Fear Low Turnout In Nan Rich’s Base
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Next month’s quiet Democratic ballot in Southwest Broward is bad luck for Nan Rich.
Nan Rich
Weston Democratic Club Past President Ann Zucker warned members on Monday that absence of exciting local races meant there was little to draw voters to the polls in the August 26th Democratic primary.
None of the local candidates running in Weston will spend a lot of money getting out the vote. The candidates who would have run expensive campaigns to increase awareness of the primary are not running.
State Sen. Jeremy Ring, the Democrat from Northwest Broward who represents Weston, is not up for reelection this year. The campaign to replace Ring in two years is anticipated to cost upwards of $1 million for each Democratic candidate.
State Rep. Rich Stark, a Weston Democrat and a Rich supporter, got reelected without opposition. He spent roughly $150,000 two years ago to win office, with three other candidates spending roughly $200,000.
Neither of the two county commissioners who represent Weston – Marty Kiar and Lois Wexler – are up for reelection this year. Competitive commission campaigns in Broward can cost more than $250,000 apiece.
So Zucker implored members to work extra hard to get their neighbors to vote. “Otherwise there won’t be any vote coming out of Weston” and that could hurt Rich, she said.
Weston is Rich’s long-time base. Rich was a state House and Senate member representing Weston from 2000-2012.
Rich is battling former Gov. Charlie Crist for the Democratic nomination for governor.
Perhaps indicative of how her campaign is going, Rich spent more than an hour at the Weston club on Monday evening. There were just roughly two dozen in the audience.
July 16th, 2014 at 11:01 am
And in that hour that Rich spent with two dozen activists, Crist probably raised $50,000.
July 16th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Competitive local races do nothing to drive up turnout in August statewide primaries. It’s just a fallacy. The Geller-Gunzburger fight in 2010 was about the costliest and most aggressive county commission primary campaign in Broward history (over $1 million combined spent on the primary) … if any local race would have driven up turnout due to costly campaign activity, this was it … and the primary turnout in that district was only around 12%. For whatever reason people just don’t vote in Broward primaries.
July 17th, 2014 at 10:49 am
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Does anyone really think nan rich can beat charlie crist, other than nan’s sycophants?
July 17th, 2014 at 2:31 pm
Nan Rich is running for Governor statewide in Florida so if Weston turns up or not it still won’t make a difference. She will still lose. Must be a slow news/blog day.
July 21st, 2014 at 10:38 am
Jim DeFede had a state rep (elected locally) and a MH reporter on his show yesterday morning discussing Crist’s running mate and Nan Rich primary next month. From comments unless Nan Rich has a huge turnout of minority voters statewide, she is out of the running. And unless the same minority voters (that turned out for bho as was noted) turn out for Crist, its Scott as gov for 4 more years.
FROM BUDDY:
Absolutely correct.
July 21st, 2014 at 2:21 pm
FEAR: Charlie “the WIndsock” Cist getting elected. He will not be there when it counts for those who think of themselves as his is “constituents”. He has no principles and believes in nothing in particular except his own career. A vote for him is a vote for whatever is convenient for him at any given time.
July 21st, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Just my take after watching it is Rick Scott for a 2nd term.
Crist and his prior support for the prez and the southern border debacle now with the unaccompanied minors, many Florida voters would be fearful (whether justified or not) of an influx that simply will not happen under Scott.
Thank you Buddy for browardbeat covering what the rest can’t or won’t