Hillsborough Sheriff still hasn’t ruled out a run

By Chris Ingram

Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee told the Tampa Tribune today that he is “not thinking about” getting into the Florida U.S. Senate race at this time.  However, he also told the Tribune, ““I hate to say never to anything, but I never thought of my job as sheriff as a steppingstone,” he said. “Washington probably wouldn’t be ready for me anyway – my matter-of-fact style.”

Photo: Sheriff David Gee

Gee also told the Tribune’s William March,  (more…)

Bitner has chance to show “game on”

By Chris Ingram

Rumor has it that a misguided bunch of misfits and rabble-rousers on the Republican Party of Florida’s state committee will seek the removal of Chairman David Bitner at the party’s quarterly meeting in Orlando this weekend.

Bitner who is just four months into his first term as chairman was recently diagnosed as having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. Bitner’s diagnosis was sudden and he currently uses a motorized scooter to move about.

Caption: Dave Bitner has chance to show he's nobody's punching bag.

The mutinous bunch of malcontents seeking Bitner’s removal have a long record of throwing bombs at party leaders – sometimes deservedly so, though sometimes not. (more…)

Florida Elections Commission owed almost $1.4 million in unpaid fines

By Brandon Larrabee, News Service of Florida

TALLAHASSEE — Candidates, consultants and political organizations owe the Florida Elections Commission almost $1.4 million in unpaid fines from cases stretching as far back as 1990, state records show.

The debts in 184 cases — many of which are already being written off by the state — has prompted members of the panel to consider whether and how to go after those who have defied an order to pay up for as long as 20 years. But the issue is complicated by how much authority the commission even has to use potentially effective tools to try to extract payments from the scofflaws. (more…)

By Chris Ingram

Special Correspondent, The Tampa Tribune

Published May 7, 2011

Only half joking, I’ve been suggesting Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd should run for the U.S. Senate. I remain convinced the current group of candidates lack the qualifications, communication skills or ideas to make an ounce of difference in the “greatest deliberative body.” Judd would stir things up.

Despite my public pleas for Judd to enter the race, he hasn’t made any noticeable effort to run. He apparently likes being sheriff; it has been a good gig for him. Do a YouTube search on the sheriff and more than 100 videos pop up. The guy likes attention. In fact, it has been said the most dangerous place in Polk County is the space between Grady Judd and a TV camera. (more…)

By Chris Ingram

Irreverent View spoke with Florida State Senate President (and U.S. Senate candidate) Mike Haridopolos on Tuesday night. The following are excerpts from that conversation.

I.V. What were your goals for the session?

Haridopolos: My significant goals for this session were: balance the budget, education and pension reform, no new taxes, and reform Medicaid. We’ve held the line on taxes and balanced the budget, and have votes on Medicaid coming [before the session closes on Friday]. (more…)

Bennett confirms (again) he’s going to run against Castor

By Chris Ingram

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune is now reporting what I reported in my column in the Tampa Tribune a week ago: State Senator Mike Bennett intends to run against U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor next year.

I spoke to Bennett again today and he says he will have his campaign committee up and running by May 20th (a few weeks later than he initially indicated). Bennett said by then he will be “Happy, willing and able to take money from anyone who is willing to give to his campaign to help me defeat liberal Kathy Castor.”

Photo: Florida State Senator Mike Bennett

From the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: (more…)

Seeking to avoid a repeat of Tampa’s mayoral race, Duval comes out big for Republican Mike Hogan

By Chris Ingram

The Duval County Republican Executive Committee came out big for Republican candidate Mike Hogan earlier today. Hogan is in a run-off with liberal Democrat Alvin Brown for Jacksonville Mayor. Duval REC Chairman Lenny Curry issued a check in the amount of $50,000.00 to Hogan at a press conference complete with a huge faux check.

Curry is seeking to avoid a repeat of the mayoral election in Tampa earlier this year. In that race  (more…)

By Chris Ingram

Florida Republican Party Chairman Dave Bitner has confirmed to Irreverent View that he has been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Photo: Dave Bitner and wife Wendy.

Bitner was elected chairman by Republicans earlier this year and has vowed to continue to serve.

“I intend to give it all I’ve got. However long God gives me to continue, I will serve. The Party is going to get my best,” Bitner told Irreverent View. He added,  (more…)

Judd is Florida’s version of Sheriff Joseph Arpaio — minus the overdose of Viagra

(This column was originally posted on December 21 of last year. Four months later, the message still applies. When will a serious candidate emerge in the Fla. U.S. Senate race? We’ve got to demand better than the current crop of candidates or we’re doomed with 6 more years of Bill Nelson. Candidate updates in red.)

By Chris Ingram

Polk County (Fla.) Sheriff Grady Judd (R) is known to residents of Florida’s I-4 corridor as a no-nonsense law enforcement officer who knows how to identify a problem, take aim at it, and put the bad guys in jail.  He’s a lot like Arizona’s Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio minus the overdose of Viagra.

Photo: Sheriff Grady Judd

Judd’s performance in office in just the last few months includes going after pedophiles, pimps and prostitutes, fake pot, pain clinics, and purse snatchers.

The man knows how to (more…)

BY CHRIS INGRAM

Special Correspondent, The Tampa Tribune

Published April 26, 2011

With the scent of the tea party’s brew in the air, at least two “A”-team candidates smell political opportunity and look like they will square off against each other in hope of facing U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor next year.

Driving them is the slow erosion of Castor’s ballot numbers, frustration with Washington and the size of government, Castor’s lifeless constituent service and hopes for a more Republican makeup of the district following reapportionment.  (more…)