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Former Senate president announces bid for CFO post

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The Associated Press

Published: May 19, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater is the first candidate to enter the race for chief financial officer, one of two statewide Cabinet seats that have opened due to the domino effect of Gov. Charlie Crist's decision to run for the U.S. Senate instead of seeking re-election.

Atwater, a Republican banker from North Palm Beach, made his formal announcement Tuesday, a day after he filed as a candidate with the Department of State. That was just five days after incumbent CFO Alex Sink, a Democrat, entered the 2010 governor's race. Sink made her announcement a day after Crist, a Republican, disclosed his decision.

"I will use the power of the chief financial officer to protect taxpayers from fraud, waste and abuse, whether it comes from Wall Street, fly-by-night finance companies, big insurance or corruption in government," Atwater said in a statement.

Atwater also promised to make government more transparent, effective and accountable. That pledge is becoming a trend in Florida politics. Earlier Tuesday, Sink unveiled a new Web site called "Florida's Checkbook" to help citizens keep track of state finances as the latest part of her own push for transparency and accountability.

The CFO is the keeper of state funds and securities and one of three Cabinet members. The governor and Cabinet jointly oversee various state agencies including the Office of Insurance Regulation and departments of Revenue, Law Enforcement and Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. They also buy and sell state lands and serve as the Board of Executive Clemency. The governor, CFO and attorney general jointly invest more than $100 billion in state funds.

Crist's announcement also prompted Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum to announce his candidacy for governor Monday, creating another open Cabinet seat. The final Cabinet member, Republican Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, cannot seek re-election due to term limits, and he's also considering a run for governor.

Jim Lewis, a Republican lawyer from Fort Lauderdale who has lost several races for local offices, is the only candidate who has filed for attorney general so far.

While Atwater was announcing his candidacy, a potential Democratic CFO candidate, state Sen. Jeremy Ring, a former Yahoo executive from Parkland, decided against running.

"I'm taking myself out of the running," Ring said. "It's certainly a job I'd love to have, but my children are too young."

He said an 18-month campaign would require too much time away from his wife and four children, ages 2 to 8.

Although the Democrats don't yet have a declared candidate, that didn't stop party chairwoman Karen Thurman from blasting Atwater.

She said he broke a no-new-taxes pledge by leading the Senate to pass more than $2 billion in tax and fee increases during the recently ended legislative session. Atwater was an early supporter of a $1-a-pack-cigarette tax sponsored by Democratic Sen. Ted Deutch of Boca Raton, who also has been mentioned as a potential CFO candidate.

Thurman blamed Atwater for a one-week extension of the session that resulted from lengthy behind-the-scenes talks with House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, on preliminary budget issues that delayed the $66.5 billion spending plan's passage.

"Even Republicans were calling Atwater's back room dealings 'embarrassing,' " Thurman said.

Atwater is market president of Riverside National Bank for Palm Beach and Broward counties. A fifth-generation Floridian, his great-grandfather, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, and great-uncle, Cary Hardee, served as governor and both have counties named after them.

After serving one term in the Florida House, Atwater was elected to the Senate in 2002. He won an open seat by defeating a Democratic icon, former Attorney General Bob Butterworth.

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