Backroom Briefing: Candidates dig deep

By JIM SAUNDERS AND JIM TURNER
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, July 21, 2016.......... Florida lawmakers get paid about $30,000 a year for their ostensibly part-time jobs.

But many are willing to shell out more --- far more --- to get elected.

Campaign-finance reports show that House and Senate candidates have stroked checks totaling millions of dollars to help bankroll their campaigns this year. In most cases, the payments are categorized as loans. But the money plays a critical role in funding many campaigns.

Senate candidates, for example, had plowed at least $3.875 million into their campaigns as of July 8, according to a state campaign-finance database. While many Senate hopefuls loaned small amounts, 10 candidates have put in at least $200,000.

Among the top self-funders has been state Rep. Debbie Mayfield, a Vero Beach Republican who has loaned $400,000 to her campaign for the Senate District 17 seat in Brevard and Indian River counties. North Miami Beach Democrat Jason Pizzo also has loaned $400,000 to his campaign in Miami-Dade County's Senate District 38.

Multiple candidates in some races have put in large chunks of money. As an example, state Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, has loaned $260,000 to his campaign in Senate District 12, which includes all or parts of Lake, Sumter and Marion counties. Another Republican in the race, David E. Gee of The Villages has loaned $205,000 to his campaign --- while raising only $3,910 in contributions as of July 8.

Huge loans also can help make candidates quickly relevant in races. For instance, St. Petersburg Democrat Augie Ribeiro got into the Senate District 19 race on June 23 and quickly loaned $302,500 to his campaign, while also raising $101,810. Similarly, Sanibel Republican Jason Maughan on June 30 loaned $200,000 to his bid to try to unseat Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, in Lee County's District 27.

At least in some cases, candidates are getting repaid for the money they put into campaigns. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, put $200,000 into his campaign on May 31. But with Brandes only facing a write-in candidate in Pinellas County's Senate District 24, he was able to recoup the money from the campaign nearly a month later, according to his latest finance report.

RUBIO TOUR DRAWS OPPONENTS' JABS

When the year began, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio hoped to be in Cleveland this week accepting his party's presidential nomination.

But the closest he got to the stage at Quicken Loans Arena was appearing in a short video shown Wednesday during the Republican National Convention.

Instead, Rubio spent most of the past week traversing Florida.

He met Monday with officials in Lee County and hosted a roundtable in Martin County to address issues related to water releases from Lake Okeechobee and the effects on the Caloosahatchee River and the Indian River Lagoon. 

Tuesday was a trip to Orlando to meet with businesses that faced economic damages after the Pulse nightclub terror attack.

Wednesday, the focus was a federal courthouse in Pensacola to review a mold outbreak at the building.

Thursday it was a Bay County Veterans Administration reform event and a tour of Gapway Groves in Auburndale to discuss citrus greening disease.

And Friday will be a trip to Port Tampa Bay.

All standard fare one would expect from an elected official.

But his Republican primary challenger and Florida Democrats don't think so. His critics were quick to argue that the excursions have taken him to parts of the state that he hasn't frequently visited while holding statewide office.

The Florida Democratic Party has pounded the trip as "Rubio's Media Tour of Counties He Ignores."

Meanwhile, the campaign for Republican Senate candidate Carlos Beruff has spun the tour as Rubio throwing "himself fully into his consolation prize, the U.S. Senate race."

TWEET OF THE WEEK: "So tonight is first speech of Rick Scott 2020. Because I think if HRC wins, his eyes will be far bigger than the US Senate." --- Democratic consultant Steve Schale (@steveschale), on Scott's speech Wednesday at the Republican National Convention.