Charlie Crist Raised More In One Day Than Nan Rich Raised In Her Entire Campaign
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Newly-minted Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist raised more in his first day of fund raising than his Democratic primary opponent Nan Rich raised in a year and a half of campaigning.
Crist took in up to $500,000 in two Broward events, according to former State Sen. Steve Geller, a key Crist supporter.
Rich has raised $215,000 to date.
The figure for Crist is more amazing because the fundraisers were planned in one day. No invites were issued nor food ordered until Crist officially launched his campaign, which was done on Monday.
But if the Broward’s County Commissioners and Democrats in Broward City Halls had raised money for Crist, he could have done better.
Most of Broward’s elected officials stayed away, apparently neutralized because of some past allegiance to Rich, a former Democratic state senator from Weston, according to one of the attendees.
County Commissioner Stacy Ritter was notable by her attendance. Always a maverick, Ritter was the only notable elected who was a very early supporter of President Barack Obama in 2007.
“County Commissioners are sitting on their hands when they have the ability to raise lots of money each, especially with the development community coming back so strong,” one activist attending the fundraiser said.
“They have to know that a 70-year-old, ultra liberal Jewish woman from Broward County is never going to be elected governor,” the activist continued. “They are only helping (Republican Gov.) Rick Scott.”
The outline of the Crist campaign started to emerge at the fundraiser. Bob Butterworth, an icon among statewide Democrats as the longest serving state attorney general, will have a major visible role on the Crist team. Crist was the Attorney General following Butterworth.
Crist, a former Republican, emphasized his support for such Democratic issues as restoring felon rights. He also noted that he lengthening the hours for voting in the 2008 election, helping Obama win Florida.
The fundraisers were attended by a smattering of clients and attorneys from the office of Democratic financier and lawyer Mitchell Berger. The fundraisers – one for soft money and one for the campaign – were held in Berger’s east Fort Lauderdale home.
Also attending was Broward Democratic Chair Mitch Ceasar, who apparently has more guts than most Democratic electeds in Broward.
Crist wowed the crowd with his patented personalized campaign style, repeatedly calling to individuals in the audience by name.
“His talent for connecting with voters was on display,” the activist said. “Nobody connects with voters like Charlie.“
November 5th, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Did Charlie brings his beard, er his wife, with him?
November 6th, 2013 at 7:13 am
Christine: I suggest you look into your own life before passing nasty comments and judgment on others! He is a man for ALL People.
November 6th, 2013 at 7:54 am
I’m confused. I thought there was no gay marriage in Florida?
November 6th, 2013 at 9:50 am
Charlie the Chameleon will be haunted in the election by his constant flip-flopping and lack of commitment to any particular cause. Local Democrats that support the life-long Republican turned Independent turned Democrat will be tainted by their short-sightedness and blinding desire to oust Scott. If Crist is the best Florida Democrats have, the Republicans will control Florida for a long, long time.
November 6th, 2013 at 10:16 am
@#2 Lisa, Lisa, Lisa
uh huh…and might you be involved in fund raising for Charlie?
Besides ( wink, wink) I am not posting judgments, just asking questions….you can’t touch that.
November 6th, 2013 at 10:28 am
Is he a flip flopper? Or maybe he’s someone who just changed his opinion about things. Maybe we should all be a little more flexible these days — especially after the gridlock we saw in DC because no one would open up to the ideas of others
November 6th, 2013 at 10:47 am
Would love to know who this activist is. They are sexist, ageist and anti-Semitic in their comments.
I proudly support Senator Rich as she is the only Democratic candidate that has a record to run on that can show how she would govern once elected.
“County Commissioners are sitting on their hands when they have the ability to raise lots of money each, especially with the development community coming back so strong,” one activist attending the fundraiser said.
“They have to know that a 70-year-old, ultra liberal Jewish woman from Broward County is never going to be elected governor,” the activist continued. “They are only helping (Republican Gov.) Rick Scott.”
November 6th, 2013 at 11:31 am
another flip flop gay man who I am sure has given our gay president a blow job and now we have the 3 stooges Obama, Crist and the lesbian Hillary Clinton
FROM BUDDY: Pathetic.
November 6th, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Scott is going down. The Democrats will win this race. Florida is purple and will not tolerate the Tea Party influence anymore. The demographics are changing and the Tea Party fearing republican party refuses to see reality. The people who just got their food stamps cut vote, women vote, minorities vote….
November 6th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Buddy, I want to thank you for allowing #8 to comment, and not to take away his right to “Free Speech”
That being said, I want to also commend you for your comment at the end of his hate filled rant.
Thanks again,
Rico Petrocelli
November 6th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Charlie,
Now that you have some money in the bank I have some domain names related to your campaign for sale. Call our friend LaMarca, he will know how to get ahold of me.
November 6th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
Only a Democrat would consider the expiration of temporary assistance a “cut.” Why not just have bread lines for everyone…
November 6th, 2013 at 3:57 pm
Scot tried to ruin Florida and hand it to Romney. it didn’t work. Then he backtracked on everything except the bullet train, which he should have left alone.
Charlie will win Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, Orange County, and Hillsboro County. It doesn’t matter what happens in the other ones on the Alabama and Georgia border. Scott will be done. Worst Governor we ever had.
November 6th, 2013 at 7:24 pm
Crist better watch out walking that close to Geller in the picture in the Scum Slantinel….Geller looked hungry.
