Will Bush’s Endorsement Help Chip LaMarca?
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Former Gov. Jeb Bush has endorsed Republican candidate Chip LaMarca for County Commission.
No big surprise, although Bush doesn’t get involved in that many local races.
LaMarca is running against Democratic Broward Mayor Ken Keechl and needs all the help he can get.
Will Bush’s endorsement mean anything in this most Democratic county in Florida?
Bush actually ran well for a Republican in Broward in his victorious governor’s races 1998 and 2002. He ended up getting a large percentage of the independent vote, although not enough to overcome the Democratic margins in Broward.
In 1998, he snared 44 percent of the vote, which was more than 10 percent above the number of GOP Broward voters. In 2002 he did it again, with 40 percent of the vote at a time when only 29 percent of Broward voters were Republican.
If Bush can help LaMarca grab even a few of the same independent voters he got, it helps.
Here is the news release:
LAMARCA ANNOUNCES ENDORSEMENT OF GOVERNOR JEB BUSH
Popular former governor says that Broward “needs bold new leadership”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 25, 2010
Contact: Ryan Saunders, 954-294-9284
FORT LAUDERDALE – Candidate for Broward County Commission District 4 Chip LaMarca has been endorsed by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in a letter sent to voters this morning.
“Broward County needs bold new leadership,” Governor Bush stated in the letter. “That’s why I’m asking you to join me in supporting Chip LaMarca for Broward County Commission. Chip is a principled and hard-working business owner and community leader who will bring a common sense, solution-based approach to the tough issues Broward County is facing.”
Bush said that LaMarca is the one candidate in the race who voters can trust to bring back jobs to Broward County.
“With unemployment at 11% and the highest foreclosure rate in Florida, you need a county commissioner you can trust to grow the economy and bring jobs back to Broward County,” he said. “I am honored to stand with Chip.”
October 25th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Chiari is running as the Independant. Most likely Chiari will pull votes from Keechel so Chip has a shot
October 25th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Buddy – Good to see that you are accepting advertising revenue from the Florida Democratic Party/Kelly Skidmore for Senate Campaign.
I see the Banner Advertisements for the Dem’s “Angel of Death” website each time I log into browardbeat.
FROM BUDDY: Ads on this site are handled by Google. I do not pick them.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Surely Chip can’t be any worse than big spending Ken although local resident Davy Jones would have been a better choice..at least with him you know he’s always monkeying around and he already has Bill O Reilly’s endorsement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwWKdQIiU90
October 25th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Lamarca is toast. Christian helps Keechle. Game over.
October 26th, 2010 at 7:10 am
Who is the mythical voter who says to himself, “I wasn’t going to vote for Chip!, but now that I hear Jeb! is supporting him, I will.”?
October 26th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
I think Chip Lamarca has a decent shot at winning this race. Although I liked Keechl’s stand on his vote not to support the budget,was it politically motivated,who knows? The lavish spending which I brought up about 100 times will make the voters think about who they vote for. This being stated I wish them all well,and lets see what happens on Tuesday.