Republican Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca, a former chairman of the Broward County GOP, is considering running for the Palm Beach-Broward District 22 congressional seat despite heavy Republican establishment backing for former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner of Boca Raton.

“I clearly want to look at it and see what the feel of the voters is,” LaMarca said this morning. “I count Adam as a friend, but I need to look at this.”

U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, holds the seat now. But with the legislature redrawing District 22 with a Democratic tilt, West announced he’ll run instead in more balanced Palm Beach-Treasure Coast District 18. After West’s announcement, Hasner dropped his Republican U.S. Senate bid to run in District 22, bringing nearly $700,000 in campaign cash and endorsements from West and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va. Hasner has also been designated an “on the radar” candidate by the National Republican Congressional Committee.

LaMarca says he’ll probably decide within a week whether to pursue the congressional bid.

Democrats Lois Frankel and Kristin Jacobs are also running in District 22.

Democrat Patrick Murphy, who has raised more than $1.4 million by stoking Democratic donors’ dislike of firebrand conservative Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, has decided to follow West to a proposed Palm Beach-Treasure Coast congressional district.

Murphy called West a “coward” last week for leaving his Palm Beach-Broward District 22 to run in a new District 18. Murphy, an accountant who lives in Fort Lauderdale, announced this morning that he’s making the same move — and standing behind the “coward” charge.

“He left his constituents for what he thought was an easier fight for reelection. I’m going to an even harder fight,” Murphy said.

With the Florida legislature expected to make District 22 a Democrat-leaning seat, West’s maneuver lets him run a district with a roughly even Republican-Democrat divide. Murphy’s move puts him in a tougher district for a Democrat, but it also lets him avoid a potentially costly Democratic primary with former West Palm Beach mayor Lois Frankel and Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs. And it allows Murphy, a political unknown before launching his congressional bid, to continue raising money using West as a foil.

Murphy’s decision to sidestep a primary drew plaudits from big-name Dems: U.S. Rep. and DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel of New York and Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith.

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The redistricting-fueled intrigue continues to swirl around Palm Beach-Broward congressional District 22.

A day after freshman U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, announced he’s leaving the district to run in a more Republican-friendly district to the north, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner of Boca Raton confirmed this afternoon that he’s abandoning his Republican U.S. Senate bid to pursue the District 22 seat.

Hasner begins the congressional campaign with about $670,000 in cash from his Senate run. He also picked up an endorsement from West, who said, “I wish him the best, believe in him wholeheartedly and look forward to working alongside of him on Capitol Hill.”

District 22 is divided nearly evenly between Republicans and Democrats now, but state legislators are expected to approve a map that gives District 22 a pronounced Democratic tilt.

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Facing a tough reelection fight in a district that was redrawn with a Democratic tilt, U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, announced today that he will instead run in a more Republican-leaning district to the north that’s home to U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta.

Rooney will run in a newly created rural district that extends from western Martin and St. Lucie counties to Charlotte County on Florida’s west coast and north into parts of Hillsborough and Polk counties. Rooney represents much of that area now.

With no Republican incumbent in West’s current Palm Beach-Broward congressional District 22, sources close to former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner of Boca Raton said Hasner is considering dropping his U.S. Senate bid and running for West’s congressional seat.

West’s current District 22 is nearly evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. But a plan approved by the Florida Senate and up for a vote in the state House this week creates a district where Democrats have a 9-point registration advantage and Barack Obama got 56.6 percent of the vote in 2008.

If approved by the House, the new congressional map could still face legal challenges under a new anti-gerrymandering law approved by voters in 2010.

Two Democrats — former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel and Fort Lauderdale accountant Patrick Murphy — have been running in West’s District 22 and have raised about $1.4 million apiece.

“We chased Allen West out of the district,” crowed Frankel campaign adviser Bret Wask, who said Frankel would continue to run in District 22.

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In case you missed it, Rep. Allen West told President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Debbie Wasserman Schultz to “Get the Hell out of the United States of America,” during a memorable speech at Saturday night’s Lincoln Day Dinner at the Kravis Center.

Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy, the two Democrats hoping to run against West in November, certainly noticed.

Frankel, the former West Palm Beach mayor, started a chain letter on her election web site that residents can sign. It says:

Mr. West –

Let me be the first to tell you that Democrats aren’t going anywhere. Intolerance and immature outbursts don’t have a place in civilized government. Telling people you disagree with to “get the hell out of the United States of America” doesn’t have a place in our society.

Mr. West: We aren’t going anywhere! You and your Tea Party buddies might try to intimidate us with your talk of violence and tell us to get the hell out of the country. But we are not scared of your tactics and are ready for a fight this fall.

–Your Name Here–

In a letter seeking donations, Murphy writes:

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It wasn’t quite as far off the charts as his third quarter haul of $1.96 million, but U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, raised a staggering $1.75 million during the fourth quarter, his campaign said today.

West, known for spending big sums on direct mail, begins 2012 with $2.7 million in cash on hand, according to a campaign press release.

Based on the press release and past Federal Election Commission reports, it appears West spent about $800,000 between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. Fourth-quarter FEC reports are due Jan. 31.

West has raised about $5.85 million overall for his reelection. Democrats Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy have raised about $1.4 million apiece in hopes of defeating West.

With redistricting likely to push West into a Democratic-leaning congressional seat, West’s latest fundraising haul will probably fuel more chatter about West jumping into the Republican U.S. Senate primary for the right to challenge Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. West has repeatedly rejected such suggestions.

Former U.S. Rep. and 2010 Democratic Senate nominee Kendrick Meek is endorsing Lois Frankel‘s congressional bid.

Democrat Frankel is running in a primary against Patrick Murphy for the seat of U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation.

Meek cited his longstanding friendship with Frankel going back to their days in the Florida legislature, adding “I know of no better person to take on Allen West and replace his extreme obstructionism with a proven leader who can get things done.”

It would have been a shocker if Meek backed Murphy. Murphy got a $1,000 contribution from former Gov. Charlie Crist, whose independent bid for Senate in 2010 siphoned votes from Meek. Murphy’s consultant, Eric Johnson, was a strategist for Crist’s campaign.

The Democrat heading efforts to recapture the U.S. House of Representatives said the party won’t take sides or try to push a candidate out of a potentially expensive Palm Beach-Broward congressional primary between Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy.

Frankel and Murphy, who have opened campaigns for the seat of U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, have raised about $1.4 million apiece and are among the best-financed Democratic candidates in the nation. Both were named today to the Dems’ “Red to Blue” program, which assists candidates and steers national donors toward races where Democrats believe they have the best chance of winning GOP-held seats.

Many Democrats, including Palm Beach County Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel, have said they hope either Frankel or Murphy runs elsewhere to avoid a costly primary that might hurt the party’s chances of defeating national fundraising juggernaut West.

“We do prefer that we not squander resources in a head-to-head primary,” said U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

But Israel said the national party won’t try to influence such a move because such efforts have “almost a 100 percent failure rate.”

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Former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel raised more than $320,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011 for her Democratic campaign for the Palm Beach-Broward congressional seat of U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation.

Frankel’s haul eclipses the $300,000 that fellow Democrat Patrick Murphy raised in the quarter for the same race. Frankel and Murphy — who many Dems would prefer to see avoid a primary by running in different districts — have so far focused their campaigns on West and not each other.

West, who raised $1.9 million in the third quarter of 2011, hasn’t announced his fourth quarter total. Reports are due Jan. 31.

Frankel and Murphy are among the best-financed Democratic congressional candidates in the nation, with each raising about $1.4 million so far.

Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler contributed $2,000 during the fourth quarter of 2011 to the congressional campaign of Patrick Murphy, one of two Dems running for the Palm Beach-Broward seat of U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation.

