Florida Democratic Party News Clips – August 10

OFA BRACKETING ROMNEY’S VISIT WITH UNANSWERED TAX QUESTIONS New Obama Florida ad seeks to prolong questions over Romney’s taxes [Tampa Bay Times] “The Obama campaign says this ad will be ‘following’ Mitt Romney as he begins his bus tour through Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio. ‘While the President has fought for tax reforms that would eliminate special loopholes for the wealthiest and large corporations to pay down the deficit and protect the middle-class, it’s clear Mitt Romney is quite comfortable exploiting those special loopholes,’ the campaign says.” WATCH “SON OF BOSS” HERE. 

Democrats to taunt Romney as he drives through Fla [Tampa Bay Times] “Mitt Romney will have some unwelcome company in Florida Monday as he takes a bus tour from St Augustine to Orlando to Miami. Details of the Romney tour are still murky, but the Democratic National Committee intends to follow him in their own bus emblazened with the logo, ‘Romney Economics: The Middle Class Under the Bus.'”

 Obama for America launches new TV Ad: “Blatant” [OFA] “Seen this? Mitt Romney claiming the President would end welfare reform’s work requirements? The New York Times calls it ‘blatantly false’.” WATCH “BLATANT” HERE. 

IF YOU LIKE RICK SCOTT, YOU’ll LOVE SCOTT PLAKON AND BOB BROOKS FDP launching Rick Scott-themed attacks on Plakon, Brooks  [Orlando Sentinel] “The FDP on Thursday released two opposition research memos laying out some of the attacks they plan to launch against Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, and former Rep. Bob Brooks, R-Winter Park, both of whom are staunch social conservatives attempting to appeal to more moderate, largely urban Orange County districts. Here’s a hint: They involve Republican Gov. Rick Scott, whom Democrats would like to hang on every GOP candidate imaginable. Both memos start out with the line ‘If You Like Rick Scott, You’ll Love Scott Plakon/Bob Brooks.'”

FDP releases two new flyers: If you like Rick Scott, You’ll Love Scott Plakon and Bob Brooks [FDP] The flyers will be hitting the Orlando area today. Plakon flyer available online here, Brooks flyer available online here. 

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — DEMS TURNING UP HEAT ON SOUTHERLAND, YOUNG FACING OPPOSITION FROM REPUBLICANS AND SERIOUS THREAT FROM EHRLICH  

Dems Try to Retake the US House [Capitol News] “Southerland is one of several freshmen the GOP brass is trying to protect in Florida. ‘They are about to panic. They know they are in for a race. It’s going to be a tough race. They are in for a race and we are going to take Congress back,’ said Lawson.”

Bill Young faces first GOP opponents in 42 years [Tampa Bay Times] “Young has drawn not one but two Republican challengers for Tuesday’s primary. Both Darren Ayres, 53, and Madeline Vance, 78, are first-time candidates with religious backgrounds whose campaigns are affiliated with the tea party. Both contend it’s time to send someone different to Washington…But Young has already made one misstep, one that garnered national attention. After a Treasure Island campaign appearance, a local activist with the Florida Consumer Action Network asked Young if he supported raising the minimum wage. Young’s peevish reply, caught on camera, quickly went viral.”

Mica to Adams: I will destroy you [New York Times] “The two no longer speak, in large part, Ms. Adams said, because when she went to shake Mr. Mica’s hand at a recent event, he pulled her close and said, ‘You will regret this for the rest of your life. I’ll destroy you.'”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Battle over Fla. voter purge flaring back up [AP] “A battle between Florida and the federal government over the state’s push to identify and remove potentially ineligible voters is gearing back up.”

Feds demand voter removal data from nine counties [Tampa Bay Times] “The U.S. Department of Justice sent subpoenas to nine of Florida’s county election supervisors, demanding extensive information as to how the counties may have sought to remove non-citizens from the voter rolls. The information must be provided by Aug. 17, just three days after next week’s statewide primary election.” 

Biden (no, not Joe) to speak at Orange Dems’ J-J dinner  [Orlando Sentinel] “State Rep. Scott Randolph and Orange County Democrats have announced their keynote speaker at the party’s Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner on Aug. 24: Delaware Attorney General (and son of the vice president) Beau Biden.”