” toward entering the race in the next few weeks.

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Palm Beach County Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel, who earlier this week frowned at the prospect of Delray Beach Democratic state Rep. Kevin Rader running for state Senate, says he’ll back Rader now that the freshman Representative has launched a Senate campaign.

“I’m going to support him. He’s shown himself to be an outstanding legislator and obviously he’ll be very good in the Senate,” Siegel said.

Siegel also spoke glowingly of Rader earlier this week, but said it would be bad for the party if Rader ran for Senate and created a Democratic primary for that seat (Fort Myers attorney Peter Burkert is also running as a Dem) and for Rader’s House seat (several Democrats are likely to run for it now that Rader is leaving).

Rader on Thursday officially announced his plans to run for the seat of Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, who’s running for attorney general. Senate District 27 runs from West Palm Beach to Fort Myers, with roughly equal numbers of voters in Lee and Palm Beach County. In a Democratic primary, however, Palm Beach County has roughly a 2-to-1 advantage.

Rader has announced endorsements from some of Palm Beach County’s big Democratic guns: U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, state Sen. Ted Deutch, County Commissioners Burt Aaronson and Shelley Vana, state Rep. Mark Pafford and Tax Collector Anne Gannon.

Sen. Paula Dockery’s taking her commuter rail clout on board Tri-Rail next week to learn more about the beleaguered South Florida commuter train.

Dockery, a Lakeland Republican, carved out a niche in train transportation by single-handedly derailing the controversial Central Florida commuter system during the legislative session that ended in May.

Dockery objected to the state paying more than $400 million to transportation behemoth CSX Inc. for track and rail yard improvements. Lawmakers failed to approve the deal despite the support of Gov. Charlie Crist, House Speaker-to-be Dean Cannon and other GOP leaders.

More than 1,000 Tri-Rail riders have e-mailed Dockery in the past three months objecting to reductions in service caused by the legislature’s failure to come up with the cash to keep the system on course, she said in a press release.

On top of that, the state may have to give more than $250 million back to the feds if Tri-Rail officials cut back on service as planned.

Dockery, who is mulling a run for governor, will ride the rails from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale on Monday.

Democratic Sens. Dave Aronberg of Greenacres and Nan Rich of Weston will join Dockery for part of the ride.

Former Democratic state Rep. Richard Machek, who left the state House because of term limits last year and pursued a failed bid for Palm Beach County property appraiser, isn’t ruling out a comeback attempt if his successor — state Rep. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach — leaves the House to run for state Senate.

Rader, notwithstanding the concerns of Palm Beach County Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel, is expected to give up his House District 78 seat to run in 2010 for the seat of Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, who’s running for attorney general.

“If he files, to tell you the truth, I probably would take a hard look at it,” said Machek, who said he’s already fielded several calls asking him to consider the House race.

Chiropractror Steven Perman, who challenged Machek in a 2006 Democratic primary and finished only 198 votes behind Rader last year, says he’ll also consider running if Rader leaves.

PALM BEACH GARDENS — The three leading candidates for Florida attorney general — Republican Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and Democratic state Sens. Dave Aronberg and Dan Gelber — are here to speak to a Florida Sheriff’s Association lunch.

Also at the conference at the PGA Resort and Spa is Bob Butterworth, the Democrat who served four terms as attorney general from 1987 to 2003 and was sheriff of Broward County in the 1970s. Butterworth was Republican Gov. Charlie Crist’s appointee to head the Department of Children and Families before stepping down last year and going into private law practice in Broward County.

Asked if he’ll take sides in the 2010 race for his old job, Butterworth said, “I’m not sure at this point in time. We have very good people running on both sides of the aisle.” He added that he’s not sure whether all the candidates for AG have entered the race — a reference, no doubt, to former Democratic state Sen. Rod Smith, who’s considering a run for the top legal post.

If you’re a Republican member of the Florida Senate and you haven’t taken sides in the Sharon Merchant-Lizbeth Benacquisto District 27 GOP primary, you’re in the minority.

