Senate candidate or Pinocchio? Dems' website wants voters to decide

These days "the L word" has been flying fast and furious in state Senate District 25 as both Republican state Sen. Jeff Atwater and Democratic challenger Linda Bird have accused each other of lying and running false ads in the race for the Broward-Palm Beach County legislative seat.

Now, state Democrats have used some of Atwater's statements to create the website www.hisnosegrows.com, accusing the North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate President of being "an insurance puppet who has trouble with the truth."

The website, complete with a Photoshopped image of Atwater as the well-known lying puppet, lines up statements from his ads and Republican attack ads on Bird then compares those statements to information and links from previous legislation and newspaper articles about the race.

Meanwhile, Republicans are sending out plenty of attacks of their own that accuse Bird of being truth challenged.

"Linda Bird is just NOT being honest..." opens one recent party mailing. The mailing goes on to say Bird "lies about Jeff Atwater" and says her ads against him are "untrue."

And while the paraphrase of the information is questionable, both lines refer to a preview of the race by the South Florida Sun Sentinel that talks about a TV ad claim that accuses Atwater of raising insurance rates 71.5 percent.

Atwater did vote for SB 1980, a massive insurance reform bill passed on the last night of session. But Atwater has said he did so because of provisions in the bill creating the My Safe Florida loan program to harden homes against hurricane damage, drawing private insurers to the state and helping pay down the deficit by Citizens' Property Insurance.

He also adds that the Legislature doesn't set rates -- insurance companies do.

Read his explanation of that vote here.

Forum moderator: attack on Bird "simply untrue"

State Republicans have gone on the attack on behalf of state Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, in recent weeks, accusing Democratic challenger Linda Bird of supporting hikes in property taxes, sales taxes, taxes on savings and Internet sales taxes.

But with no voting record to attack, Republicans have had to find some creative ways to make their accusations against Bird, a political newcomer and Broward realtor. And at least some of the attacks targeting Bird appear to twist the truth.

Most recently, the moderator of a Women’s Alliance for Political Action candidate forum is saying Bird never made the statements attributed to her in ads that accuse her of supporting higher Internet taxes.

In an e-mail sent Monday evening, Robert Watson, an American Studies professor at Lynn University and the moderator forum’s moderator, said none of the candidates at the September forum said they supported an Internet sales tax. In fact, he added, the topic of taxing Internet sales never came up at all.

Atwater defends vote that led to "insurance hypocrite" attacks

Republican state Sen. Jeff Atwater has been called “Best Insurance Hypocrite” and been accused of lying in mailings and TV ads that slam him for a 2006 insurance vote that Democrats say increased property insurance rates.

Friday -- in an interview with The Miami Herald about his re-election bid against Democratic challenger Linda Bird -- Atwater explained his thought process when voting for the 156-page insurance reform bill that made him the subject of attacks two years later.

As reported at the time, the bill did include provisions that enabled higher rates. But Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate President said, he voted "yes" because of several other provisions in the massive bill –- the final bill passed during the 2006 legislative session.

Among them:

--A provision to create the My Safe Florida Home program, a loan program that consumers can use to make improvements to help their homes better withstand storms.

--A provision for another loan program to bolster insurers’ capital.

--A provision to use some of the sales tax revenue generated by the hurricane rebuilding efforts to reduce Citizens Property Insurance’s 2005 deficit.

“Here is the situation: on the last night, am I going to turn away from an opportunity for Floridians to have discounts on their insurance premiums?" Atwater said of the My Safe Florida Home program.

He added that the Legislature doesn’t set insurance rates, insurance companies do. And he said he stands by the 2006 vote and his record on insurance.

“I understand the stakes are high, and I understand in politics that someone is going to try to use this against you,” Atwater told The Miami Herald during the 40-minute interview. “It’s a choice I made, and I saw it through, and when you call anyone in Tallahassee and ask who has been the insurance watchdog…I think people would universally say Jeff Atwater.”

Republicans enter Atwater-Bird ad war

You’d think with $2.5-million campaign war chest, Jeff Atwater wouldn’t need much campaign help. But, just in case, the Florida Republican Party is lending a hand by paying for mail and TV attacks against Atwater’s Democratic opponent Linda Bird, who has been getting advertising help from Florida Dems the past few weeks.