November 6th, 2013 at 7:40 pm
He may indeed win, but I’ll always remember seeing Charlie on a Fox News panel. He was asked if he was considering switching parties, and he hunched over with slouching shoulders and furrowed brow (always a bad sign) and said I’m a Republican.
At that moment he was, but in a flash changed affiliation. Very slick but really transparent. It was obvious to me at least that he was doing his version of what is is.
November 6th, 2013 at 8:35 pm
Charlie Crist brings out a lot of emotion in a lot of you. This being so obvious its understandable why you are so concerned that Charlie here just might pull it off. Word has it that Mayor Jack Seiler is being
thrown around as a possible Lt.Gov. Although I would love it the Democrats might be worried w/ to men on the ticket. Will see..
November 7th, 2013 at 8:02 am
“another flip flop gay man who I am sure has given our gay president a blow job and now we have the 3 stooges Obama, Crist and the lesbian Hillary Clinton
FROM BUDDY: Pathetic.”
Pathetic? Maybe, but it is still funnier than Hell. Charlie proves that gay men CAN marry in Florida. They just have to marry women.
If the election were held today, I would expect Charlie Chameleon to win. What happens next year is completely different and depends on what happens here in Florida and in DC. If the Obama administration continues on its present trajectory, Dems as a group will have trouble in that election.
FROM BUDDY:
Charlie Crist says he isn’t gay. There is no valid proof that he is. But what’s the difference? Is that what this election is about — whether Charlie Crist is gay? I say again, pathetic!!!
November 7th, 2013 at 1:14 pm
if Crist picks Seiler I will definitely not vote for Crist.
November 7th, 2013 at 2:34 pm
Buddy apud alios,
The discussion is really not about who Charlie is sleeping with. Who cares about that? We are all adults…
What the issue really is about is integrity. The timing of his marriage to a woman might be suspect as he was being considered for the vice presidency. The changing of party affiliation might also be construed as opportunistic.
Regardless, I believe he has the best understanding of Florida and it’s needs and is the most qualified. If his competition is Rick Scott or Nan Rich, I believe Crist has it in the bag….and I do not mean the sleeping bag.
November 7th, 2013 at 7:05 pm
Charlie will pick me.
November 7th, 2013 at 9:05 pm
How disrespectful to Charlie Christ is wife. You bastards. Lets just go w/ # 17, 18, 19. to who this pertains to.
November 7th, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Hell no to Seiler. If he is on the ticket for Lt. Governor, there is no way I will vote for him. Seiler needs to go back to probate law. Seiler is too rude.
November 8th, 2013 at 7:35 pm
seiler can’t handle being second banana to anyone so he on’t be on ticket for lt governor
he has been in some elected office for over 20 years so its a sure thing he is lining up something
he is term limited at city in 2015
November 9th, 2013 at 7:50 pm
#22- I disagree w/ you I don’t find Mayor Seiler rude @ all. As far as Crist putting him on the ticket-we will see. However i’m sure Seiler will be vetted just the same.
November 11th, 2013 at 8:35 pm
I do not have or ever had cable TV; and I don’t take the newspaper; so Charlie Crist and Rick Scott are wasting money that Nan Rich could only wish to have.
So Please someone talk to Honorable Governor Rick Scott and get this republican only listed at the top of all ballots STOPPED NOW.
Charlie Crist you have until December 2, 2013 or I will start working for someone to take the nomination away from YOU.
Simple agree to review all election laws should you be elected or reelected…..these laws are grossly unfair and unconstitutional.
Should Honorable Governor Rick Scott know of my complaining of the fact that only republicans are listed at the top of the ballot; and still not take action to correct this he should be impeached or recalled or better yet turn off the television whenever he speaks.
Next should rerun Charlie Crist keep taking to his former republican friends even before he secures the democratic nomination it would seem the money he gets from the republicans should not be used to STEP on Nan Rich or other lower level democratic candidates.
Is it fair for A.T.R. to decide who will have the democratic nomination for CFO or Governor……NO….the democrats should carefully review the plus and minus of each candidate.
Enough of this Obama deciding who will be Governor of Florida.
The people of Florida (republican and democrats)….who know republicans if Charlie Crist after getting to Tallahassee again will start remembering his republican roots and change from democrat to republican.
Maybe Rick Scott after he wins election could change to democratic for the next 4 years and thereby allow democrats to be listed at the top of the ballot.
Should democrats not vote for Charlie Crist or some other democrat they will be issued free ear plugs for the next 4 years so whatever they do in Tallahassee goes without democratic critical words.
Please will come when the Florida Election Laws will be changed to allow independents to be called independent on the ballot; not NPA.
Thanks
FROM BUDDY:
Florida law 101.151 requires the candidates from the party that won the last governor’s election be listed first. Here is the law:
“The names of the candidates of the party that received the highest number of votes for Governor in the last election in which a Governor was elected shall be placed first for each office on the general election ballot, together with an appropriate abbreviation of the party name; the names of the candidates of the party that received the second highest vote for Governor shall be placed second for each office, together with an appropriate abbreviation of the party name.
(b) Minor political party candidates shall have their names appear on the general election ballot following the names of recognized political parties, in the same order as they were qualified, followed by the names of candidates with no party affiliation, in the order as they were qualified.”
November 22nd, 2013 at 10:17 pm
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/22/3772095/fla-poll-president-obama-hurts.html
Not real happy since loosing my ‘affordable’ HCP come Dec 31
I’ll stay home before voting for a dem