Florida Democratic Party News Clips – July 19, 2012

FL DEMS OUT-REGISTER GOP FOR 5 STRAIGHT MONTHS [FLDems] ” As the President travels to Florida, the Florida Democratic Party today released state June voter registration data showing that, for the fifth consecutive month, Democrats out-registered Republicans — this time by nearly 10-points. Over the past five months, Democrats have steadily increased monthly gains over the GOP from a 3-point advantage in February to roughly 10-points in April, May and June. ”   

FLORIDA WELCOMES PRESIDENT OBAMA President Barack Obama visits Florida to tout his plans for ‘middle class’ tax cut, debt reduction  [Miami Herald] “President Barack Obama returns to the Sunshine state Thursday for the start of a two-day campaign tour to talk tax cuts and debt reduction.”

FL Dems ED: Florida’s Middle class doesn’t like Romney’s outsourcing record [CBS News] “‘It’s a part of our state that has a lot of middle class issues that don’t like outsourcing, and the Bain issue is really hitting home,’ he said.”

Wasserman Schultz says Obama to flaunt edge among seniors, Hispanics [Tampa Bay Times]
Obama heads to Century Village Thursday [Palm Beach Post]
Obama supporters line up for chance to see the president Friday [Naples News]
Obama to talk health care, retirement Thursday evening with seniors in West Palm Beach [FLDemocracy2012]

CONNIE MACK IV: WHEN HE’S NOT  MAKING ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CHARGES OR ATTACKING THE MEDIA, HE STILL FINDS TIME NOT TO SHOW UP FOR WORK  Mack Fails To Vote, Answer Adam Smith’s Questions [FLDemocracy2012] “As Mack was campaigning in Beef O’Brady’s in Dade City, the House was voting on a major foreign relations spending bill, one that included funding for programs to break up terrorist plots and battle narcotics trafficking.  One of bill’s key provisions was a comprehensive strategy on how the U.S. should fight international cyber-terrorism, establishing a coordinator for cyber issues in the Secretary of State’s office…HR 6018 was not minor or procedural. The last time the full House passed a foreign aid authorization bill was in 2002. What’s more, the bill originated in the House Foreign Relations Committee—the committee on which Mack sits.”

Rep. Mack rips reporter as not ‘real journalist’ [The Hill]
Connie Mack vs. Adam Smith, round 3 [Politico]
Video: Connie Mack’s beat the press campaign [Miami Herald]
Connie Mack Is Just Openly Insulting, Grabbing Reporters Now (Video) [Broward Palm Beach New Times]
Mack Attacks the Media, Again [National Journal]

FDP CHAIR SMITH: LT. GOV. CARROLL HAS “EMBARRASSED OUR STATE”  Democratic Party: Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll has ’embarrassed our state,’ insulted gays and lesbians [Miami Herald] “Florida’s Democratic Party has slammed Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll for ‘public comments insulting the gay and lesbian community.'”

Democrats Demand Apology For ‘Embarrassing’ Florida, Outrage Floods Lt. Gov’s Facebook Page [Huffington Post] “Amid uproar over her comment ‘black women that look like me don’t engage in [lesbian relationships],’ Florida’s Democratic Party has demanded an apology from Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll.”

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — WEST A “POOR FIT” FOR NEW DISTRICT, RUBIO NARRATES ATTACK VIDEO AGAINST RIVERA

West a “poor fit” for FL-18 [National Journal] ” The firebrand freshman needs no introduction to cable news-viewers, but he has needed to introduce himself to thousands of new constituents after switching to a more conservative seat after redistricting. But this is a moderate swing district through and through: George W. Bush won 50.5 percent here in 2004, while President Obama won 51 percent in 2008. That middle-of-the-road profile suggests West’s rhetoric is a poor fit”

Marco Rubio narrates attack ad against pal David Rivera [Tampa Bay Times] “Democratic congressional candidate Joe Garcia is using a most-unexpected narrator in a web ad bashing Republican Rep. David Rivera: The voice of Sen. Marco Rubio, a Rivera pal who has repeatedly said Rivera will have to answer questions about his finances that have made him a target of state and federal investigations. Rivera narrowly escaped state criminal charges stemming from his use of state House campaign funds and an investigation into a secret dog-track payment. He faces a federal investigation as well. WATCH “HOLD DAVID RIVERA” ACCOUNTABLE HERE.

FL: GOP Bill Young won’t talk about earmarks [Florida Watchdog] “Reports compiled by the Federal Election Commission and the Center for Responsive Politics show Young has received the majority of his campaign contributions from companies directly involved in defense and military inventory — that also have benefited directly from Young’s directed earmark, or “pork-barrel,” spending.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Advocates for hospitals and the poor push back on Florida’s refusal of federal Medicaid money to expand health coverage [Palm Beach Post] “Advocates for hospitals and the poor are ramping up lobbying in an effort to persuade state legislators to block Gov. Rick Scott’s refusal to expand health insurance for the poor, under the Affordable Care Act…But the advocates counter that Scott’s stance is short sighted and political. They say it will cost the state money and rob about 1 million Floridians of health care.”

Sarasota County’s quiet voter purge [Sarasota Herald Tribune] “That 11 of them ultimately had their citizenship confirmed underscores the difficulty for elections supervisors seeking to identify fraudulent voters. Various databases can contain out-of-date or inaccurate citizenship information.”

Everglades gets fighting chance [Miami Herald editorial] “Ailing after a decade of broken deals, choking, invasive exotic plants, runoff from sugar and other farms, federal lawsuits, and even deadly pythons, the Everglades finally has a fighting chance to be restored to that fabled River of Grass that Marjory Stoneman Douglas sought to save more than 60 years ago.” 

Readers Poll: Put water-use permits on hold [Florida Current] “The focus of environmental concern about the condition of Florida’s springs, rivers and other water bodies has centered on Silver Springs, the state’s longtime marquee water attraction, and experts have urged the state to take a close look at water allocation statewide.