Scott Tries for Unity as McCollum So Far Refuses to Help
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
By: Robin Sussingham, WUSF and Marina Giovannelli, WLRN

August 25 - Millionaire and first-time politician Rick Scott is now the GOP candidate for governor after winning the most expensive primary race in state history. But questions remain about his ability to bring the party together in November.

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Scott will now face Democratic candidate Alex Sink and no party candidate Bud Chiles in November’s general election. The $50 million Rick Scott and his wife poured into the race got him a win, but just barely, beating Attorney General Bill McCollum, 46 to 43 percent. The victory cry from supporters Tuesday night echoed Scott’s campaign theme: “Let's get to work”

It was a nasty primary battle, and in his victory speech, Scott tried to stick a bandage on the bloodied face of the Republican Party,

“Some of you might have noticed this was a hard fought race. We've talked a lot about out differences, now it’s time to remember those things that bring us together,” Scott said.

Those "differences" include ads where Scott accused McCollum of opposing Arizona's immigration law, then linked him with disgraced former Republican Party chair Jim Greer.

McCollum countered with his own ads, reminding voters that shortly after Scott left Columbia HCA Healthcare, the company received a record fine for cheating Medicare.

Fraud or no fraud, Scott made lots of money. And this business savvy won over 43-year-old Alison Kleimeck from Boca Raton.

“He's a self-made man, and I believe he can turn Florida from the position it's in to making more jobs and helping with the Florida economy,” she said.

Scott hopes he can turn voters away from the slugfest and toward his campaign message of jobs, responsible spending and smaller government.

But bad blood persisted in the McCollum camp. Even after the Associated Press called the race for Scott Tuesday night, McCollum insisted that he would wait until every vote was counted.

"This is going to go to the wee hours of the morning. The numbers are not where we'd like them to be at this point in time, we've been trailing all evening, but we also know that we've done very well in the counties that still have most of the vote that's out there... We didn't plan on a long night, but we're going to have a long night," he said.

Later, McCollum conceded the race through a press release. He did not congratulate or endorse Scott.

“No one could have anticipated the entrance of a multi-millionaire with a questionable past who shattered campaign spending records and spent more in four months than has ever been spent in a primary race here in Florida,” McCollum said in the release.

While Scott presented himself as a political outsider with fresh ideas, McCollum embraced his own status as political insider with a long public life.

Top Republicans such as Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, the state's incoming House speaker Dean Cannon and incoming state Senate president Mike Haridopolos were at his side on election night.

Haridopolos said it was time to heal the wounds of the campaign. He said he didn't expect this outcome but would now support Scott.

"I think it surprised a lot of people given the trend of the race until Thursday. But Rick Scott put his money where him mouth is. He put $12 million in this weekend, he got very aggressive on TV. I give him credit,” Haridopolos said.

“All the words he has said in this campaign have been fantastic and should he be our next governor, if he can back those up, I think he'll be a super governor," he added.

The attack ads from McCollum and Scott have helped state CFO Alex Sink, who won the Democratic nomination for governor.

She’s risen in the polls and now is even or slightly ahead in the general election race. Scott will also face independent Bud Chiles, the son of former governor Lawton Chiles, in November.