Crowley Political Report

Last week, former Florida Governor Charlie Crist announced he would not run for the U.S. Senate in 2016. Today, he endorsed the candidacy of U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy who entered the Democratic primary on Monday.

Here's the email from Crist:

Friend --

As everyone knows, I have always made my priority putting the people of Florida first.

Next November I think it is essential that we elect a leader to the United States Senate who will do the same.

That is why today I am so proud to offer my enthusiastic endorsement of Congressman Patrick Murphy to be our next Senator! Click here to join me in saying “I’m in” for Patrick >>

Patrick has the energy, the integrity, and the passion to change how Washington works and actually get things done for the middle class families and seniors of our state. I consider Patrick a friend and I know his heart. He will always do what's best for Florida -- not what's best for the special interests.

As Governor, I fought to improve educational opportunities, protect our environment, and make sure that every Floridian has a shot at the American dream. I know those are the priorities Patrick will bring with him to the U.S. Senate, and that's why I hope you'll join me in supporting him today.

I know Patrick has the fight in him to take on Marco Rubio or whoever decides to enter this race. But he needs us standing with him.

Sign your name to tell Patrick you’re standing with him >>

Thanks,

Charlie Crist
 

Capitol City Project, which describes itself as providing "a unique glimpse into the news of the Washington, DC, political class." takes on Florida presidential candidate Jeb Bush in a video just released hours ago. 

On the group's website, Capital City Project says it is "a non-partisan investigative new group." 

The video hits on a couple of themes that are already worrisome for Bush's campaign. But we suspect no one will be voting for or against Bush based on whether he is "cool."

Well that didn't take long. U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy's hours-old campaign for the U.S. Senate is already sending out emails asking for money. 

He hits incumbent Republican Senator Marco Rubio by saying he "denies climate change" and "wants to privatize Social Security." 

Let the fun begin.

Murphy's email is below:

Friend --

For the past several months, I’ve been listening to my friends, my family, and my fellow Floridians.

I’m hearing the same sentiment from everyone: Congress is broken. Politicians can’t or won’t get anything done. And Washington is headed in the wrong direction.

Someone needs to step up and do something about it.

Today, I want you to be among the first to know: I’m running for the United States Senate in 2016. Click here to become a Founding Member of my campaign today >>

Our current Senator, Marco Rubio, is a career politician who has shown time and time again that he does not represent Florida’s middle class. Rubio denies climate change is real and wants to privatize Social Security.

It’s clear: It’s time for Marco Rubio to go.

The people of Florida deserve a leader who spends every day in office working to restore the Everglades, fighting for the middle class, and protecting Social Security and Medicare. That’s exactly what I intend to do as the next United States Senator from the State of Florida.

Now we have to build a winning Senate campaign from the ground up. Will you become a Founding Member of my Senate campaign today?

Please chip in $25 or whatever you can to help launch my campaign for United States Senate >>

Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. I could not be more proud to have you on board.

Thanks,

Patrick Murphy

One of Florida's most promising Democrats - and they are few and far between - U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy is leaving his Treasure Coast congressional seat to run for the U.S. Senate.

Blame it on Republican Marco Rubio who went to Washington with eyes on the White House. His bid to get there is complicated, ,made even more difficult by presidential candidate Jeb Bush. Still, Rubio seems to headed toward a national campaign and he has insisted that he would not run for a second term if he runs for the White House.

Murphy, who won his Republican-leaning congressional seat in a tough battle against GOP extremist Allen West, works his district like a small town mayor. A Democratic centrist, he easily won reelection last year.

Murphy, 31, is also ready to take on Rubio, should the Republican senator decide a White House bid is not going to work for him.

Last week, in what seemed like a carefully orchestrated Democratic Party move to clear the deck for Murphy, Charlie Crist and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz both announced they would not run for the senate seat.

Of course, if Rubio does not run for reelection, there are a lot of folks in both parties who look in the mirror and see a United States Senator. The field could get very crowded.

Murphy's prepared statement:

“I’m running for the U.S. Senate for the same reason I ran for Congress in 2012 — Washington is full of hyper-partisan politicians who can’t, or won’t, get anything done, and Florida deserves better.

I’m a consensus-builder who is working to boost the economy by cutting waste in government, raise the minimum wage, strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and protect the Everglades. I’ve done all of this by being an independent voice for Florida, and that’s what the Senate needs more of right now.”

In the history of Florida, not a single person from the Sunshine State has risen to become president of the United States. Today, Palm Beach resident Donald Trump, in all his boorish buffoonery, said he is forming a presidential campaign exploratory committee.

