Former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland, a high-profile Democrat and veterans advocate, is backing Democrat Jim Davis in the Florida governor's race.
The former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs chief will appear with U.S. Rep. Davis today in Tallahassee for Veterans Day. Cleland, who lost three limbs in Vietnam, has been among the toughest critics of President Bush's handling of the Iraq war.
He said he got to know Davis while campaigning for John Kerry in last year's presidential race.
"Jim's got a marvelous track record supporting veterans, really supporting the troops, and supporting the disabled and the elderly," said Cleland, who lost his Senate re-election bid after a particularly nasty campaign in 2002. "People are so sick and tired of character assassination. They've experienced the lies of the current administration and they're looking for people with integrity and leadership. They want positive, constructive leadership."
Ruling: Law gave election official too much leeway
TALLAHASSEE - Florida's Supreme Court on Thursday said a state law that Secretary of State Glenda Hood relied on last year in her unsuccessful attempt to block a South Florida candidate from withdrawing from a congressional race was unconstitutional.
Hood ruled in October 2004 that former Wilton Manors Mayor Jim Stork, a Democrat, couldn't withdraw from his race challenging Republican Rep. Clay Shaw because he missed a deadline. Stork said he was withdrawing late due to health reasons.
The court, upholding rulings by trial and appeals courts, found lawmakers violated the separation of powers in the state Constitution when they passed the law granting the secretary of state "absolute, unfettered discretion to decide whether to grant or deny a candidate's request to withdraw after the 42nd day before an election."
The justices said lawmakers, not an executive officer, should set parameters for withdrawals.
After the lower courts ruled, Democrats were allowed to replace Stork's candidacy with that of activist Robin Rorapaugh. Shaw easily won re-election in the 22nd District in Broward and Palm Beach counties with 63 percent of the vote.
Backers of nonpartisan redistricting counter foes
TALLAHASSEE - A group supporting two state constitutional amendments that would eliminate the Legislature's redistricting power disputed lawmakers' claims that their proposals violate election law.
The Committee for Fair Elections gave the state Supreme Court written responses Wednesday to arguments that the amendments cover more than one subject and that their titles and summaries are misleading. Opponents say the court should keep proposals off next year's ballot.
The committee says the titles and summaries clearly state the chief purposes of the measures. The single-subject rule, title and summary are the only issues the Supreme Court can address before a proposed amendment goes on the ballot. The justices review initiatives once they receive at least 10 percent of the signatures needed to get on the ballot.
One of the disputed proposals would give a 15-member commission, appointed by legislative leaders and the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the authority to redistrict the Legislature and redraw congressional districts.
The other amendment would require the commission to complete the first redistricting in time for the 2008 elections.
They are being challenged by Miami Republican U.S. Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Mario Diaz-Balart; Florida House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City; and state Sens. Charlie Clary, R-Destin, Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, and Jim Sebesta, R-St. Petersburg.
The Committee for Fair Elections is backed by the public interest lobbying group Common Cause and several political figures, including Bob Graham, a Democratic former senator and governor, and former Comptroller Bob Milligan, a Republican.
