by Javier Manjarres
Earlier today, Florida state GOP Chairman John Thrasher flew to Fort Lauderdale to meet with Republican Gubernatorial nominee Rick Scott to extend his and the RPOF’s support for him after Scott defeated Bill McCollum in Tuesday’s Republican primary election. The RPOF had openly criticized Scott and his campaign for contrasting McCollum to ex-party boss Jim Greer in both television and print advertisements. Scott’s victory on Tuesday sent shockwaves through the GOP establishment due to the fact that the Party and its top politicos were strongly backing McCollum. This episode also amounted to another blemish on the RPOF for interfering in yet another contested primary by trying to shove the McCollum campaign down the GOP electorate’s throats.
But now, the intra-party reunification process has begun. During today’s meeting between Thrasher and Scott, the two men spoke about healing the the Party’s divide and strategizing a winning game-plan for November’s showdown with the Obama-esque Alex Sink. Scott also spoke to Haley Barbour, the President of the Republican Governor’s Association and Governor of Mississippi about doing the same.
As the GOP establishment scrambles to get behind Rick Scott, his sore-losing opponent Bill McCollum seems to not understand that this campaign is over by continuing to pout and question Mr. Scott’s ethics and moral compass. McCollum has also said that he does not know if he will support Scott in the General Election:
“I still have serious questions and I have had them throughout the time that I’ve had the very brief acquaintanceship with Rick Scott about issues of his character, his integrity, his honesty, things that go back to Columbia/HCA,” McCollum told a gaggle of reporters in Florida Thursday morning.
“The bottom line is, he outspent us,” he said. “He had a lot of negative ads and we were never able to rebut them in the end the way I would have liked to.”
McCollum blames Scott’s media blitz for his election night loss, but the reasons for his loss were much greater than that. McCollum’s candidacy failed to inspire people, the campaign he waged was lackluster until after Scott’s media blitz commenced, not to mention the poor campaign staff that he put together to run his campaign. And when you combine these with the fact that McCollum refuses to support the candidate that Florida’s Republican electorate selected to represent them, that speaks volumes as to who the right choice was all along.
9 Responses to “Florida GOP Extends Olive Branch to Rick Scott”
I voted for Bill but he needs to do the right thing and support Rick Scott against the Democrats! Hey Bill… Please don’t act like a LIBERAL. You’re making us look bad and your only helping the Dem’s win!
What Bill does not understand is he lost long before election night. With the high percentage of people who voted absentee, they made their decision weeks ago. The majority of absentee ballots were already sent back in weeks before the election.
As far as Thrasher trying to reunify the party, it is simple! Stop endorsing candidates before a primary! This happened with Crist and now McCullem. The party chiefs needs to just stay out of the race and save money for the general!
Let me put it this way … When I heard McCollum say the Arizona Immigration law was not needed in Florida and then he later said he was for it … I walked. And then spread the word.
I am through with lying politicians who say anything to get elected and then do anything when they win.
Low blow criticizing the staffers.
This article and McCollum’s attitude show why he is a loser.
mcCollum is a career pol whose only goal is to win elections. I have never seen a dirtier campaign than his in my 50+ years of political activism –he has poisoned the general election prospects for our nominee, hopefully not fatally. He says he lost because he was outspent. At least Scott spent his own money and is not in hock to Big Sugar and the other lobbies that mcCollum took the big bucks from. McCollum lost because the State and the country cannot afford professional politicians anymore. We’re lucky that we now have a successful businessman who has offered his demonstrated executive experience in service to us without charge. He’s made his money and now is willing to do a serious public service. The mcCollums, Specters and Crists have had their day and they left us in a fix that only someone like Scott can clean up.
The RPOF has some of that dirt on its hands, as well. They gave McCollum $4 mil that is not supposed to be used in primaries where we, the rank-and-file Repubs, should decide our nominee. It seems that Greer’s ouster wasn’t enough to rid the leadership of corruption. Thrasher owes Scott and all of us grass-roots Repubs more than an apology –that $4 mil was not his to give to the establishment’s boy.
I’m trying to have respect for McCollum. I really want to like the guy, but these kind of actions make it very, very hard. He needs to get on board and by saying “he outspent us” means that his line about “trusting the people” is a load of crap as he is essentially saying “uh, scott won because he fooled the people.”
I met Rick Scott after giving his speech in his private Victory party with his close family and his mom. There was about 25 people there. My observance was how sincere he is and down to Earth!
His Family and mom are the greatest not like some candidates who talk to you but are looking behind you to find someone of greater quality to talk to. A glass broke in the suite and he quickly kneeled down to pick it up and was careful to make sure no one got cut. Very easy to clap your hand & have an intern pick it up like some of these power hungry career politicians.
You can tell the man was raised right when he asked his long-time pastor to do a prayer “thanking God” for allowing him to be choosen for the Republican Nominee. There was NO cursing from him or the atendees which selden happens in these type of private victory get togthers. For 2 .5 hours I was granted the blessing to see first hand an honest guy with awesome leadership skills!
Bottom line FLA picked a righteous candidate and the more people stop, look and listen they will realise what an awesome man he is. This man could be our next president of the U.S! Please stop bashing him and get to meet him at one of his events and experience what I did election night. God Bless!
I was a McCullum supporter and I was soon on the fence between Scott and Bill. I let my wife tell me who to vote for instead of going with my gut feeling. I was so GLAD Rick won and I am quick to back him as my party’s Gov candidate! I ask all my other McCullum chums to back Rick and leave the bitterness behind. Let’s give him a chance to prove himself! I hear there is some Unity Breakfast in Broward County….I will try to go. Let’s Get to Work!