What does this mean to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush or U.S. Senator Marco Rubio - probably not much more than a good laugh. Surely they must be chuckling over the idea that recently minted Floridians Ben Carson and Mike Huckabee are toying with presidential campaigns.

This is, of course, not Trump's first time playing - emphasis on the word playing - with the idea of being president. He usually blusters for a few months, then announces with great regret that the time is not right.

Note to Donald - the time will never be right.

Still, he has hired staff and this is his first exploratory committee. It would appear that Trump feels the need to work the marketing of Trump as presidential candidate a tad harder this time.

And lord knows if he really sticks with it for a period, he could make the campaign entertaining. 

Let's for a moment picture Trump in a debate with Bush.

Here's Trump's statement about the exploratory committee as reported by the New Hampshire Union Leader:

I have a great love for our country, but it is a country that is in serious trouble.

We have lost the respect of the entire world.

Americans deserve better than what they get from their politicians – who are all talk and no action!

I have built a great company, created thousands of jobs and built a tremendous net worth with some of the finest and most prestigious assets in the world – and very little debt! All Americans deserve the same opportunity. Our real unemployment rate is staggering while our manufacturing base is eroding on a daily basis.

We must rebuild our infrastructure, control our borders, support local control of education, greatly strengthen our military, care for our veterans and put Americans back to work! We must stop other countries from totally taking advantage of our representatives who are being out-negotiated at every turn.

I am the only one who can make America truly great again!

Just a day after Charlie Crist announced on Facebook that he will not run for the U.S. Senate, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz tells CNN that she too will stay out of the 2016 Florida race.

The coincidence of the two back-to-back announcements could leave one wondering if an effort is being made by Democrats to pave the way for Congressman Patrick Murphy who is expected to jump into the race next week.

Murphy, who is in his second term from a Republican leaning district, is one of the few bright spots for Florida Democrats who have been routinely slaughtered in state races over the past two decades. The governor's mansion, three elected cabinet officers, as well as a majority of the state House and Senate are controlled by the GOP. 

Democrats are thrilled with Murphy who has proven to be a strong fundraiser, a wily campaigner, and an articulate spokesman for moderate Democrats.

Congressman Alan Grayson also is talking about a run, but he may be too bogged down by his ugly divorce battle. Plus, Grayson lives in a political world that his largely unique to Grayson. 

Of course all of this depends on Republican incumbent Marco Rubio leaving the Senate to either run for president or governor in 2018. Rubio seems to be heading toward a 2016 presidential run and he has insisted that he will not run for reelection if his presidential campaign founders. 

For now, Crist and Wasserman Schultz have done Murphy a huge favor.

Here's is DWS breaking the news to Wolf Blitzer:

Today, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush makes his first trip to New Hampshire as a 2016 presidential candidate – a place that has been less than friendly to the Bush clan and could quickly end his quest to be the third Bush with the keys to the White House.

Oops, did you just call Bush a presidential candidate? Indeed. At this point Crowley Political Report refuses to play the game of presidential campaign semantics. Jeb Bush is a presidential candidate and it's a waste of time to pretend otherwise.

Bush knows all too well that the Granite State has been a stone wall for the Bush clan.  It begins with Papa Bush who won a stunning upset in the 1980 Iowa caucuses, leaving Ronald Reagan in real danger of seeing his campaign collapse in New Hampshire. Reagan’s internal polls showed him dropping like a rock with George H. W. Bush holding a 21 point lead.

Charlie Crist adviser Kevin Cate is telling CNN that Crist is "being encouraged to seriously consider bringing the people's voice to the U.S. Senate."

Cate's statement is being seen as Crist's first attempt to go public with the notion that he would be a Democratic candidate in 2016.

Crist lost a 1998 Senate bid as a Republican running against Democratic incumbent Bob Graham. He lost again in 2010 against Marco Rubio who all but booted Crist from the Republican Party and forced Crist to run as an independent. Last year, the newly converted Democrat lost a close race for governor to Republican incumbent Rick Scott.

Of course, Crist isn't the only Democrat looking at a possible Senate run. And much of the speculation seems to count on the idea that incumbent Republican Marco Rubio will be a candidate for president. If Rubio runs, he has vowed not to seek a second senate term.

If Rubio leaves the Senate, expect a crowded field of Republicans and Democrats hoping to replace him. 

CNN story is here.

 Jeb Bush's Right to Rise Pac released a video showing Bush chatting over his shoulder to, presumably, one of his aides in the back seat of a car. They are on the way to the Iowa Ag Summit where the video continues with Bush making a rather odd statement.

