You are campaigning to lead our party back to its conservative ways. One of you will be tasked with ending this public-relations nightmare, a distraction that is getting in the way of electing Republicans statewide.

And so, on behalf of common-sense conservatives, let me ask this: can we count on you to follow best practices and come clean about the extent of the spending problem?

It’s not exactly clear how many credit cards soon-to-be-former Chairman Jim Greer passed out. We know former House Speaker Ray Sansom had one (it’s part of the lawsuit in which he’s accused of falsfying the state budget). And we know that former RPOF Director Delmar Johnson had one (it was leaked to the press last week).

We also know that Senate President Jeff Atwater and House Speaker Marco Rubio each had one while directing the campaigns within their respective chamber. Both say they’ll release their statements if everyone else does, too.

Today, Atwater said he would support a new chairman disclosing the statements.

“For us as a party, it’s far more important rather than we debate it every day on who’s got a story or a column on it … that people who know that they’re making a contribution to the party know that there are disciplines in place and processes that they can trust.

“And clearly, at the moment, there would be a lot of doubts about that.”

Deutch and Lynch won their respective primaries last week in Palm Beach-Broward District 19. Wexler left his seat last month to head a Middle East think tank.

A third candidate, Jim McCormick, is on the April 13 ballot with no party affiliation. West Boca Chamber President Barry Epstein said McCormick wasn’t invited because he is “not viable.”

The 7:30 a.m. breakfast costs $25. To make a reservation, call 561-852-0000.

Lynch

“I was really surprised with how lousy the turnout was. I was expecting at least twice as many voters as that,” said Ed Fulop of the local Glenn Beck-inspired 9-12 group. Ed Lynch won a Republican primary that had only 7.4 percent turnout after all three GOP candidates aggressively courted the Tea Party/9-12 vote.

Read about it in this week’s Politics column.

The decision comes a day after Gov. Charlie Crist pledged to seek federal help to investigate whether something in particular has caused higher-than-normal rates of pediatric brain tumors and cancer, particularly for girls, in The Acreage.

It also comes one day after — and appears to be a departure from — Florida Surgeon General Ana Viamonte Ros’ statement that state health officials had exhausted their research options in The Acreage.

Story here.

And IG Melinda Miguel also cleared the department of any wrongdoing by not providing e-mails on the SunRail deal to Sen. Paula Dockery until after Crist’s open government office was brought in.

“No evidence was found to suggest that any Department official intentionally withheld documents in violation of the law,” Miguel wrote in her 45-page report. “To the contrary, evidence shows that an unintentional, human error occurred during the initial public records request.”

Kopelousos and her aides insisted that they used the words “Pancakes” and “waffles” in subject lines to draw attention to the messages about the rail deal out of the thousands that the secretary receives daily.

“We are a nation at war. The governor believes the current policy has worked, and there is no need to make changes.”

–Republican Charlie Crist spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg.

“Marco Rubio supports the current policy and doesn’t see any evidence it needs to be changed.”

–Republican Marco Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos.

“Before the Civil Rights Bill passed, Everett Dirksen told Lyndon Johnson that, ‘This is an idea whose time has come.’ Well this is also an idea whose time has arrived.”

–Democrat Maurice Ferre

“Admiral Mike Mullen’s testimony that repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell comes down to an issue of integrity for citizens in uniform, and for the military as an institution were powerful words of conviction and truth. As a congressional cosponsor of legislation to promote a policy of nondiscrimination in the Armed Forces on the basis of sexual orientation, and having spoken to senior commanders about this issue, the position voiced by the military is a welcome one.”

–Democrat Kendrick Meek

That quote from Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio wasn’t about this embrace or this sign of affection, he was talking about this one.

Rubio said on CNN on Thursday that “the hug” between Gov. Charlie Crist and President Obama gets too much attention. Crist’s support of the stimulus plan was what was really important, he said.

It was the Rubio campaign, however, that called a picture of Obama and Crist the “MOST POWERFUL ONLINE FUNDRAISING SITE IN FLORIDA HISTORY” in November.