Former state Rep. Merchant today launched her campaign for the West Palm Beach-to-Fort Myers seat and announced that she’s been endorsed by nine members of the Senate. Two of her backers — Sens. Paula Dockery of Lakeland and Alex Villalobos of Miami — stood with Merchant as she made her announcement at her family’s equipment rental business in West Palm Beach.

Benacquisto, who entered the race last month, has endorsements from eight Senators.

So 17 of the 26 Republicans in the Florida Senate have already taken sides for a primary that’s nearly 14 months off. Merchant and Benacquisto are vying for the seat of Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, who’s running for attorney general.

Read the endorsement lineups after the jump…..

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State Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, became the eighth Republican Senator to endorse Wellington Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto’s bid for the District 27 seat, Benacquisto announced.

Haridopolos is in line to become Senate president in November 2010. Current Senate Prez Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, has endorsed Benacquisto, as has previous Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, and Majority Leader Alex Diaz de la Portilla.

Republican Sharon Merchant, expected to launch her own Senate campaign Wednesday, has endorsements from three Republican Senators.

District 27 is now represented by Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, who is running for attorney general.

State Sen. and potential GOP governor candidate Paula Dockery of Lakeland will be in West Palm Beach Wednesday morning when former Republican state Rep. Sharon Merchant makes “a major political announcement.” West Palm Beach City Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell will also be on hand.

Merchant has said she’s running for the state Senate District 27 seat of Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, who’s running for attorney general. In addition to Dockery, Republican Sens. Nancy Detert of Venice and Alex Villalobos of Miami have said they’ll back Merchant.

Another Republican, Wellington Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto, has already launched a campaign for the seat. She’s backed by seven GOP Senators: President Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach, Majority Leader Alex Diaz de al Portilla and Sens. Michael Bennett, Garrett Richter, Ken Pruitt, Don Gaetz and Andy Gardiner.

On his way to winning the state House District 78 seat last year, state Rep. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach, often reminded voters that he actually lived in the district while Democratic primary rival Steve Nichol did not and candidate Steven Perman had merely rented an apartment there while owning a house in Broward County.

Now Rader is entertaining thoughts of running next year in a state Senate district where he doesn’t live.

He has plenty of company.

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Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish today will endorse state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, in the Democratic primary for attorney general, an Aronberg campaign adviser says.

Aronberg and state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, are the only announced Democrats in the AG race, which means both have similar South Florida bases for their statewide campaigns. That could be a problem for them if former state Sen. Rod Smith of Alachua enters the Democratic primary.

Gelber recently ventured into Aronberg’s turf to pick up an endorsement from Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon. Aronberg returned the favor by snagging an endorsement from Miami Beach City Commissioner Noah Wolfson, who’s hosting a fund-raiser for Aronberg this month.

With state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, running for attorney general and no other Palm Beach County Democrat declaring interest in running for Aronberg’s Senate seat, state Rep. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach, says he isn’t ruling out the possibility of running.

Freshman state Rep. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach, isn’t ruling out a 2010 run for the West Palm Beach-to-Fort Myers state Senate seat that Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, is giving up to run for attorney general.

“I’ll have to look at the numbers and see if, A, it’s a winnable seat and, B, if I have the time to do it,” Rader said today of the roughly 130-mile-long district. “Campaigning for that seat is very difficult.”

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There are 26 Republicans in the Florida Senate. So far, at least seven of them have taken sides in the emerging GOP primary battle between Wellington Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto and former state Rep. Sharon Merchant of Palm Beach Gardens for the seat of Democratic Sen. Dave Aronberg, who’s running for attorney general.

Benacquisto has a fund-raiser in Tallahassee next week with five state Senators on the host committee: President Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach, Majority Leader Alex Diaz de la Portilla of Miami, Don Gaetz of Niceville, Andy Gardiner of Orlando and soon-to-retire Ken Pruitt of Port St. Lucie.

Merchant has not formally opened a campaign, but Republican Sens. Nancy Detert of Venice and Paula Dockery of Lakeland say they’ll be on her team. Many insiders also predict that Sen. Alex Villalobos of Miami, who was defeated by Atwater in a GOP leadership struggle, will take sides with Merchant against Atwater’s favored candidate. Villalobos couldn’t be reached today.