With great fervor and looking determined, Bush says to loud applause, "The first thing you do is you change presidents."

The look on Bush's face and his tone suggests that this is chore that will be a great undertaking. And clearly the folks putting together the minute long video think this is a helluva line.

Unless Bush is planning an armed coup to oust President Obama from the White House, as far as we know we will peacefully change president's in January 2017. 

It is written somewhere - you know the guy in White House has to find a new home after two terms. The lease is up. Call the moving van. 

This election is not about changing presidents. The country is going to get a brand spanking new one. The only question is who that person might be. 

And let's note that if Bush wants to "change presidents" he could have given that a try in 2012.

Whatever one thinks of Peter Schorsch, and he is indeed a controversial figure, no one can deny that he has been an innovative leader of Florida's New Media. Again and again Schorsch sees an opening and grabs it - profitably.

As Florida newspapers continue layoffs, struggle to grab audience share, and push shrinking newsrooms to do more with less, Schorsch grabs money-making, staff building opportunities that newspaper owners can't seem to fathom.

Schorsch's latest effort is a quarterly magazine called Influence. The first issue appears Monday. Crowley Political Report was given an advance, review copy of the 136 page magazine.

In his introduction to the magazine Schorsch writes:

During the 2012 election cycle, about $404 million was spent by Florida candidates and political committees. Although that figure doesn’t include what Barack Obama and Mitt Romney dished out, it’s still a healthy number. A lot of political consultants built beach houses in Cedar Key and Destin with what they earned that year.

During the same period, more than $425 million was spent by over 2,500 companies, trade associations, local governments, and unions to influence the 160 members of the Florida Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott’s administration.

In other words, much more money is spent to influence lawmakers than to elect them.

Schorsch is right but Influence does not appear to be an attempt to report about unscrupulous lobbyists, or shenanigans in the Capitol. Instead, Influence seems to be the GQ of the Tallahassee's increasingly wealthy lobbyists.

Ben Carson, who lives in West Palm Beach, today launched a presidential exploratory committee - making him the first candidate to formally enter the 2016 campaign. 

Waiting in the wings are fellow Floridians Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and Mike Huckabee.  Bush is all but in. Huckabee remains a wannabee. And Rubio seems to be inching closer to a run.

Carson's chances? 

You be the judge.

See Carson's announcement below. 

Brian,  Yesterday, I filed with the Federal Election Commission the necessary paperwork to formally consider a run for President of the United States in 2016. Let me tell you why I’m taking this step today, and how you can help. For many years, I have traveled the country closely studying our politics. I believe we are on the verge of robbing our children of the American Dream. We are racking up a virtually insurmountable debt, stifling our economic potential and placing our children’s future at risk. At home and abroad, we are silencing honest debate about our challenges, our differences and our culture, all in the name of political correctness.  We are ceding more and more power to Washington bureaucrats at the expense of our personal liberty, ignoring the wisdom of our founders who risked their lives to form “a more perfect union.” Too many of our children are trapped in failing schools and find themselves thrust into a deadly cycle of crime, dependence and despair.

 As ceremonies begin today for the opening of the 60-day session of the Florida Legislature, with the help of the Florida Memory Project, let's take a look back at what women did on opening day.

Let's slip back to the early 1960s where wives of Florida lawmakers wore hats and white gloves as they sat on metal chairs inside the chamber. On the tote board are  names of lawmakers who would later hold statewide office, become prominent lobbyists, or, as many of them did, fade from public life. This is time when legislators could hold their seats for decades. Women in the House and Senate were scarce.

That was about to change.

 In 1982, Florida lawmakers were confronted on opening day by a huge crowd of Equal Rights Amendment supporters and opponents. Congress had set a June 30, 1982 deadline for states to ratify the amendment. Thirty-five state had done so. Only three more were needed and there was enormous pressure on Florida to pass the amendment.

Over the years, the Florida House approved the amendment several times. The Senate always balked.

 Florida was considered critical to final ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Once again, the House narrowly approved the amendment 60-58.  Pressure built in the Senate, and members could not walk across the Capitol without being confronted by both sides.

In the end, the Senate once again rejected ratification voting 22-16 against. 

Less than 10 years later, the Florida Senate would choose the first woman to become Senate President, Miami Democrat Gwen Margolis. She was president from 1990 to 1992. She would be followed by Orlando Republican Toni Jennings who held the gavel from 1996 to 2000, being the only Senate president to serve two consecutive terms.

Ironically, despite voting  a number of times for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, the Florida House has yet to elect a woman Speaker.

And now Opening Day trivia - can you name the gentlemen below?