Now, as a general rule, it’s tough to go after a political newcomer like Bird, who doesn't have a voting record to attack -- unless you want to attack them for not having a record. (And “the experience card” hasn’t exactly played well with voters this year.)

So what do you do?

In this case, attack the candidate by attacking their party. The anti-Bird ads use statements by other Democrats made before Bird even entered the race to accuse Bird and “Bird’s tax allies” of wanting to raise sales taxes, property taxes and retirement taxes. The statements refer to Democratic proposals like closing tax loopholes and changing the Save Our Homes cap.

“We can’t afford higher taxes, lost jobs or Linda Bird,” the narrator concludes in the cable TV spot.

State Republican Party officials said even though Bird didn’t make most of the statements referenced in the ad, they think it’s fair to assume Bird would support similar proposals if elected.

“The Democratic Party is funding her campaign,” said Katie Gordon, press secretary for the Florida Republican Party. “So we have every reason to believe she will vote in lock-step with them”

But Bird says, “there’s a difference between the party and the candidate.”

“[Atwater] is the one that raised taxes, and he is lying again about a record that I do not have,” Bird said. “He’s the one that has a record, and he’s running away from his record….I have never been for any kind of sales tax increase, property tax increase or any taxes on savings.”

Ironically, Florida Democrats have sent a mailer that accuses Atwater of being the tax raiser in the race by voting for large industry reform bills that included provisions to increase car insurance rates, the Internet sales tax, insurance rates and phone rates.

Read more about the Atwater-Bird ad war here.

Atwater breaks $2.5 million in donations, spends $250,000 on TV ads

Expect the television airwaves to become a campaign war zone if you live in the coastal legislative district represented by state Sen. Jeff Atwater.

Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate President, spent nearly $250,000 on “TV Ads” in the last two-week fundraising period, according to campaign finance records released Friday.

He also raised more than $70,000 during that period, bringing his fundraising total to a staggering $2.5 million, far more than any other Florida legislative candidate.

During the same period, his Democratic opponent Linda Bird raised about $4,100, for a total of roughly $64,700.

Atwater has been on the cable TV airwaves since February when he launched ads targeting insurance companies. The ads followed rumors that former Democratic state Sen. Walter “Skip” Campbell planned to challenge Atwater for the district stretching from Fort Lauderdale to Juno Beach.

Bird, a Broward Democratic activist, replaced Campbell when he dropped out of the race in July. And the campaign crossfire has become intense in recent weeks after the Florida Democratic Party produced a TV spot, giving Atwater the tongue-in-cheek award for “Best Insurance Hypocrite.”

The Academy Award spoof, also appears on the party-funded website www.senatorjoke.com, a jab at Atwater’s campaign site. It accuses Atwater of taking campaign donations from insurance companies and raising insurance rates in a 2006 vote.

Atwater’s campaign and the Florida Republican Party have fired back with ads of their own, calling the Democrat’s attacks “shameless.”

Two words you won't see on Atwater's campaign signs

Drive through state Sen. Jeff Atwater's coastal Senate district these days and it's tough to miss the signs put out for the North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate President.

In the past several days, the large signs have popped up all over U.S. 1, the district's main thoroughfare. But like some earlier Atwater campaign mailings and ads, there are a couple words you won't see unless you look really close: "re-elect" and "Republican."

The signs read simply: Jeff Atwater: Fighter, Reformer, Leader.

Atwater is facing Democratic challenger and local party activist Linda Bird for the state Senate district that runs from Fort Lauderdale to Juno Beach. And both candidates have taken their fight to the TV airwaves.

Voters in the district also were hit with the latest round poll calls over the weekend. No push polling, though. Pollsters are just asking voters how they feel about the two candidates in state Senate District 25 and how voters' presidential picks might tie in to their state Senate votes.

Atwater calls "Senator Joke" ad "shameless"

State Sen. Jeff Atwater is firing back at Florida Democrats and Democratic opponent Linda Bird, just days after the Democratic Party launched attacks that accuse him of supporting rate hikes for windstorm insurance.

Florida Democrats have blasted Atwater for a 2006 insurance vote to raise insurance rates and have accused him of taking donations from insurance companies in a recent television ad and at www.senatorjoke.com -- a play on his campaign website www.senatorjeff.com.

Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate President, has since responded to the attacks made on Bird's behalf with a new ad of his own.