The site is no longer active, but the picture is on a fund-raising page on Rubio’s campaign Web site. A money bomb for Rubio features Crist and Obama embracing.

Today, Rubio is announcing that he’ll return to the site of the Fort Myers rally on Wednesday - the one-year anniversary of the Obama-Crist get-together.

The event, coordinated by FreedomWorks PAC, will feature former House Republican Leader Dick Armey.

From Rubio’s press release today:

“Every day, I am encouraged by the growing support I see for limited government principles throughout Florida and our nation,” said Rubio. “February 10 marks the first anniversary of Governor Crist’s embrace of a failed stimulus policy that has neither stimulated our economy, nor prevented the dramatic job losses that have taken a toll on over 1 million Floridians and families.”

Today, the Sentinel details Johnson’s credit card expenses, including $134k in charges in one month.

From the story:

The internal accounting records indicate that after chopping up his own card, Greer used Johnson’s AmEx card to pay for his own travel, and trips taken by Crist campaign staffers and a handful of state legislators.

Johnson said charges to his card increased after (RPOF Chairman Jim) Greer recalled all the party’s other credit cards and that “only a small fraction” of the travel was really his. However, he refused to be specific about how much of the travel charges were his own.

In several instances, Greer used a charter pilot to fly him in his own plane across the state, the records suggest. Just two months of charges billed by Baer Air in Merritt Island, where Greer keeps his plane, totaled more than $45,000.

Johnson also used the card to charter a $15,000 flight to Washington for U.S. Sen. George LeMieux’s swearing-in ceremony in September.

“This is of grave concern to me,” Crist said in an interview. “The people deserve every ounce of energy that can be put into this situation to reveal how this happened, what the cause might be and what can be done to help these residents.”

Crist’s remarks were a turnaround from a statement Wednesday by Palm Beach County’s health department director, Dr. Alina Alonso, who had said the state didn’t intend to search for an environmental cause of higher-than-normal rates of brain tumors and cancer in The Acreage.

Story here.

Story here.

Story here.<

Detert

In July, about four months before Dockery entered the race, Republican Bill McCollum announced that Detert, a Venice Republican and head of the Senate K-12 Committee, was part of his extensive “Statewide Campaign Leadership Team”.

A McCollum spokeswoman said Detert told the campaign about her intention to join Dockery’s effort in November, when she accompanied Dockery to the state elections office to file official campaign papers.

“I’m proud of what Marco has been able to accomplish in the campaign, but there’s a long, long way to go.”

Tea party activists march in West Palm Beach's July 4th parade. Allen Eyestone/The Palm Beach Post

Florida Republican leaders bristled at the suggestion Wednesday from Palm Beach County schools Superintendent Art Johnson that the conservative, anti-spending tea party movement could force the district to cut 1,600 jobs in 2011-12.

“If the common-sense approach of reducing government spending and cutting taxes makes me part of the tea party movement, then pass me some sugar,” House Republican Leader Adam Hasner of Boca Raton said.

Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander said his spending decisions will be driven by the state’s 11.8 percent unemployment rate, not by a particular political message.

But in a page from the “All Politics is Local” chapter of Florida government, the Republican leader has a tea party activist living next door to his Lake Wales home. Alexander said he’s attended two of his neighbor’s meetings.

“He walks my dog from time to time and I have to go over and say hello to everybody,” Alexander said. “They’re very reasonable people. They are concerned about the course of the country. I welcome everybody’s involvement in the discussion of how we move the state forward.”

Sen. Don Gaetz, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Florida’s Economy, said he’s been to several tea party events in the Panhandle.

Don Gaetz

But Gaetz also disagreed that the tea party movement is contributing to any potential budget reductions for schools.

“The reason education is having to tighten its belt is because there is less money coming in the door,” Gaetz said.

“And that’s not the fault of the tea party people. That’s the fault of deteriorated economy.”

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in a 2007 file photo.

Schwarzenegger said California has a diverse reputation — Hollywood, technology startups, agriculture — while other states are noted for just one attribute.

