Kristin Jacobs Running For Congress; Will Keep Commission Seat
BY BUDDY NEVINS
She’s in.
Kristin Jacobs
Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs will run for the northeast Broward congressional seat being abandoned by U. S. Rep. Allen West.
“I’m going to do it,” she told Browardbeat.com Friday. “I’m jumping in with both feet. It would be crazy not to try.”
Jacobs is entering a field that is fast becoming crowded.
Democrats include Former Florida House member and West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, who has been running almost a year and has more than $1 million. Businessman Patrick Murphy is also campaigning. Jacobs’ fellow Democratic commissioner John Rodstrom is considering running, too.
On the Republican side, former state representative Adam Hasner is ending his U. S. Senate campaign to run for the Broward-Palm Beach County seat.
Jacobs said the campaign would be hard starting so far behind the two Democrats who are already in the race. “It’s nothing to sneeze at,” she said.
But as a pro-choice woman, she hopes to siphon away some of the Emily’s List money that has been flooding into the Frankel campaign. Emily’s List is a national organization that supports pro-choice female candidates.
She already has good relations with the group. It tried to get her to run for the seat earlier, and they had talked about her running in 2014 when her term on the Broward County Commission ends, she said. Then West switched seats earlier this week.
Jacobs has a history of being an underdog. She won a come-from-behind victory against the better-funded incumbent Commissioner Sylvia Poitier to win a seat on the commission in 1998.
Not termed out until 2014, Jacobs said she will stay on the commission if she loses the congressional race. She wants to complete the work she has started on various national and area environmental and sustainability boards, such as the National Ocean Council Governance Coordinating Committee.
“I’ve got work that I want to continue as long as I can,” she said.
Jacobs is the county commission’s environmental specialist, but has also been at the forefront of such solid Democratic issues as the living wage law, which sets the salary of county employees above the poverty line. She has also been a major supporter of mass transit, serving as chair of the Tri-Rail governing board.
Expect an official campaign announcement from Jacobs sometime next week.
Here is an earlier story on Jacobs.
February 3rd, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Let’s put a primary against a strong pro-choice woman who has earned the right to run. make it harder for Lois. Screw Kristin, she will never have my support.
February 3rd, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Jacobs is so totally delusional here.
1. Jacobs is crazy if she thinks she isn’t going to get destroyed for the hundreds of jetset junket vacations she’s taken as a County Commissioner (some paid for by taxpayers, the others paid for by special interests).
2. Frankel and Murphy have raised roughly $1.5 million EACH. Likewise both are sitting on a cash on hand of around $1 million EACH. Contrast that with the top fundraising total ever by a Broward Commissioner (Keechl in 2010): raised about $600,000. So Jacobs will not raise even half the money of either Frankel or Murphy.
3. Jacobs has a relatively low name ID.
4. Jacobs is hallucinating if she actually believes EMILY’s LIST is going to unendorse Frankel or co-endorse her.
5. The progressive base in the party (the hardcore primary supervoters) isn’t going to rally behind Jacobs. Look how Daily Kos, leading voice of the progressive wing, trashed Jacobs yesterday:
But I will enjoy seeing Jacobs finish third in a Jacobs-Frankel-Murphy race.
February 3rd, 2012 at 2:54 pm
jumping in with both feet means give up your county commission seat and run for Congress!
February 3rd, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Why would she do this? All she knows is water and sorry Kristen none of us women are going to support you. You are not bright.
February 3rd, 2012 at 4:43 pm
I think it is funny once the CC realizes that her staff person is working on partisan politics on the tax payers dime maybe she might be running to jail with Ritter.
February 3rd, 2012 at 4:44 pm
It would be crazy to try.
You are not our choice…sorry.
February 3rd, 2012 at 7:38 pm
Kristin has the heart and guts necessary to take on Frankel, Hasner or whoever else comes her way. She’s represented our district and city well for many years. Her staff is responsive – try getting help from folks like Lieberman’s staff…won’t happen. We love Kristin in this house and so will many others!
February 3rd, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Let’s face it: Lois Frankel is washed up. she had her day. Its time for some new ideas and new leadership. Frankel lost badly her first time around, so she should give it up
February 3rd, 2012 at 9:39 pm
She isn’t a great County Commissioner, what makes her think she belongs in Congress?
February 4th, 2012 at 1:43 am
Certain to win the prize as the dumbest candidate ever for Congress. Clay Shaw must be gagging.
February 4th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Whats all this negatavity towards(gorgeous) Comm.Jacobs. Make no mistake-she is no sloach. I have seen many,many, of her constituents come befor ethat podium and think she is great. i personally just don’t want to pay for all her green inatitives. Think Solandra there in Cali (500million) down the drain. See what I mean. Where’s chicken -shit Allen West. Oh thats right he’s going north(me too). West is history, buckets and all…..
February 4th, 2012 at 9:21 pm
Hey Deerfield, you are as dumb as Kristin. If she helped you, then you live in her District. She is supposed to help you. None of the other commissioners will help you because you don’t live in their district. That’s the way it is supposed to work with districts. Wake up.
February 5th, 2012 at 1:40 am
Jacobs dumber than Allen West? I think not! She’ll take the race all the way to Washington.
February 6th, 2012 at 7:20 am
Jacobs is not bright. She is pretty but not bright. I am with Lois all the way. Most of the women’s group are too because they know Frankel knows what she is talking about. She might be crass but she aint’s an…………
December 16th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
dear kristen, you have given away most of broward county to the immigrants im sure to get a couple of votes, good neighbor, we’ll send you a few hatians and spanics and see how you like all of your tax paying assets sucked dry by these sub human scumbags