The Political Whore

Sen. Charlie Justice has gotten out ahead of the Democratic field of those who want Bill Young’s three-decade seat in Congress by announcing today that he is in the race.

Young has not signaled his intentions, but his retirement has been rumored for at least a decade. Yesterday, Politico mentioned him again as a leading retirement prospect because he raised virtually no campaign money in the first quarter.

In a written statement, Justice said, “The impact of the faltering economy can be seen all across our community in the form of short sales, foreclosure signs and shuttered businesses. Florida families are pulling together at the dinner table and in churches and synagogues because they are determined to succeed. We need more leaders in Congress who share that determination.”

The full statement after the jump.

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Today’s data mining of FEC reports takes us to Congressional 10, which covers some of St. Petersburg and the Pinellas beaches up to about Clearwater. Incumbent Republican C.W. Bill Young had lots of money to play with, raising $907,000.

Young likes to spend much of his money with well-known local consultants. Rocky Pennington’s Direct Mail Systems was paid $102,000 for printing, design and mailing services; Jack Hebert’s Mallard Group got $13,000 for brochures and online work.

More than just consultants did OK by Young. The Tampa Bay Rays got $7,500 for a luxury box rental for a fundraiser. The Hilton Carillon Hotel was paid $40,000 for a fund-raising event. The Pinellas County Republican Party got a solid $10K donation from the congressman. And Clear Channel Outdoor, a billboard company, was paid $42,000 so that Young’s message could beam down from on high into cars traveling the highways of the district.

Democratic challenger Bob Hackworth had less money to dole out, just $148,000. Alabama-based pollster Anzalone Liszt Reserach got $17,500. St. Petersburg Democratic general consultant Gregory Wilson’s Politicus/Parsons-Wilson was paid nearly $30,000 for consulting, printing and a variety of other campaign services. La.-based consultant Steve Verzwyvelt, Jr. was paid $17,500 to manage the race.

On the day that C.W. Bill Young was pictured on 1A supporting a family as their 23-year-old Marine arrived home in a casket from Iraq, Dunedin Mayor Bob Hackworth, a Democrat, says he’ll run for Young’s Republican-held seat this year.

From Young’s PR-happy announcement:

The Mayor of Dunedin, Bob Hackworth, is joining the race for U.S. Congress. Earth Day, April 22nd, Hackworth will formally announce that he is a candidate for the Congressional seat currently held by 19-term incumbent U.S. Rep C.W. “Bill” Young. Hackworth looks forward to representing Florida’s 10th District, which covers most of Pinellas County.

“Dunedin is the poster child of a well-governed city,” says Bob Hackworth (D-FL). “I couldn’t run for Congress as the mayor of a better community.

Dunedin is acclaimed for having a sense of community. Its safe neighborhoods are enriched with arts, culture, libraries, parks and recreation. It is also one of the first cities in the state to go “green”.

Under Hackworth’s leadership, Dunedin began cutting its tax rate long before state-mandated property tax relief efforts hit last year. As a result, Dunedin weathered the budget-reduction storm better than most cities.

“We didn’t have to cut services like many cities did,” says Hackworth. “Instead, we made government more efficient in order to provide the same level of service for fewer dollars. That’s what our citizens wanted and that’s what people deserve from every branch of government.”

Samm Simpson, a fave of Pinellas progressives, is also running. She lost to him two years ago and is not widely seen as a major competitor. Even some strongly pro-Democratic bloggers have questioned some of her actions since then.

Bonus cut: an anti-Young blog here.