Scott beats McCollum

[cyberdude557]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (CBS4) ― Rick Scott gave his victory speech Tuesday night after defeating Bill McCollum for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

Rick Scott proclaimed himself the outsider looking to take down career politician Bill McCollum. Tuesday, Florida voters agreed and made Scott the Republican nomination for Florida governor. For Scott, it was close to $40 million well spent on the campaign.

Scott poured his own money into the campaign throughout the campaign and his flooding of the airwaves proved to be too much for McCollum to overcome, despite Scott's poor debate performances.

Scott is the only one of the supposed "outsiders" who managed to win his race on Tuesday night despite the media's fascination with the theme of outsiders and tea party candidates. Nevertheless, Scott's victory is a big victory for the "tea party."

McCollum, 66, served 20 years as a congressman from central Florida and twice ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate. In 2006 he was elected attorney general.

McCollum was the party's presumptive nominee until Scott jumped in the race suddenly in April. Scott, who moved to Florida seven years ago from Connecticut, had taken a high-profile role in fighting President Barack Obama's health care law last year and had become a favorite of the tea party movement.

http://cbs4.com/local/GOP.McCollum.Scott.2.1875865.html

[Biggs3535]

The blue-blood Republicans are pissed.  Good.

[Got_Spleen]

I voted for him. I hope he wins. I'm willing to give someone new a shot at this. If he makes us regret it, we'll just vote for the next one.

[ranman]

I think he has a bigger fight now on his hands - although he has a lot of money to fight with.  For our sake, I hope the campaign doesn't get as ugly.  If he goes after her like he did with McCollum, it will turn out a larger inspired d vote.  That would spell trouble for Rubio. 

[Got_Spleen]

This is true. She has quietly sat back and watched the mud-slinging. Hopefully, this can become about the issues now and not sour voters.

[dbucfan]

The blue-blood Republicans are pissed.  Good.

Rinos are pissed - good.

[cyberdude557]

I think he has a bigger fight now on his hands - although he has a lot of money to fight with. For our sake, I hope the campaign doesn't get as ugly. If he goes after her like he did with McCollum, it will turn out a larger inspired d vote. That would spell trouble for Rubio.

To be fair, it was McCollum and the GOP big wigs in Tallahassee that first declared the nasty war on Scott. The establishment was fighting for its life. McCollum has just been around too long. He's been a politician in this state for over 20 years. So the "career politician" label stuck with him. And his flip-flop on immigration made him look like a political bandwagoner.

There is no question the Democrats will now flood the airwaves with negative ads attacking Scott. Sink is also an establishment candidate that will be backed heavily by the White House. Even though Sink has refused appearances with Obama (since Obama is now toxic), they will still throw money at her along with the less-toxic endorsements like the Clintons. D.C. doesnt take kindly to political outsiders. So they will fight. Polls right now are pretty meaningless. After the huge primary fight you have to wait a few weeks for the dust to settle to see where all the votes are going to fall.

The question I have is what will the White House do regarding Meek? Meek winning the primary actually helps Rubio because Meek steals any black votes away from Crist. So actually the more the White House helps Meek, the more it helps Rubio. You got to wonder if the White House is privately hoping that Crist pulls out a win. But do the Democratic party abandon their own nominee and campaign for an independent? That won't look good. Dems are between a rock and a hard place there.

[FortMyersDave]

I think he has a bigger fight now on his hands - although he has a lot of money to fight with. For our sake, I hope the campaign doesn't get as ugly. If he goes after her like he did with McCollum, it will turn out a larger inspired d vote. That would spell trouble for Rubio.

To be fair, it was McCollum and the GOP big wigs in Tallahassee that first declared the nasty war on Scott. The establishment was fighting for its life. McCollum has just been around too long. He's been a politician in this state for over 20 years. So the "career politician" label stuck with him. And his flip-flop on immigration made him look like a political bandwagoner.

There is no question the Democrats will now flood the airwaves with negative ads attacking Scott. Sink is also an establishment candidate that will be backed heavily by the White House. Even though Sink has refused appearances with Obama (since Obama is now toxic), they will still throw money at her along with the less-toxic endorsements like the Clintons. D.C. doesnt take kindly to political outsiders. So they will fight. Polls right now are pretty meaningless. After the huge primary fight you have to wait a few weeks for the dust to settle to see where all the votes are going to fall.

The question I have is what will the White House do regarding Meek? Meek winning the primary actually helps Rubio because Meek steals any black votes away from Crist. So actually the more the White House helps Meek, the more it helps Rubio. You got to wonder if the White House is privately hoping that Crist pulls out a win. But do the Democratic party abandon their own nominee and campaign for an independent? That won't look good. Dems are between a rock and a hard place there.

I think Crist will be hoping that his veto of the education bill and the  bill requiring women to view an ultra-sound before getting an abortion will win him some teacher and pro-choice votes.  If he is lucky an Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson will show up and get caught on film with Meek.  That helped independent Joe Liebermann when he left his party and ran as an indy, people see these old political dinosaurs and get sick of their arrogance and entitlement.
     I think that Cyberdude is right in that many current demcrats would not mind Crist winning.  Hell Obama was recently quoted that Charley Rangel WAS a good politician, I think many of the young guns in both parties would like to ease out the established Big Cheeses....

[dbucfan]

I think Crist is toast. 

[dbucfan]

McCollum hasn't stated support for Scott - he still doesn't like him - get Bill some Kleenex...

[TheShadow]

I think Crist is toast.

Don't know if you have taken into account the Democratic crossover for Crist which won't show in polling. Dems don't really like to throw their guy under the bus. I've spoken with 3 pollsters in the past 2 weeks and lied to every one of them but I'll tell you right now I'm voting for Crist over Rubio. Meeks is an also ran.

[GameTime]

but I'll tell you right now I'm voting for Crist over Rubio.

will you tell us why?

[TheShadow]

Do you want the polite answer or the truth?

[GameTime]

both?

[TheShadow]

Polite answer: I don't have a problem with the way Crist has governed. He's been fairly centrist and I'd expect more of that in the Senate. Plus he will most likely caucus as a D since the right wingers never forgive or forget.

The Truth: I want to see Rubio go down in flames. I hear a lot of complaints about the Federal Gov't but maybe some should take a look into the cesspool in Tallahassee. He's a big part of that problem in my mind.

Either way...it works for me. I'm sure this will be popular.