Broward Voters Dislike Rick Scott
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Marty Kiar is surprised.
As he meticulously scours Southwest Broward for votes in the Democratic primary for county commission, residents have one big issue.
It’s not education or the economy. It’s not taxes or spending.
It’s Gov. Rick Scott.
“Everybody wants to tell me how much they dislike Rick Scott. That’s the first thing,” Kiar said.
Kiar is talking mostly to Democrats because he is running in a party primary. But when he was running for state Senate last year, he was campaigning among Republicans and independents, too.
“It was pretty much the same,” he said.
Kiar is finding out first hand what every poll has shown: Other than the handful of Republican fat cats and special interests who are pouring money into Scott’s re-election, Florida voters dislike the governor. In Democratic Broward, he is even more disliked than the rest of the state.
Polls indicate that Scott stumbled early in his campaign by cutting money for education. His attempts to repair the political damage this year by putting back $1 billion hasn’t helped him.
It isn’t a Republican versus Democratic thing. The last Republican governor, Charlie Crist, had a lot of support among Broward voters of all political persuasions, according to Kiar.
The big question is whether this antipathy towards Scott will affect Republican candidates in November. Democrats are sure to tie Republicans to the damaged governor.
Kiar has raised about $147,000 for his county commission race so far. Much of the money has been transferred from his state Senate race, but it doesn’t show up on the Broward Supervisor of Elections website yet, he said.
His Democratic opponent Lauderhill Commissioner Howard Berger has put $150,000 of his own money into the campaign and raised $11,175.
April 3rd, 2012 at 10:41 pm
disingenuous lead in. what was the alternative to scott? sink needing ‘handlers’ like the insurance lobbyist who sent the text during debate? (her husband beat janet reno and crist beat him)
if Florida truly wants 21st century leadership, in broward after term limits, which is the ONLY reason this is happening,or in tallahassee, we need voters to be engaged.
we will know in november when voters vote each line item on ballot.
April 4th, 2012 at 7:57 am
True Scott’s poll numbers are in the toilet and so that means the following may be running for Gov
Nan Rich
Jeremy Ring
Charlie Crist
Buddy Dyer
Let me get the plan, Fla Dem Party etc are going to assume as usual any of the above by just being the Dem nominee takes it home. Sorry I have heard that grand plan before, and 20 later the Dems are no closer to taking control of the House, Senate, Cabinet or Gov. I am a D and no fan of Scott. Sadly what will happen is that there will be a primary with those above, they will beat on each other and force them to spend money. The winner will come out of the primary bloody and most likely lose.
Few things certain in life, Fla Dems eating their own and overall ineptness of FDP are pretty much a given.
April 4th, 2012 at 8:41 am
Scott is terrible blah blah blah. I have no doubt he’ll be a one term governor, but he’s actually fulfilling a need to the state. He’s doing all the things most career politicians are to afraid to do – make tough decisions and stick to his beliefs. Every action he’s taken will help Florida in the long run to be better and prosperous. He’s the market correction that politics has prevented for years. PS I think he’s a dick too, but I’ll vote for him again
April 4th, 2012 at 9:08 am
Right. We should listen to what a Democrat says about a Republican Governor.
There are more Dems than Reps here so it follows there are more people against Rick Scott than for him, no breaking news there. Please don’t compare any Republican to the shape shifter Charlie Crist, UGH!
And didn’t we put the old story of Scott reducing Education money to rest? Obama stimulus money flooded the education coffers and when that money dried up, it was counted as Scott reducing education, when nothing of the kind happened at all. You can’t count a one time stimulus windfall as a regular funding source and then complain that it is the governor’s fault that the feds stopped sending money.
April 4th, 2012 at 10:04 am
Martin came to my door and he was great. I told him that I will vote for him. Last night I played cards with a number of my neighbors and 7 of us are voting for him. Only 1 person didn’t like him, but he is a right wing Republican who doesn’t like Democrats. I told Martin to put a sign in my yard. Thanks for comming to my door Martin. My neighbors and I are behind you.