“Like one state is known for its potatoes; one state is known for its oil,” Schwarzenegger said. “And another state like Florida is known for the old people.”

Sink

“It seems that Florida, one of the most beautiful, diverse, and business friendly states in the nation, with no state income tax, has intimidated the ‘Governator’ - given that his state may be best known for its high taxes and ballooning deficits. I invite Governor Schwarzenegger to take a trip to the Sunshine State and see firsthand what brings people of all ages and cultures to visit and settle in Florida,” Sink said in a release from her governor campaign.

As if prison food isn’t bad enough already, naughty inmates are fed a mystery “meat” called “food loaf.”

What exactly the loaf is made up of and what prisoners do to warrant the punishing meal isn’t clear either.

“Food loaf” is also known as called “meal management loaf,” “nutri-loaf” or “behavioral loaf in prison circles. In some prisons the concoction is made up of all of the day’s food put into a blender with some oats thrown in and baked into a loaf.

It is given in some prisons to unruly inmates who throw their food trays at correctional officers and was served in the past to Florida inmates with no utensils.

Currently, inmates in Vermont are suing prison officials over the use of the food loaf and which some states have banned.

Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, asked Department of Corrections Chief of Staff Richard Prudhom at this morning’s Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations meeting morning to give her, in writing, the caloric value of the mystery package and the department policy on offenses that result in the loaf.

Prudhom said he will report back.

The state spends $2.33 a day for three meals and a snack on the 100,000 prisoners behind bars.

Bernard

The tri-county area is home to the greatest number of Haitian immigrants and has been ground-zero for state and federal Haitian aid efforts.

Newly elected state Rep. Mack Bernard, a West Palm Beach Democrat who was born in Port-au-Prince where the epicenter of the deadly earthquake struck last month, is heading up Palm Beach County’s delegation in the task force, which will include Reps. Juan Zapata, R-Miami, and Ari Porth, D-Coral Springs, and up to 9 other South Florida lawmakers.

Bernard wants better communication from Gov. Charlie Crist, who he said telephoned him the night of the earthquake on Jan. 12 but hasn’t spoken with him since.

Bernard visited Haiti last week. His sister and her three children are now homeless as a result of the disaster, Bernard said.

Crist should appoint a “Haiti czar” to streamline efforts that could be an economic boon to financially-strapped Florida, Bernard, D-West Palm Beach, suggested.

Read the story here.

“It’s that lack of communication, especially from the governor’s office” that is creating frustration for representatives from the tri-county area, which has the state’s largest Haitian immigrant population and is now on the front line providing aid and resources to the ravaged nation, Bernard said.

Altman

“This is the appropriate backdrop for your presentation,” committee Chairman Thad Altman, R-Viera, said. “It’s fitting very nicely.”

But after several minutes of the alarm blaring, Capitol security cleared out the room. Altman thanked the few remaining audience members. “These are the hard core,” he said.

Klein: Top-10 Dem moneyman

Klein’s Republican rival, Allen West, began 2010 with $707,150 cash on hand — the second-highest figure for all GOP challengers, according to CQ.

West: No. 2 for GOP challenger money

Klein’s District 22 covers parts of Palm Beach and Broward counties. It was represented by Republican Clay Shaw for 26 years but has grown more Democratic and voted 52 percent for Barack Obama in 2008.

A consulting firm, brought on board for the presidential search, released the names of 17 new candidates today who have officially stepped into the public arena. They include candidates from universities such as Texas, Rutgers, North Carolina State and Central Florida.

The first group of 12 candidates, which was made public a month ago, didn’t include any names from within the FAU community or anyone who works in Florida. It included two international candidates and a high-ranking employee for the FBI.

Story here.

“Research shows that pediatric cancer is on the rise in the entire industrial world,” said Dr. Alina Alonso in a meeting with reporters today at her department’s offices on Clematis Street. “We need to do more research in the area of brain cancer to find out what causes brain cancer. That is the direction we would like to take.”

Story here

But this year it might be closer to reality.

More here.

For the past year, Delmar Johnson mixed and mingled with the well-heeled and powerful, chasing checks from large Republican donors from fishing piers in Key West to a football stadium in Boston.

