Lobbyist’s Daughter Raising Big Money For Possible Senate Race
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The cat is finally out of the bag.
Lauren Book, the daughter of über-lobbyist Ron Book, is thinking of running for state Senate in South Broward in 2016.
Ms. Book’s candidacy has been whispered about in Broward politics for months.
Laruen Book has formed a political committee, Leadership for Broward, and has raised $235,000 in one month.
In one month….from her father’s clients or former clients.
The Dolphins kicked in $100,000. A Miami dog track another $25,000, along with $25,000 from Vitas Hospice and $10,000 of AutoNation’s money. Daddy Ron Book wrote a check for $25,000, too.
Some license tag agencies, lobbyist Guy Spearman III, port pilots and health care firms rounded out the list of contributors.
Ron Book and his daughter, Lauren Book, testifying on a child abuse legislation in Tallahassee
The 29-year-old former victim of child abuse by her nanny, Lauren Book has extremely high visibility for a Senate candidate. Based on her experience, she (and her father) formed Lauren’s Kids, a non-profit which educates the public on sex crimes against children.
Her Statewide “Walk In My Shoes” march across Florida has brought attention to the issue and to her. The walks have produced reams of newspaper and Internet copy. She has made numerous nationwide TV appearances.
Lauren Book also has traveled to Holland to testify on child abuse. She is scheduled to speak in South Africa later this year.
Her face is also plastered on billboards throughout the state, including on Interstate 95 in Dania Beach in the heart of Senate District 33.
Hollywood-based District 33 now held by state Sen. Eleanor Sobel, the Democrat who was elected in 2008. Sobel must leave in 2016 because of term limits.
Her father’s money and political prowess – he started lobbying for Gov. Bob Graham in 1978 and has been a leading Tallahassee mover-and-shaker since – has scared almost everybody out of the race so far.
At least one candidate is still looking at the Senate seat despite Ron Book – former School Board member Jennifer Gottlieb of Hollywood. Several other possible candidates, including former state Sen. Steve Geller and state Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, have said they are now not interested in that seat.
If she runs and wins, Lauren Book will not be just another pretty face in the back row of the Legislature. She will be one of the most prepared legislative candidates Broward has ever seen.
She learned politics and government from the maestro of the Legislature — Her Daddy. Through Ron Book’s contacts, she can be educated before taking office on almost every expert on every subject tackled in Tallahassee.
Her work with Lauren’s Kids proves she can take a complicated issue and make a difference. Lauren Book’s advocacy is partially responsible for toughing laws against child abuse in Florida.
We will be hearing a lot more from Lauren Book from now on.
XXXXX
First word on Lauren Book’s candidacy can be found here written by the always-newsy SaintPetersblog.com.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:06 am
So how many votes would Lauren have to recuse herself from in the legislature since her Father represents clients on almost every issue? What kind of a representative is that for her district if she can’t even vote on many issues because of a conflict of interest?
Isn’t she a little young and inexperienced for this seat? I get it that she is a child abuse advocate extolling her personal story, but that doesn’t qualify her for higher office. At least run for the legislature first. Hutzpah definitely runs in the family.
She will be another pretty girl DINO like your other favorite fair haired Broward politician in Tallahassee.
FROM BUDDY:
Legislators generally don’t recuse themselves from voting.
The rules aren’t perfect.
For instance, physicians in the House and Senate vote on a state budget that contains money for Medicaid. Legislators working for a school system vote on the education budget, which controls their own salaries. And on and on.
At least one Broward legislator works for a lobbying firm, although he doesn’t lobby the Legislature (wink wink). He votes on everything.
October 1st, 2014 at 11:46 am
“She will be one of the most prepared legislative candidates Broward has ever seen,” and that is, in the final analysis, what should take center stage — not her looks, her Father, her age, her name or her previous experience in elective office. We already know she can make a difference, shine a spotlight on a cause and work from dawn to dusk and beyond. This will be a great campaign!
October 1st, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Lauren will serve our County & State well, I will support her 100%, Lauren serves our community 24/7 365
Proud to call Lauren Book my friend.
Stephen C. Greenberger
October 1st, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Lauren will have my vote. She has a strong, caring and passionate work ethic. If you are ever in a jam, you can call on her. She treats everyone as if they are family and can’t do enough for everyone.. Florida needs a bright leader like her.
October 1st, 2014 at 3:21 pm
I hear Katie Edwards is looking to run for that seat! That should be a nice “pretty girl” contest. But over Edwards, I would vote for Book ANY day. She has more integrity and at least you can TRUST her. Lauren Book for Senate!
FROM BUDDY:
As the article said, Ms. Edwards is not running for that Senate seat. She is supporting Lauren Book.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:03 pm
If Lauren Book was not Ron Book’s daughter, would anybody be talking about her. Her foundation is funded by Ron’s special interest clients. Now her campaign will be, too.
Please find us another candidate.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:04 pm
Katie is not going to run for this seat. She should think about the Jeremy Ring seat against Waldman and Farmer. She would win easily.
As for Book, she will run without opposition for Eleanor’s seat. The ass kissing that has started already is insane.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:07 pm
The Books are taking their scam to the next level. Who didn’t see this one coming?
October 1st, 2014 at 7:16 pm
@ Stephen Greenberger
I could respect your opinion of Ms. Book if I didn’t know you are friends with the mayor and the wife of the mayor of Dania Beach who play dirty.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:07 pm
Check out the millions the state paid to fund billboards with her photo plastered on them. I have yet to find out what she actually does.
October 2nd, 2014 at 12:55 am
While my wife Nancy and I do not know Ron Book or his daughter Lauran her interest in public service is to be commended. Far to few young people are interested in politics.
October 2nd, 2014 at 7:22 am
Please find us another candidate.
Democracy doesn’t work as a spectator sport. You want better candidates? Then get involved — go to meetings, volunteer, donate.
October 2nd, 2014 at 8:32 am
Wish we had campaign contribution limits. Then we can truly see who has the talent and grit to represent us. I don’t know much about Ms. Book, however Katie Edwards has been drafting common sense bills. The north part of Florida is too rigid and inflexible, and we are sick of them dictating policy.
October 2nd, 2014 at 7:50 pm
So she gets to run using Daddy’s money, Daddy’s political contacts, etc. And Daddy gets a big boost to his lobbying business, because he can now whisper in his daughter’s ear to influence a very valuable Senate vote. To put it mildly, this doesn’t exactly pass the smell test. Another candidate please!!
October 2nd, 2014 at 11:27 pm
she is 29, 2 UofM degrees in Education and Creative writinfg and a masters in Community Psychology and non-Profit development.
whats that good for? making a paycheck from tax payer money.
I am sure she never had to keep a timesheet for billablehurs, unlike her dad.
that said, what doe she really bring to the table?
send her to Tally. one vote from hundreds.
BFD
October 3rd, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Wish we had campaign contribution limits
Your wish has been granted!
In Florida, individual contributions to legislative candidates are limited to $1,000 (per candidate).
FROM BUDDY:
The limit for candidates is true, but meaningless. The candidates all get “soft money” through committees, which can be given by donors in any amount. Ms. Book got $100,000 from the Dolphins for her committee.
October 3rd, 2014 at 4:48 pm
The candidates all get “soft money” through committees . . .
I believe I wrote “individual contributions,” but you can thank the Republican dominated Florida Legislature and the conservative members of the Supreme Court for the loopholes you mention.
October 5th, 2014 at 4:03 pm
Good luck to her. w/ her old man being Ron book there is no stoppin her…..