April 4th, 2012 at 10:27 am
How come no column on what is going on at the Broward Teachers Union BUddy???????
April 4th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
I think the fact that you indicate that Marty has outraised his opponent 15 to 1 is pretty telling as to who has the support and who will win. Anybody can put their own money in a race, but very few people will actually spend it. If his opponent does spend it, which I doubt, then this article is right on because his opponent will be just like Rick Scott, a person who tries to buy an election.
April 4th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
Just to be clear, Marty has raised 147,000 from people and Howard has raised 11,000 from people and is only trying to create buzz that he is viable because he put his own money in a race as a loan, which he won’t spend because he can get it all back.
April 4th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
“Kiar is finding out first hand what every poll has shown: Other than the handful of Republican fat cats and special interests who are pouring money into Scott’s re-election, Florida voters dislike the governor. In Democratic Broward, he is even more disliked than the rest of the state.”
SO WHERE WERE THESE PEOPLE when SCOTT got elected?
BROWARD COUNTY lost this election! Where was Mitch? Where was Martin’s dad?) Those in the know — know what I am talking about.
April 6th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Commissioner Berger is heads above this character Kiar.Transferring money from his state campaign(most likely coming from assorted special interests)hardly establishes his strength of character(quite the opposite). Commissioner Berger is beholden to NOONE,as indicated by his personal funding of his campaign!My vote goes to Commissioner Berger, as well as my neighbors’ votes as well!
April 6th, 2012 at 6:01 pm
lauderhill Democrat,
In all disclosure, I will admit that I am a big supporter of Martin. I will be voting for him as I have been voting for him for years. I can certainly tell you that Mr. Berger has a slim to none chance of winning this election. First of all, he has to spend his own money just to keep it close with Martin when it comes to fundraising and Martin will still spend two or three times what Mr. Berger raises. Martin is well known in the District as he has represented four of the six cities in the district in the Florida House and nobody knows who Berger is except for in Lauderhill and Lauderhill is only a tiny part of this district. Martin has all the elected official endorsments, union endorsements, and plain old workds hard. I just don’t see a path to victory for Mr. Berger. I am speaking objectively. Just my thoughts as this is common sense.
April 7th, 2012 at 8:30 am
Let’s not sugar coat this. It doesn’t matter who has more money, and where they get it from, this is what is going to happen between Kiar and Berger if the district stays the same:
1) Berger will get Lauderhill by a respectful margin (as you would expect or he is not as popular as he thinks) by at least 10 points.
2) Kiar will win Sunrise and Plantation by a respectful margin by at least 10 points.
3) Weston, Davie and Tamarac, where voters will turn out, not like Lauderhill will overwhelmingly go for Kiar by at least 40 points (Tamarac 20 points).
4) Berger for all his own money into the race decides not to spend it since it is his savings (inheritance) and doesn’t have a real job.
5) Berger can’t match Kiar’s ability to campaign and in a debate would get crushed.
5) Kiar wins no worse then 62% to 38% if Berger doesn’t pull out.
6) Lauderhill could lose by supporting Berger unless Kiar moves beyond the snub, and that will be Kiar’s first test as who he is and what he stands for.
Kiar is a stronger campaigner, with a larger volunteer support group in a district he is better known in. Berger is a strong campaigner with limited supporters to help throughout the district, and a very small circle that he is known in.
One last thing, Kiar is better versed on the issues and is much better prepared to serve on the County Commission. Kiar does a lot more then just send out Birthday Cards which Berger does at government expense (which amazingly the public really likes though I wouldn’t).
April 7th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
I received in the mail from Marty how he is using the general feelings about Republicans to help him in his campaign. Without campaigning directly against anyone else running for County Commission District 1, he is drawing bandwagon support to support him.
Also, he attached a petition so that his name can be on the ballot without paying the filing fee.
The piece must be very expensive, but I have to say,
THIS WAS IS A BRILLIANT PIECE IN SEVERAL WAYS. I’m impressed. You certainly would have been a worthy opponent.