Murphy raised more than $300,000 in the quarter, his campaign said, bringing his fundraising total to $1.4 million. Former Democratic governor candidate Bill McBride and former Wilton Mayors Mayor Jim Stork also contributed to Murphy. Stork ran for the congressional seat in 2004 but cut his campaign short for health reasons.

Republican-turned-independent former Gov. Charlie Crist gave $1,000 to Murphy’s campaign last spring. Murphy consultant Eric Johnson was a strategist for both Wexler and Crist.

Former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel is also running as a Democrat for West’s seat and raised more than $1.1 million through Sept. 30.

Fourth-quarter campaign reports are due Jan. 31 for federal candidates.

Murphy and Frankel are among the top Democratic fundraisers in the U.S., but they are no financial match for West, who through Sept. 30 had raised more than $4.1 million and had $1.8 million in cash on hand.

U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, and his brother, state Rep. Pat Rooney Jr., R-West Palm Beach, would both have tougher reelection battles under early redistricting plans put forward by the Florida legislature.

Read about it in this week’s Politics column, where you’ll also read about potential redistricting implications for U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, and his declared Democratic challengers Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy.

Democratic challenger Lois Frankel wasted little time Thursday challenging speculation that U.S. Rep. Allen West could head north — out of a redrawn, Democratic-leaning district and into a primary fight with fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney.

West’s chief of staff, Jonathan Blyth, downplayed talk Wednesday among Republican consultants that his boss was looking for friendlier turf, with the Plantation congressman eyeing the political backyard of Rooney, who lives in Tequesta.

Frankel, though, seized on the chatter, serving up some political trash talk.

“It looks like Mr. West is afraid of a real fight, which is what he will get when he faces me in a general election,” said Frankel, who faces a Democratic primary contest with Broward County accountant Patrick Murphy. “Mr. West: don’t cut and run…stay and fight. I am not retreating to anywhere. I am staying right here.”

 Blyth later fired back at Frankel.

“Congressman West is a 22- year veteran of the U.S. Army who served in real combat against enemies of our nation,” Blyth said. “Lt. Colonel West has never cut and run protecting and defending citizens of our nation.”

 

U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, raised an astounding $1.9 million during the third quarter of 2011, his campaign announced this morning.

West’s announcement comes a day after Democrats Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy announced third-quarter fundraising totals of $415,000 and $313,000, respectively, in their quests for West’s Palm Beach-Broward congressional seat.

West, whose 2010 campaign was one of America’s richest with $6.4 million raised, has collected $4.1 million so far for his 2012 reelection bid.

West’s campaign said the $1.9 million raised between July 1 and Sept. 30 came from more than 42,100 individual contributors — an average contribution of about $47.

Actual Federal Election Commission reports, which show precise fundraising and expenditure totals and cash-on-hand figures, are due Saturday.

Former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel‘s campaign says she raised $415,000 in the third quarter for her Democratic congressional bid for the seat of U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation.

That tops the $313,000 quarter announced earlier today by Frankel’s primary rival, Patrick Murphy.

Both Frankel and Murphy have raised about $1.1 million since launching their campaigns in March. West had raised $2.2 million for his 2012 reelection bid through June 30.

Federal Election Commission reports covering July 1-Sept. 30 are due Saturday.

In one of America’s costliest congressional races, Democrat Patrick Murphy‘s campaign says it has topped $1.1 million in contributions as he seeks the Palm Beach-Broward seat of U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation.

Murphy raised $313,000 between July 1 and Sept. 30, his campaign said, after raising $352,449 in the first quarter and $456,223 in the second quarter.

Murphy and his Democratic rival, former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, are among the top non-incumbent Democratic money-raisers in the nation. Through June 30, Frankel had raised $698,546.

The Dems will need big bucks to compete with West, who raised more than $6.4 million for his 2010 campaign and had collected more than $2.2 million through June 30 for his 2012 reelection effort.

Frankel and West have not yet announced third quarter finance figures. Reports are due Saturday.

Under former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel‘s administration, the city spent about $5 million on a police radio system that current Mayor Jeri Muoio wants to scrap, citing problems with the radios’ ability to penetrate some of the city’s high-rises and other buildings.