In the ad he says,  "Insurance companies once supported me. They don't anymore because I cracked down on them with a Homeowners' Insurance Bill of Rights...Big insurance didn't like it, so now they're supporting my opponent whose shameless ads attack my fight against insurance companies."

In statement from the Florida Democratic Party discussing Atwater ad, Bird replied that "It's a lie and he's a liar."

"Jeff Atwater claims to have had an insurance epiphany and has renounced his sins," Bird continued. "But voters aren't buying his mea culpa."

"Senator Joke" hits TV airwaves

After launching an Internet attack on state Sen. Jeff Atwater, Florida Democrats have taken to the TV airwaves with an ad blasting Atwater for a 2006 insurance vote.

The cable advertising buy now running in Atwater's coastal district spoofs the Academy Awards, presenting Atwater with the award for "Best Insurance Hypocrite." The TV spot accuses him of taking on insurance companies in his TV ads while voting to raise insurance rates in 2006, citing his "yes" vote on SB 1980.

The ad comes on behalf of Democratic challenger Linda Bird, a political newcomer who hopes to unseat the North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate president. It also appears on the Dems' website www.senatorjoke.com -- a tongue-in-cheek jab at Atwater's own campaign site www.senatorjeff.com.

So far, both political parties have funneled money into the race for the coastal district that runs from Fort Lauderdale to northern Palm Beach County.

In addition to the website and Atwater attack ad, the Democratic Party also has donated $33,800. The Republicans have given Atwater $218,600 for campaign staff, polling and other campaign expenses.

But Atwater currently has a massive fundraising lead. According to the most recent fundraising reports released Friday, Atwater has raised more than $2.4 million, including loans and in-kind donations.

Meanwhile, Bird has raised about $60,600.

Atwater raises $6,500 a day during August

Campaign donations continued to flood into state Sen. Jeff Atwater's campaign war chest during August, with the North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate president bringing in more than $130,500 since Aug. 1.

For a new way to look at Atwater's fundraising figures that's an average of about $6,500 a day during the 20 days of the fundraising period.

Atwater has consistently posted six-digit fundraising totals during his high-profile reelection campaign and now has raised more than $2.3 million. He also has raised more than $735,000 through his leadership fund.

Atwater faces Democratic candidate and political newcomer Linda Bird in the race for state Senate district that stretches up the Broward and Palm Beach coasts.

Bird, who entered the campaign after former Democratic candidate Walter "Skip" Campbell withdrew in July, had raised about $25,000 as of Aug. 1. The latest campaign finance reports are due Saturday.

Hillary Clinton to help out Bird's bid against Atwater

While former First Lady Hillary Clinton swings through the state to stump for Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama, she's also going to take some time to help out one of her former fundraisers.

Clinton, who is attending events in Lake Buena Vista, Boca Raton and Tamarac, is also attending an event to drum up support for Democratic state Senate candidate Linda Bird.

Bird, a Broward real estate agent and former Hillary Clinton fundraiser, is hoping to unseat Sen. Jeff Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate president, in the coastal Broward-Palm Beach district.

"She's doing a very wonderful support event for my campaign," said Bird about an hour before Clinton's scheduled stop at Kings Point in Tamarac.

But Bird was heading into a Clinton event when reached by The Miami Herald and couldn't go into additional details

UPDATE: Following Clinton's rally in Tamarac, Bird said Clinton met with her and about 20 supporters just before the Kings Point rally to provide a bit of moral support.

"More than anything else it was a very significant boost to have someone of her stature give a little pep talk," Bird said. "It was also a thank you for all the work that we had done for her."

In last two weeks of July, Bird raises $25,000; Atwater $111,000

Democratic candidate Linda Bird has raised roughly $25,000 in her high-profile bid to unseat the incoming state Senate president, according to the first campaign finance report released since she entered the race last month.

Bird's two-week fundraising total trails far behind incumbent state Sen. Jeff Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican, who raised about $111,000 during the same period.

Atwater's total brings his campaign war chest to more than $2.2 million, and money raised by a third-party electioneering group controlled by the candidate leaves him with close to $3 million.

Bird, a Broward political activist and real estate agent, began the campaign for the coastal district stretching from Broward to Palm Beach last month. The state Democratic Party tapped Bird after former Democratic challenger and former state Sen. Walter "Skip" Campbell pulled out of the race in July.

Bird's late entry into the race could make her attempt to unseat Atwater a long shot, but political observers have said the Florida Democratic Party likely will help even the playing field.

