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McCollum faces possible Republican primary challenge

Tribune file photos

In the 2010 gubernatorial primary, Republican leaders had hoped to unify around Attorney General Bill McCollum, left. Now state Sen. Paula Dockery and veteran legislator Daniel Webster are emerging as potential challengers.

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By WILLIAM MARCH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 1, 2009

TAMPA - The state Republican Party, which had hoped to clear the field to give Attorney General Bill McCollum an uncontested nomination for governor, now finds itself with at least two potential challengers – veteran legislator Dan Webster and state Sen. Paula Dockery.

With most of the fundraising clout of the state party behind him, McCollum would be a clear front-runner in a primary contest.

"Neither would be a major threat, but there's potential," said retired University of South Florida political scientist Darryl Paulson.

Both Dockery and Webster would appeal to parts of the GOP primary electorate, likely ending hopes for McCollum to get a free primary ride and campaign from the start against his likely Democratic opponent, Alex Sink.

Meanwhile, Sink, the state chief financial officer, appears to have what GOP leaders wanted for McCollum, a clear primary field. While some Republicans harbor doubts that McCollum can win, Democrats are enamored with Sink, and none have expressed interest in challenging her.

Webster, a former state House speaker and state senator from Winter Garden, appeals strongly to social and religious conservatives. McCollum does also, but not as much.

"Webster is looked upon as one of the founding fathers of conservative politics in Florida," said Terry Kemple, a religious conservative activist from Brandon.

The state Christian Coalition recently held an appreciation banquet in Webster's honor.

Webster hasn't spoken publicly about the race, but told supporters to spread the word he's interested. Skeptics note he has publicly flirted with and then rejected other races.

In 2004, he launched a U.S. Senate campaign but withdrew just before the qualifying date. This year, he has been a subject of speculation about a challenge to U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, a freshman Democrat from Orlando.

But friends say in this case Webster has a good reason to play coy for a few weeks.

He's serving as chairman of a commission appointed last year to investigate corruption scandals in the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority. It's scheduled to finish its work in July.

Until then, supporters say, he wants to avoid tainting its work with politics, but also to prevent potential supporters from committing to another candidate.

"He's not the kind of guy who normally floats rumors or trial balloons," said former state Sen. John Grant of Tampa. "If he's going to do something, he's going to step up to the mike and say I'm doing it."

Dockery, meanwhile, built populist appeal over the last year with a crusade against a proposal for a state deal with CSX railway to form a Central Florida commuter rail system.

The project, negotiated by former Gov. Jeb Bush, seemed ironclad, with support from Gov. Charlie Crist and Republican legislative leaders. Building on opposition from some Lakeland citizens' groups, Dockery headed it off this year in the state Senate.

Facing a term limit in the state Senate in 2012, Dockery had been considering running for Congress, she said. But after her high profile, David-vs.-Goliath win on CSX, she found herself showered with e-mails and calls from supporters urging her to run for governor.

"Their common message was 'we want a change, we're thrilled the little guy won,' " she said. "Now, I'm so intrigued I am giving it consideration - seriously enough so my family and friends and I are going to sit down and talk about it."

Dockery said she considers it a mistake for the party to try to clear the field for McCollum.

"What I'm sensing in the electorate is they don't think the party should decide who the nominee is," she said.

Dockery's interest in environmental and water issues, plus her CSX battle, have given her a reputation as a moderate.

"At the same time, I'm very tough on criminal justice issues, pro-life and fiscally conservative," she said.

She's also worried that the party seems on the verge of fielding a slate of candidates for the five top offices on the 2010 ballot – governor, U.S. Senate and three state Cabinet seats – consisting entirely of white, male candidates.

"People like to vote for people they relate to," she said. "If you have five statewide seats and the candidates all the same demographic, you're cutting off potential votes."

She said she's worried that McCollum can't beat Sink.

"If you're asking whether the attorney is unelectable, I wouldn't go that far, but I think it would be a tough race," she said. "On the other hand, Alex Sink and I make an interesting matchup."

Dockery acknowledged that either she or Webster would be underdogs in a primary against McCollum, who has corralled many of the state's GOP fundraising leaders in his campaign.

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761.

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