Story, photos by Dale M. King
BOCA RATON – The Aug. 24 primary has, in part, cleared the air in a variety of political races. But it has also set the stage for new battles as the general election approaches Nov. 2.
The primary also decided at least one race in the South County area. Democrat Lori Berman defeated Carole Penny Kaye by a margin of 79 percent to 20 percent to win the House District 86 chair. With no Republicans or other challengers in the race, Berman walks away with the victory flag. She succeeds Maria Lorts Sachs, who won the state Senate District 30 seat without an election because she was the only one running.
The battle for governor has been pared to two front runners and a bevy of wannabes. In an upset, so-called “outsider” candidate Rick Scott defeated Bill McCollum for the GOP nod by a narrow margin of 46 percent to 43 percent. The state’s Chief Financial Officer, Alex Sink, walked away with a win in the Democratic primary, taking 76 percent of that vote.
Marco Rubio speaks to the crowd.
The Scott victory – one that followed a nasty campaign against McCollum – apparently surprised Republicans in Palm Beach County. When Scott failed to show up at a Boca Raton Republican Club meeting just five days before the primary – and sent his mother to speak on his behalf – the local GOP focused its support on McCollum. What was to be a debate that night between the two Republican front-runners turned into a one-man show for McCollum.
But millionaire Scott, who reportedly spent $50 million on his campaign, ended up winning the right to take on Sink in November.
In other results from the primary, Marco Rubio got a massive mandate from Republicans as he won the GOP candidacy for U.S. Senator by a margin of 84 percent over two intra-party challengers. Among Democrats, Kendrick Meek got 57 percent of the vote in the primary to oust millionaire Jeff Greene from the running.
Rubio and Meek will meet again in November, but Gov. Charlie Crist will also be in that mix. Crist, a former Republican, cast off that mantle to run as an independent when Rubio took an early lead in the polls.
Sparks are also beginning to fly in the race between incumbent U.S. Rep. Ron Klein and challenger Allan West. Klein blasted West for accusing the incumbent of “Gestapo” tactics by using videographers to follow West around.
Both Klein and West sailed to easy victories in their primaries. West took 76 percent of the GOP vote and Klein, 84 percent of the Democratic balloting, over little-known foes.
In other races:
Attorney General – Pam Bondi won the Republican candidacy with 37 percent of the vote, outdistancing Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp (32.84 percent) and Holly Pierson (29.27 percent). She will face Dan Gelber, who won the Democratic candidacy by defeating state Sen. Dave Aronberg, 59 percent to 41 percent.
Senate District 25 – State Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff defeated Carl Domino to win the Republican nomination. She will face a fellow state rep, Democrat Kelly Skidmore, in November. There is also an unaffiliated candidate running, Miranda Rosenberg.
House District 90 – Irving “Irv” Slosberg may regain the seat he held from 2000 to 2006. He defeated Sheldon “Klassy” Klasfeld by a margin of 77 percent to 22 percent to gain the Democratic nod. He will face Republican Alison Rampersad in November.
Senate District 27 – Former Boca Raton State Rep. Kevin Rader defeated Pete Burkert to gain the Democratic nomination. Sharon Merchant outpolled two GOP challengers to get that party’s nod. They will face each other in November. The winner will replace incumbent Dave Aronberg.