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Candidates Fill Coffers In County Races

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By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 15, 2007

TAMPA - It's good to be an incumbent.

County Commissioner Brian Blair has raised more than $95,600 in his bid to retain his countywide seat.

Blair, who was elected in 2004, has drawn two challengers, Democrat Kevin Beckner and Republican Don Kruse.

Beckner, a financial planner who started running in January, has raised nearly $39,000; Kruse has $300, campaign finance records show.

The reports cover donations raised through the end of September. Three county commission seat races will be decided in November 2008.

'The old saying is that money migrates to incumbents,' said Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida.

Most of Blair's contributions came after a Sept. 27 fundraiser sponsored by several prominent developers. He said, however, that he has received support from numerous groups and has the endorsements of police and firefighter groups that will aid in his campaign.

Blair said he won't get complacent just because he outraised his opponents. 'I'm going to work like I'm 25 points behind,' he said.

Beckner's campaign manager, Mitch Kates, said he is not concerned about Blair's early lead.

'This race is not going to be about who has the most money,' Kates said. 'It's who has the most votes.'
Kates said Beckner will have more broad-based support than Blair, whom he accused of being beholden to special interests.

Three current Hillsborough County commissioners are vying for re-election next year: Blair, Ken Hagan and Al Higginbotham.

Records show Higginbotham has raised $16,100 since September.

Elected to his seat last year after Commissioner Ronda Storms left the board to run for the state Senate, Higginbotham does not currently have an opponent. His district encompasses eastern Hillsborough County.

Hagan filed for re-election this month and won't file a campaign finance report until early January, election officials said.

Although next year's election is more than a year away, MacManus said it's not too early for many people to get involved in commission races.

'The donor community is particularly paying attention,' she said.

She said there are concerns about Democratic fundraising - even at the local level - because of problems over Florida's early primary vote next year. National Democratic leaders say they won't seat a state delegation at next year's national convention if Florida chooses its delegates based on a primary scheduled for Jan. 29.

Blair agreed people seem to be taking a keen interest in local races this year.

'Nothing affects the people in our community more than the Board of County Commissioners,' he said.

Reporter Anthony McCartney can be reached at (813) 259-7616 or amccartney@tampatrib.com.

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