The controversy over the OpenSky system led to Delsa Bush‘s blazing exit as police chief last week.

Will it also cause trouble for Frankel’s Democratic congressional bid for the seat of Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West?

Read about it in this week’s Politics column.

As Palm Beach County’s Democratic Party considers a measure to protect incumbents from “unnecessary” primary challenges, it’s worth noting that some of the biggest local Democratic names of the last two decades were once outsiders who challenged incumbents in Democratic primaries.

Former U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler first gained office by ousting Democratic incumbent Don Childers in a 1990 state Senate primary. Former U.S. Rep. Ron Klein‘s electoral debut was unseating Steve Press in a 1992 Democratic state House primary. County Commissioner Burt Aaronson won his seat by toppling Carole Phillips in a 1992 Democratic primary.

After giving up her state House seat in 1992 to pursue a failed congressional bid, Lois Frankel made a comeback in 1994 by challenging the one-term incumbent who had replaced her, former Frankel aide Mimi McAndrews, and defeating her in a memorably bitter Democratic primary.

Facing state House term limits in 2000, Addie Greene set her sights on the county commission and pushed aside veteran incumbent Maude Ford Lee in a Democratic primary.

State Rep. Irving Slosberg first gained office in 2000 by beating incumbent Curt Levine in a Democratic state House primary.

Tax Collector Anne Gannon made a failed try to defeat incumbent Suzanne Jacobs in a 1994 Democratic state House primary. Before winning his seat in 2010, state Rep. Steve Perman tried and failed to oust Richard Machek in a 2006 Democratic state House primary.

Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher won her nonpartisan office in 2008 by defeating incumbent and fellow Democrat Arthur Anderson.

Democratic congressional hopefuls Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy — who are vying for the right to unseat U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, in 2012 — have both blasted the bipartisan debt-ceiling compromise that Congress and President Obama approved last week.

On the afternoon of the House’s 269-161 vote for the debt deal, both Frankel and Murphy said they were still studying the legislation and hadn’t taken a position on it.

But Murphy on Saturday called the deal an “utter failure” and Frankel, in a fund-raising letter today, refers to the deal as “the same deal that is threatening to put our economy back into a recession.”

House Democrats split 95-95 on the debt deal, with much of party leadership joining West in voting for it. Yes votes included House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., U.S. Rep. and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, and U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Most Senate Democrats — including Florida Sen. Bill Nelson — supported the bill. Obama signed it Aug. 2.

While not going to the lengths of U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and comparing domestic political opponents to terrorists, the two Democrats in Palm Beach County’s congressional delegation — U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch of Boca Raton and Alcee Hastings of Miramar — likened Republicans and tea partyers to hostage-takers in the recent debt-ceiling showdown.

Democratic congressional hopefuls Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy, vying for the right to challenge U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, both used the H-word to describe Republican tactics in interviews about the debt deal this week.

As the conservative Daily Caller enumerates (with more than a dozen examples from the last few days), the hostage metaphor has become the new talking point for liberal commentators from Al Sharpton to Chris Matthews.

And with debt debate dudgeon depleted, Democrats are now using the hostage-taking charge to slam Republicans over Federal Aviation Administration funding.

The National Republican Congressional Committee’s demand today that Democratic House hopeful Lois Frankel return “tainted dollars” from developer Dan Catalfumo produced some quick results — but not the ones the GOP wanted.

Frankel, who hopes to unseat U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, isn’t returning the $5,000 she got from Catalfumo.

But the campaign of U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, will give up $4,600 that Catalfumo contributed in 2008. The money will be given to a home for unwed mothers. Asked why Rooney is returning the Catalfumo cash, a spokesman referred a reporter to the NRCC.

After Frankel accused West of hating women, the NRCC blasted Frankel for accepting contributions from Catalfumo, who was charged with beating his ex-fiancee in a case that ended with a jury finding Catalfumo not guilty in 2005.

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