Fla. attorney general to run for governor
TALLAHASSEE (AP) – Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum plans to announce Monday that he’s running for governor instead of seeking a second term, a political source close to McCollum said Thursday.
McCollum will be considered the favorite to win the nomination and has already begun building support in the party. The announcement will be made in his hometown of Orlando, said the source, who wasn’t authorized to speak on the record before the announcement.
The announcement will come less than a week after Republican Gov. Charlie Crist said he will run for U.S. Senate instead of seeking a second term.
McCollum was elected attorney general in 2006 and has focused much of his effort on cybercrime, expanding an Internet crimes unit started by his predecessor, Crist, and speaking at schools about the dangers of online predators.
He’s also targeted mortgage fraud, gang activity and crimes against the elderly and has led an effort to stop Florida restaurants from selling fake grouper after learning the many substitute inferior species for the popular state fish.
He had served 20 years in the U.S. House and 23 years in the Naval Reserve, retiring as a commander.
“He’s got a depth and breadth of experience a lot of politicians can’t claim they have,” said Sally Bradshaw, who served as a campaign manager and chief of staff to former Gov. Jeb Bush. “He is also someone who is known as a pragmatic problem solver and he’s someone who actually enjoys it. He’s one of these guys who’s driven by policy.”
The only other major Republican discussing a gubernatorial run is Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, who is leaving office because of term limits.
Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, however, called for party unity behind McCollum.
“We’re obviously in a difficult election cycle, and I think it’s critical that if the Republicans want to maintain the governor’s mansion, there has to be unity of purpose,” said Kottkamp. “It’s important that we all get behind the candidate.”
Kottkamp said he, too, considered a run for governor, but now says it’s “almost a certainty” he will run for attorney general. He said he will make a decision over the weekend after talking to his wife and Crist.
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink was the first major Democrat to get in the race, announcing Wednesday that she will forgo a second term to run for Crist’s seat.