George LeMieux is an old hand running political campaigns, but he wound up in the U.S. Senate by ferociously campaigning for just one vote: Gov. Charlie Crist's.How LeMieux pulled it off — tapped to serve a vacant Senate seat in 2009 by a governor who had reservations about his former chief of staff — speaks volumes about LeMieux's ambition, savvy and knack for bare-knuckle politics that's again playing out as he campaigns to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."He really wanted to do it. So he was going to do everything he could," former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said. "He really, really wanted to do it."Kottkamp had been told he would be picked. Other top contenders included former Secretary of State Jim Smith, U.S. Rep. ... Continue reading →
George LeMieux is an old hand running political campaigns, but he wound up in the U.S. Senate by ferociously campaigning for just one vote: Gov. Charlie Crist's.How LeMieux pulled it off — tapped to serve a vacant Senate seat in 2009 by a governor who had reservations about his former chief of staff — speaks volumes about LeMieux's ambition, savvy and knack for bare-knuckle politics that's again playing out as he campaigns to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."He really wanted to do it. So he was going to do everything he could," former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said. "He really, really wanted to do it."Kottkamp had been told he would be picked. Other top contenders included former Secretary of State Jim Smith, U.S. Rep. ... Continue reading →
George LeMieux is an old hand running political campaigns, but he wound up in the U.S. Senate by ferociously campaigning for just one vote: Gov. Charlie Crist's.How LeMieux pulled it off — tapped to serve a vacant Senate seat in 2009 by a governor who had reservations about his former chief of staff — speaks volumes about LeMieux's ambition, savvy and knack for bare-knuckle politics that's again playing out as he campaigns to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."He really wanted to do it. So he was going to do everything he could," former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said. "He really, really wanted to do it."Kottkamp had been told he would be picked. Other top contenders included former Secretary of State Jim Smith, U.S. Rep. ... Continue reading →
George LeMieux is an old hand running political campaigns, but he wound up in the U.S. Senate by ferociously campaigning for just one vote: Gov. Charlie Crist's.How LeMieux pulled it off — tapped to serve a vacant Senate seat in 2009 by a governor who had reservations about his former chief of staff — speaks volumes about LeMieux's ambition, savvy and knack for bare-knuckle politics that's again playing out as he campaigns to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."He really wanted to do it. So he was going to do everything he could," former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said. "He really, really wanted to do it."Kottkamp had been told he would be picked. Other top contenders included former Secretary of State Jim Smith, U.S. Rep. ... Continue reading →
George LeMieux is an old hand running political campaigns, but he wound up in the U.S. Senate by ferociously campaigning for just one vote: Gov. Charlie Crist's.How LeMieux pulled it off — tapped to serve a vacant Senate seat in 2009 by a governor who had reservations about his former chief of staff — speaks volumes about LeMieux's ambition, savvy and knack for bare-knuckle politics that's again playing out as he campaigns to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."He really wanted to do it. So he was going to do everything he could," former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said. "He really, really wanted to do it."Kottkamp had been told he would be picked. Other top contenders included former Secretary of State Jim Smith, U.S. Rep. ... Continue reading →
George LeMieux is an old hand running political campaigns, but he wound up in the U.S. Senate by ferociously campaigning for just one vote: Gov. Charlie Crist's.How LeMieux pulled it off — tapped to serve a vacant Senate seat in 2009 by a governor who had reservations about his former chief of staff — speaks volumes about LeMieux's ambition, savvy and knack for bare-knuckle politics that's again playing out as he campaigns to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."He really wanted to do it. So he was going to do everything he could," former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said. "He really, really wanted to do it."Kottkamp had been told he would be picked. Other top contenders included former Secretary of State Jim Smith, U.S. Rep. ... Continue reading →
George LeMieux is an old hand running political campaigns, but he wound up in the U.S. Senate by ferociously campaigning for just one vote: Gov. Charlie Crist's.How LeMieux pulled it off — tapped to serve a vacant Senate seat in 2009 by a governor who had reservations about his former chief of staff — speaks volumes about LeMieux's ambition, savvy and knack for bare-knuckle politics that's again playing out as he campaigns to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."He really wanted to do it. So he was going to do everything he could," former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said. "He really, really wanted to do it."Kottkamp had been told he would be picked. Other top contenders included former Secretary of State Jim Smith, U.S. Rep. ... Continue reading →
George LeMieux is an old hand running political campaigns, but he wound up in the U.S. Senate by ferociously campaigning for just one vote: Gov. Charlie Crist's.How LeMieux pulled it off — tapped to serve a vacant Senate seat in 2009 by a governor who had reservations about his former chief of staff — speaks volumes about LeMieux's ambition, savvy and knack for bare-knuckle politics that's again playing out as he campaigns to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."He really wanted to do it. So he was going to do everything he could," former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said. "He really, really wanted to do it."Kottkamp had been told he would be picked. Other top contenders included former Secretary of State Jim Smith, U.S. Rep. ... Continue reading →
Out of $334 million in cash payments sent to Florida in a multi-billion dollar mortgage settlement with major banks, about $33.4 million will go to help bolster the state’s budget. Florida is one of several states taking a portion of the $2.5 billion in cash payments from big banks and using it for programs not directly related to the foreclosure crisis, ProPublica reports. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Pam Bondi—who negotiated the settlement on Florida's behalf--confirmed that 10 percent of the cash has been sent to the general fund. “Ten percent went to the state of Florida as a penalty,” she said. “That money goes to GR (general revenue).” Florida’s total take in the overall $25 billion settlement—which includes principle writedowns and mortgage modifications--is worth ... Continue reading →