But even as the economy soured and GOP fundraising lagged, Johnson earned more than perhaps any party leader in Florida history — at least $408,000 as executive director and chief fundraiser for the Republican Party of Florida. His total pay was more than triple what party chairman Jim Greer made.

Nearly $200,000 of that came through a contract signed by Greer and Johnson naming Johnson as the party’s chief fundraiser. That contract was apparently never divulged even to senior members of the party’s executive committee.

Click here for the rest.

“Not a lot, as I’ve said before. You know, the only poll that matters is Election Day and I can’t wait for it.”

Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, in one of two e-mails last week announcing straw poll victories in the Republican primary for attorney general:

“I am extremely excited to win the FFCR (Florida Federation of College Republicans) straw poll.”

In his latest “economic update,” Johnson cites the anti-spending political winds, embodied by the so-called “tea party” movement.”

“There are a growing number of American citizens, via the Tea Party movement, who are committed to cutting government spending and taxes,” wrote in his update.

A discussion of Johnson’s memo is underway here.

Rubio’s spokesman told the paper that his position was based on “rightful representation in Congress and ensuring that every voter has an equal voice.”

Today, Crist, trailing Rubio in recent polls, called the former state House speaker’s position “absurd.”

“Florida deserves to have her fair share. And I think making sure that we count every single Floridian is vitally important. That’s why I went to the school yesterday in North Miami,” Crist said.

“It is important. It’s important to our state, it’s important to our people. And the notion that you would not want to accept federal funding to make a political statement is absurd.”

Republican congressional hopeful Joe Budd says he just left a message congratulating Ed Lynch for winning Tuesday’s GOP congressional District 19 primary.

Lynch appears to have edged Budd by 0.56 percent — just enough to avoid an automatic recount.

Budd said he spoke with Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher this morning and is satisfied with her explanation for Budd losing 9 votes when elections staffers re-checked figures early this morning. The change pushed Lynch’s lead beyond 0.5 percent. State law requires a recount if candidates are within 0.5 percent.

Palm Beach County’s elections Web site still hasn’t posted final numbers. When combined with results from Broward County, Lynch edged Budd by 46 votes out of 8,160 cast.

If the numbers hold, Lynch will face Democrat Ted Deutch in an April 13 general election to replace Robert Wexler, who stepped down last month to head a Middle East think tank.

The seat will be up for grabs again in the fall. Budd says he’s leaning toward running in the August GOP primary.

Related posts:

• As numbers shift, Lynch might be GOP primary winner without recount
• GOP rivals say they won’t back Lynch if he wins primary

“We make a recommendation. This is a process. The legislature appropriates. And they’re beginning that process,” Crist said.

“I know that they will do it in a respectful way and the people of Florida will appreciate that. We have until the beginning of May.”

Lynch

Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher said Joe Budd lost 9 votes when elections officials re-checked their numbers early this morning in response to discrepancies between the number of ballots cast and the number of voters who signed in at precincts. Bucher said a few votes had been double-counted in precincts that used two optical scanners rather than one.

New numbers still haven’t been posted on Palm Beach County’s elections Web site, but Bucher this morning said Budd got 2,585 votes in Palm Beach County (down from 2,594 posted Tuesday night), Lynch got 2,547 (unchanged from Tuesday night) and Curt Price got 1,195 (down from 1,199).

Lynch beat Budd by 84 votes in Broward County.

Based on the latest numbers, when totals from Palm Beach County’s 263 precincts are added to totals from Broward County’s 93 precincts, Lynch leads Budd by 46 votes out of 8,160 cast. That’s a 0.56 percent difference. State law requires a machine recount if the difference is 0.5 percent or less.

About 7.4 percent of Republican voters cast ballots in the special GOP congressional primary.

Democratic turnout was about 12 percent.

Democrats have more than a 2-to-1 registration edge in District 19, where “fire-breathing liberal” Robert Wexler’s resignation to head a Middle East think tank created the need for a special election to fill the seat. The general election is April 13.