Party donations already have been flowing to both candidates.

In the last two weeks of July, Bird received about $16,000 from the state's Democratic Party. Meanwhile, Atwater received $29,000 from the Florida Republican Party to pay for campaign staff.

Campbell campaign raises $66,000 in final months

As Walter “Skip” Campbell’s high-profile state Senate bid against Jeff Atwater spiraled to a close last month, the former Democratic challenger raised about $66,000 in the campaign’s final months, according to new campaign finance data.

Campbell brought in $66,365 between the filing period that ran from April 1 and July 18, according to an updated campaign finance report filed Saturday with the Division of Elections. The most recent donations -- $14,190 in campaign checks -- came in on June 27.

Meanwhile, Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican and the incoming Senate president, raised about $313,000 during the same period.

Campbell announced plans to end his much-talked-about campaign to unseat Atwater on July 10, and the Democratic Party has since tapped party activist Linda Bird as a replacement.

In the campaign’s final days, rumors swirled that fundraising trouble was one factor in Campbell’s decision to leave the race.

Campbell’s new fundraising numbers bring his donation totals to $246,050, including a $100,000 loan. However, that number is dwarfed by Atwater’s $1.9 million in contributions.

Campbell spent about $82,000 on his aborted state Senate bid, according to the new numbers, including $13,000 for polling on June 26 and $25,000 for “consulting” on June 25.

He has until Oct. 14 to disclose how he distributed the unspent donations.

Bird kicks off campaign against Atwater

After a bit of a false start, the Democratic campaign against incumbent state Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, is beginning anew with a campaign kick-off party on Thursday night in Fort Lauderdale.

The kick-off party for Linda Bird, a Broward activist and real estate agent who officially qualified for the race last week, will be held at L'Hermitage, a prominent condo tower inside the coastal district that stretches from Broward to Palm Beach County.

In attendance, according to the invitation: state Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, and the race's former Democratic challenger Walter "Skip" Campbell. Campbell's much-talked-about departure from the high-profile state Senate campaign catapulted Bird into the race earlier this month.

But Bird has a tough (some say an impossible) road ahead of her. While rumors about Campbell's candidacy and a possible replacement candidate circulated, Atwater, the incoming Senate president, was extending his substantial fundraising lead.

The Republican senator has raised about $313,000 since the beginning of April, according to campaign finance reports released last week. And although that total pales in comparison to previous quarters, it still leaves Atwater with a campaign war chest of about $1.9 million -- by far the biggest in the Legislature.

And Atwater has well over $2 million in his coffers when you add in the money raised by his political organization, Preserve the American Dream.

Atwater raises $313,000 while Dems look for Campbell replacement

While state Democrats scrambled to find a replacement for Walter "Skip" Campbell, who dropped out of the race earlier this month for health-related reasons, incumbent state Sen. Jeff Atwater raised about $313,800, according to campaign finance reporters released Friday.

While Atwater's fundraising total pales in comparison to last quarter when he brought in more than $500,000, it still leaves the North Palm Beach Republican and incoming Senate president with more than $1.9 million in monetary donations.

Add that to $725,900 raised by Preserve the American Dream, a committee of continuous existence controlled by Atwater, ($72,500 of which was raised since the beginning of April) and he has a campaign war chest of more than $2.7 million.

Meanwhile, Democrats have officially placed Linda Bird on the ballot as the party's replacement candidate. Bird, a Democratic activist and Broward realtor, will face her real fundraising test in August.

Dems approve new challenger in Atwater race

Democratic leaders in Broward and Palm Beach counties have formally picked political activist and Broward realtor Linda Bird for a place on the November ballot, in hopes of unseating Republican incumbent and incoming Senate President Jeff Atwater, according to a statement released Sunday night by the Florida Democratic Party.

Earlier this month, Democratic leaders announced that Bird was the preferred candidate to take over for former Democratic challenger Walter "Skip" Campbell, who abandoned his high-profile challenge to Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican, for health reasons.

And now that members of the Democratic Executive Committees in both counties have officially approved Bird's candidacy, her name will be submitted to the Department of State so it can be placed on the November ballot.

Skip is officially off November ballot

The paperwork has been processed, and Walter "Skip" Campbell, the much-talked-about challenger to incumbent state Sen. Jeff Atwater, is officially off the November ballot, according to the state Division of Elections.

