Key Endorsements: Senate District #3
Senate Leadership Endorses Corcoran
The three top Republican senators - Ken Pruitt, Lisa Carlton and Daniel Webster - have endorsed Richard Corcoran in the District 3 race. Corcoran is running in the primary against former Reps. Dennis Baxley and Charlie Dean. Pruitt is Senate President, Carlton is President Pro Tem and Webster is the Majority Leader.
“Richard Corcoran represents a new generation of Republican leadership,” Pruitt said. "Richard stands for hope, opportunity, and prosperity for every Floridian. I am proud to endorse his candidacy.”
NRA Backs Baxley
"Dennis Baxley's superlative record, on issues that are important to gun owners and sportsmen, stands alone in this race," said Marion Hammer, Past President of the NRA and Executive Director of Unified Sportsmen of Florida.
The endorsement of Baxley by the NRA is not unexpected. However, the endorsement of Corcoran by the leadership of the Senate has to be a stinging blow to Dennis Baxley and Charlie Dean. Almost like telling them “not wanted here”! Endorsements by members of the Senate leadership are rare; especially of a fellow Republican in a Primary Election.
Tell us what you think about these endorsements?
posted by Blog Master @ 2:06 PM
35 Comments:
Interesting
WOW!
A big deal for Richard Corcoran.
A shot in the choppers to Dean and Baxley. How would they ever get anything done if elected when the leaders in control want someone else. Think about that.
Don't forget, Mr. Baxley was endorsed by most all of the local elected officers. That means quite a bit to the voters.
Get serious. Do you believe the people in the rest of the District really care what the Marion County politicos think? Them blessing Baxley is like having your mother vote for you or Damon endorsing his dad. Now, those Senate folks, that's a horse of another color.
P.S.: I forgot, District 3 has 12 counties. Marion is just a small part of it.
Wait until the negative ads are unloaded on Corcoran. It already started and will get heavier. His fine for illegal hunting already surfaced. There will be more, stay tuned.
I hope Baxley is defeated and disappears.
What really is amazing about the Senate endorsement is Webster. He is highly regarded in the religious wing of the party. In fact one of the Christian organizations gives an annual award named after him. Jeb Bush received the first. Baxley probably thought he had Webster in the bag.
Yep, that is interesting. Maybe Dennis' time has past and it's time for him to turn to other things....like full time minister. Frankly, he'd be a great one.
Don’t count Dennis Baxley out yet, here is how he can win, according to the Tallahassee political pundits.
If Richard Corcoran splits Citrus with Charlie Dean, and Baxley takes ALL of Marion and all three equally split the rest of the counties, it's possible Baxley wins the primary..... Think it can happen? Yep, IF Baxley gets EVERYONE in Marion County to vote for him.
He just might pull it off!
hey roflmao.
guess i was half right about baxley pulling out. If that makes sense. There were strong signs that the senate leadership did not want baxley resigning for the senate run. I thought baxley would have more loyalty to the party instead he has decided to take it head on.
stay tuned. should be an interesting race.
Headline in the Herald-Tribune:
"Baxley doesn't own a gun, but NRA loves him, anyway"
Loyalty? He is self serving and only loyal to his ego. He thinks he unbeatable and destined to be king. He abandoned the people that were counting on his "influence" in his final two years.
Doesn't own a gun and he's never been pregnant either.
I’m going out on a limb and predict a win for Dennis Baxley. With only 10% or so of voters turning out, that will favor Dennis. Those turning out are much more likely to be the voters who vote in every election and those with Dennis’s political leanings. Marion County in particular.
Don
(OTOW)
My earlier post said I "hope" Baxley disappears. But knowing Florida politics, nothing would surprise me. James Walker was a smart, humble and likable man who (in my opinion) would have made a much better representative than Mr. Baxley. But, while James is off to Iraq, that egomaniac is still around seeking more power. He may very well get it and his son inherit his seat.
Damn this war. People like James Walker are too good to be shipped off to Iraq.
May God keep Mr. Walker and his family safe over the next year.
Why hasn't Baxley's son Damon been over there. He is a young healthy guy who could also serve his country? Has he served, or is he another of these kids from families who support the war but have no children serving? Is Baxley a veteran?
Greetings PH,
Charlie Dean will be sitting in from 3-6pm on the Drive Time Happy Hour on The Sky 97.3FM this afternoon. He will answer any question you have about any issue. It's a Free For All Townhall Friday!
FWIW...Thanks to our host here at PH for providing this forum.
There is a Candidate Forum set up by the Ocala/Marion Republican Women at 6:00 PM on Monday at the County’s Main Library. House and Senate special election candidates are going to be there.
Thanks. I'll be there.
