The Latest on the 2010 Florida Midterm Elections

It seems to me that there is enough being said by the candidates and their supporting media friends about what their opponents are doing or not doing or have or haven't done that it seemed more important to find out where each candidate actually says that they stand on the issues which we need answers on, especially since early and absentee voting is right around the corner.

This time around I'm covering both candidates for Governor, all three for Senate, two amendments which may have some influence in how you vote for a candidate, especially this year, and the latest polls on these two races.

According to the polls, the latest Rasmussen poll indicates that Rick Scott has moved to 50%, putting him ahead of Alex Sink by 6%.

This is in stark contrast to the latest Mason-Dixon Poll, which Aaron Deslatte reports, has Sink 7% ahead of Scott. But you need to take into account that the Rasmussen Poll was about twice the size of the Mason-Dixon
Poll.

According to Sergio R. Bustos of the Miami Herald, the latest Mason-Dixon poll on our three-way race for Mel
Martinez's Senate seat has Marco Rubio coming in at 40%, Crist at 28% and Meek at 23%.

In the Governor's race, according to Carole Bengle Gilbert and all of the commercials that we've had the privilege of viewing, Rick Scott is campaigning against Obama's and Washington's policies and is associating Alex Sink with those policies. He plans to undo the health care law that was put in earlier this year. He's against the abortion laws and agrees with Arizona's immigration law. He also plans to put Florida back to work, although he hasn't given any specifics on this. He also plans to clean up the state run home owner's insurance, Citizen's insurance.

In the same article, Alex Sink was endorsed by Obama. She speaks about dealing with the economy, education and ethics in government. She plans to produce jobs but hasn't specified how. She also wants preschool teachers to have BA's and the school principals to be certified.

It seems to me that she's been so careful not to give Rick Scott a lot to hit her, like he did with Bill McCollum, so that she also isn't giving us enough to know where she really stands.

Amendments 5 and 6 are intended to eliminate the usual drawing of political boundaries for political benefit, only. These Amendments, according to the Collins Center website would allow for protection of "minority voting rights" while preventing drawing district lines according to political design. The districts would be required to be compact, rather than the usual stretch way out into the tulles and into the next county, while protecting geographical and existing political boundary lines. Florida has a district that's stretched over three counties, which includes a hop over a body of water between two of the counties. Amendment 5 applies to the Legislative redistricting and Amendment 6 pertains to Congressional redistricting.

This being said, depending upon how you plan to vote this year, if you do in fact vote, knowing about these
amendments may influence how you choose to vote, since this next year is the year that new political boundaries are to be drawn according to those in office and may influence for the next ten years which party might have more influence in this state as well as in Washington.

In the Senate Race Marco Rubio, according to Beth Reinhard, supports Arizona's immigration law and making English our official national language. He dos not support the Dream Act because he feels that its creators are using it just for political gain.

Marco Rubio is also backed by the Tea Party, especially since he emphasizes limited government and intends to protect our American "exceptionalism", according to Susan Page.

Rubio also supports economic competition, stated in a blog by Reihan Salam.

According to Michael Bender, Charlie Crist doesn't plan to caucus with either major party in the US Senate, in fact, in another article by Aaron Sharockman, he plans to form "an informal, defacto third party in the Senate made up of moderates."

The same article also reports that he also likes the parts of the the health care bill that allows for pre-existing conditions and children up to the age of 26 being on their parent's policy but he doesn't want to see Medicare Advantage cut or a tax penalty for those of us who can't get insurance.

An article by John Byrne reports that Crist has verbalized support for gay rights on a variety of issues such as adoption, openly serving in the military as gays, ENDA and funding for HIV and AIDS initiatives.

In an article by Damien Cave, Kendrick Meek is for affirmative action and though he verbally supports smaller government, he also isn't happy with the Republicans criticizing the Federal stimulus, which he considers was needed by the US population.

According to Real Clear Politics Meek's voting record is liberal.

Michael Muskal reports that Meek's focus is also on Florida's middle-class families and environment.

Beth Reinhard reports that Meek supports the Democrat's health care law and opposes the Bush tax cuts for Americans earning more than $200,000/$250,000 for single tax filers or for joint tax filers.

This has been a very interesting election year with a lot of unexpected and unusual things taking place. What was expected a year ago is not what is happening now. We still have a few more weeks to see how this all shakes out, so don't get too comfortable yet, especially since Florida is known for our surprise endings. Gee, sounds a bit like a whodunit.

Sources:

Rasmussen website, What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week's Key Polls,
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/weekly_updates/what_they_told_us_
reviewing_last_week_s_key_polls, September 25, 2010.

Aaron desolate, Rasmussen poll has Scott up, Democrats fuming,
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/09/rasmussen-poll-has-scott-up-democrats-fuming.html?
utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fpolitics%
2Fpoliticalpulse+%28Central+Florida+Political+Pulse%29, September, 24 2010.

Sergio R. Bustos, Miami Herald, Poll: Rubio's lead over Crist grows; Meek gains ground,
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/poll-rubios-lead-over-crist-grows-meek-gains-ground/1124189, September 26, 2010.

Carol Bengle Gilbert, Associated Content, 2010 Florida governor's race: Alex Sink vs. Rick Scott is most expensive in Florida history,
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100914/pl_ynews/ynews_pl3620, September 14, 2010.

Collins Center, Florida Amendments, http://www.collinscenter.org/?1bFLAm2010Amendments.

Marc Caputo, Miami Herald , Dems' Alex Sink has seven-point poll lead on GOP's Rick Scott for governor,
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/poll-dems-alex-sink-has-seven-point-lead-on-gops-rick-scott-for-governor/1123574, September 24, 2010.

Michael C. Bender, Would Crist not caucus with either party in the U.S. Senate?, Post on Politics, http://www.postonpolitics.com/tag/charlie-crist/, August 10th, 2010.

Aaron Sharockman, St Pete Times, http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/independent-charlie-crist-takes-on-old-ally-sen-george-lemieux-during/1123948,September 25, 2010.

John Byrne, Raw Story, http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/leaked-florida-governor-charlie-crist-prepared-endorse-broad-swath-gay-rights/, September 12th, 2010.

Beth Reinhard, Miami Herald, Rubio's views don't match many Hispanics', http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/24/1841454/rubios-views-dont-match-many-hispanics.html#ixzz10aPjUxg8, September 24, 9, 2010.

Susan Page, Yahoo News, Conservatives see 'right values' in Fla. candidate Rubio, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews_spec/ynews_spec_pl3659

Reihan Salam, The American Scene, Marco Rubio for Senate?, http://theamericanscene.com/2008/12/02/marco-rubio-for-senate, December 2, 2008.

Damien Cave, Democrat Seeks Part of Spotlight in Florida Senate Race, NY Times,http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/us/politics/26meek.html, February 2, 2010.

Real Clear Politics Web Site, Florida Senate - Rubio vs. Meek vs. Crist, http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/fl/florida_senate_rubio_vs_meek_vs_crist-1456.html, 2010.

Michael Muskal, Fox8, Meek in Florida, http://www.fox8.com/news/nationworld/la-pn-florida-gore-20100923,0,4988853.story, September 22, 2010.

Beth Reinhard, Miami Herald, Democrat Kendrick Meek advances uphill in Senate race against Crist, Rubio, http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/article1124195.ece, September 26, 2010.