Campbell announced last Thursday that he planned to give up his high-profile bid to unseat Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican who is set to be the next Senate President.

His official withdrawal starts the clock ticking for party leaders looking to get a replacement candidate on the ballot.

Party leaders have 12 days under state law to find a replacement, and a party committee is scheduled to discuss the issue at a special meeting on Monday.

Last week, Democratic leaders in Tallahassee tapped party activist and real estate agent Linda Bird as Campbell's successor.

But the choice isn't official until party leaders in Broward and Palm Beach counties approve the choice. And the issue created some internal party tension Tuesday at a closed-door Management Committee meeting of the Broward Democratic Party.

Sources inside the meeting said the Michael Albetta, president of the Florida Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Democratic Caucus, made a motion to endorse Bird's candidacy against Atwater.

The motion was seconded by Jack Shifrel, an area party leader, but was ruled out of order by Broward Democratic Party Chairman Mitch Ceasar, who told the group it was because Bird's candidacy wasn't yet official.

Bird, who also attended the meeting, said she considered the clash a simple procedural issue.

"I'm not official," Bird said. "The procedure [to endorse] cannot take place."

UPDATE: The state Democratic Party says no official date has been set for naming a replacement for Campbell because the party is still waiting to be formally notified of his withdrawal. But local party leaders say Monday is likely going to be the day.

Skip says he's out, thinks Dems still have good shot at Atwater

It's official. After weeks of speculation, Democratic candidate Walter "Skip" Campbell says he's definitely pulling out of his state Senate challenge to Republican incumbent Jeff Atwater, of North Palm Beach.

"[The letter] is going in the mail tomorrow," Campbell said Thursday.

Campbell had said last month that he was thinking of quitting the high-profile state Senate race against Atwater, the incoming Senate President.

As reasons for ultimately leaving the race, Campbell cited a heavy caseload at his Fort Lauderdale law practice and health issues stemming from hip surgery in February. But while Atwater has already raised more than $2 million more then Campbell, the denied that the high cost of the campaign was factor.

Democrats have already tapped Broward realtor and political activist Linda Bird as a replacement for Campbell. And local party leaders, who would have to sign off on her candidacy, said earlier Thursday that they see no problem rallying behind her once Campbell's departure is official.

Broward Democratic Party Chairman Mitch Ceasar said Bird has a "political window of opportunity" in an election cycle where the idea of "change" has struck a cord with voters.

"She's a first-time candidate, which to be frank with you, is probably an advantage for her," Ceasar said.

But did the rumors about whether Campbell -- or the Democrats -- were "in or out" of the Broward-Palm Beach County race hurt the Democratic Party's chances?

Campbell says no.

"I can tell you no one has paid any attention to this race at all except for the press," Campbell said. "This race will start being looked at in September or October...I think the Democrats will have plenty of time."

Campbell denies rumors he's dropping out of Atwater race

After two days of swirling rumors and speculation, Democrat Skip Campbell denied that he was dropping out of the high-profile race against incumbent state Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach.

"I don't know where everyone is getting these rumors," Campbell told The Miami Herald Wednesday. "I'm still in there."

Campbell, a former state senator who left office due to term limits, is trying to unseat Atwater, who is set to become the next Senate president. But rumors had been circulating that Campbell planned to withdraw from the race Wednesday.

Skip Campbell: I'm in and I can win

With hours just left before qualifying ends for the 2008 elections, Skip Campbell, the former Fort Lauderdale state senator, has still not officially made the ballot to challenge presumptive Senate President Jeff Atwater in the District 25 contest.

But Campbell on Thursday afternoon said all his paperwork has been sent to Tallahassee and that he's definitely running for the seat that includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, despite Atwater's huge fundraising edge. Campbell said any rumors that he might not run are "all false."

"I am totally committed to this campaign,'' said Campbell.

Campbell, who said he enjoys the state Senate because he gets a chance to help people while at the same time maintain his day job as a lawyer, said he's seen too many polls that show him this will be a big year for Democrats.

"I've got to try to at least make sure that if this is a Democratic year, we have an opportunity to win this race,'' said Campbell, who lost to Bill McCollum in the 2006 race for attorney general.

Campbell said he's girding for a mean, tough race where he expects to be outspent "five to one." Atwater has already raised $1.62 million, compared to the nearly $170,000 Campbell has on hand, which includes $100,000 that Campbell lent to his own campaign.