To Vet (5:31 PM, May 10, 2007 ):
YOUR QUESTION: "Why hasn't Baxley's son Damon been over there. He is a young healthy guy who could also serve his country?"
Damon Baxley serves his country every day by putting on a Sheriff's Deputy uniform and catching the local bad guys. It may not require as a big a sacrifice as going to Iraq, but don't denigrate it.
DIXIE COUNTY REC ENDORSES DENNIS BAXLEY
Dennis Baxley received the endorsement of the Dixie County Republican Executive Committee in the race for State Senate.
"Dennis Baxley is a giant among men in our state Legislature," said John Friskey, REC Chairman for Dixie County. "He has always been strongly supportive of Dixie County and he is our choice to represent us in the Florida Senate."
Dixie County's REC was one of only five executive committees to endorse Governor Charlie Crist in the 2006 Republican primary.
Baxley other endorsements include those from Sen. Steve Wise and Sen. Carey Baker, 19 local elected officials in Marion County, the Republican Committeeman and Committeewoman in Baker County, and the National Rifle Association.
Look for more news. I hear Baxley is picking up endorsements in Charlie Dean's hometown.
Anonymous @ 1:40 PM
Thanks for setting the record straight for me about Damon Baxley and military service. I appreciate his service as a Deputy Sheriff. Even though he has not served in the military, I do know deputies who have.
I’ll give Damon an “atta boy” for protecting us as a Deputy. Catching the bad guys and enforcing the laws is to be commended.
Damon is intent on enforcing the laws. In the meantime his opponent, Kurt Kelly, is working against him by making sure some of the laws are not enforced by using his School Board position to “influence” exceptions for special interest, law breaking youths in our school system. Quite a contrast in candidates! I like Damon’s law and order efforts much better.
The Dixie County endorsement is big! I understand that Dean and Baxley are running neck and neck and Corcoran is a distant 3rd.
I certainly have seen a buildup of Baxley's grassroots troops in Citrus and Marion the last week or so.
Baxley can't count on winning Marion County. He's ticked off an awful lot of Republicans in this county. Walker got 44% of the vote, being outspent 10 to 1 by Baxley, and with Dem turnout only in the low 30s. There are a lot of people looking for an alternative to his kind of politics and with two viable candidates, he'll have a tough time pulling this off. My prediction - Corcoran's money and the backing of the Senate leadership overcomes Baxley's Marion County core supporters and Dean's lack of money. Don't forget, Corcoran raised nearly $200k in the first fundraising period. He's got the lobbyist connections he needs and all the soft money will go Corcoran's way and Dennis and Charlie won't be able to get their message out the way they need to. It's gonna be an ugly race, but all those nice Corcoran billboards win the day.
Remember what someone has already stated. If Baxley can get 100% of the vote in Marion County, he can win the Senate race. My guess is he will only need to get 80% of the Marion vote to win it all. What's the possibility of that?
All of these endorsement announcements are interesting reading and that’s about all. The real game breaker will be M-O-N-E-Y. I’d go with the candidate who raises the most money and spends the least on consultants, paid staff and newspaper ads. Unless the Democrats in House District #24 come up with some miracle candidate or a desperate/losing candidate arranges a write-in, that Republican primary will be for all the marbles. I’m looking forward to a couple of real wars!
Baxley has completely shafted Marion County. We put him there as our Representative and he has delivered virtually nothing. What did Marion County get last year? Almost zilch in comparison to the rest of the State. Everyone knew last year he was going to be Speaker Pro Tempore this year, a powerful position, and all we received was some crumbs that fell off the table. Now here we are a year later and about all he has to show is a few more of those crumbs that we should have received last year. He is an arrogant egotist that only wants to further his personal political career. His backup plan is to leave a legacy with his mini-me Son Damon, who is running for Dad Dennis’s House Seat. What a joke! To all Counties including Marion don’t vote for this self-serving politician. He does not serve his constituents. Don’t be fooled by the bills that he sponsors for they represent pandering at best. Did he get them passed? Results count Mr. Baxley! I’m glad Dixie County supports you Mr Baxley, I wonder what Marion did not get last year and this year for that support????
Corcoran is listed on the Dept of State website as Did Not Qualify?!?!?! Anyone got any inside scoop? Also, the Reps pulled it off and got the house primary closed with Nancy Stacy as a write in. Funny, ain't it the way things work out.
No one is answering my question.... does TOWNLEY have a website? Apparently, it must be too high tech for his campaign.
Puffer (aka pwf or Paul "Fat Man" Fergsuson) is heading up Townleys campaign once again. Puffer is still trying to figure out the new fangled I-N-T-E-R-N-E-T works. Ya see he's an old newpaper and print monkey and he STILL does not understand how to get something on the Internet. So the answer is NO.
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