Castor, Castellano, Edwards and Ross in U.S. House primaries

Friday the Tribune endorsed Hernando County Sheriff Richard Nugent in the Republican primary in U.S. House District 5. Incumbent Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite is retiring.

In the Democratic primary in District 9, our support goes to Phil Hindahl, an assistant Pasco-Pinellas public defender who hopes to be the party's nominee to run against incumbent Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

District 11

In the Democratic primary for District 11, which covers parts of Hillsborough, south Pinellas and north Manatee counties, Rep. Kathy Castor is being challenged by local businessman Tim Curtis, who ran as a Republican for Hillsborough County Commission in 1998.

Curtis, 53, still sounds like a Republican. He rightly wants to bring Washington spending under control and strongly opposes the health care bill. The former Marine is likeable and informed but his aim seems to be more to annoy the Democratic Party than to capture the seat.

We disagree with incumbent Castor, 43, on a number of issues, including her support of the health care plan. But we respect her diligence, independence and commitment to her community.

She has been effective in bringing jobs and investments to the region. For instance, she helped obtain funding for the much-needed connector linking Tampa's port to Interstate 4. She played a major role in winning the administration's support for the high-speed rail project from Tampa to Orlando that should create thousands of jobs. She has helped constituents deal with the housing crisis.

She has been a dynamo throughout the oil-spill crisis, supporting the University of South Florida, whose marine science team linked underwater plumes to the BP oil spill. She is helping businesses harmed by the spill and fighting to hold the culprits responsible.

For U.S, Congress in District 11, the Tribune endorses Kathy Castor.

On the Republican side, four candidates are running, expecting the nation's anti-incumbent mood to give the GOP a chance in the Democrat-leaning district.

Eddie Adams, a 56-year-old Temple Terrace architect who has lost to Castor twice before, presents a sincere if hazy anti-government message.

Mike Prendergast, a retired Army colonel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has an impressive resume and is running a well-organized campaign. But he sticks firmly to GOP talking points and conveys little understanding of Florida's or the district's challenges. He could as easily be running his campaign in Iowa.

Prendergast, 53, is so committed to the "drill, baby, drill" approach that even the devastating oil spill has not deterred his support for drilling a few miles off Florida's shores.

More engaging and thoughtful is Tony Buntyn, a 49-year-old colonel in the Air Force Reserves who has served in the Middle East.

He has similar views to Prendergast but shows more independence. A computer security expert, Buntyn talks with informed passion about the threat of cyber-terrorism. He opposes further stimulus spending and says tax cuts are the best stimulus. He favors continued offshore oil drilling, but not in state waters. Buntyn calls for a "Manhattan Project" to create future energy sources.

Tampa native Tommy Castellano is running a shoe-string campaign but makes the most persuasive case of the four. He clearly knows and cares about the community.

Castellano grew up in West Tampa and runs Castellano Air Conditioning and Heating. He understands how federal mandates drive up costs for small business owners and their customers.

He has a common-sense approach to issues and would cut Congressional salaries 5 percent every year the budget is not balanced. He supports continued offshore drilling but would maintain a sensible buffer off Florida to protect its beaches and tourist-based economy.

He thinks the nation should make greater use of clean-burning natural gas and that solar, wind and other green energy sources should be pursued, not only to benefit the environment but to create more jobs.

The 60-year-old Castellano clearly thinks for himself. In the Republican primary for U.S. Congress District 11, the Tribune endorses Tommy Castellano.

District 12

The candidates from both major political parties seek to replace popular Republican Congressman Adam Putnam of Bartow, who is running for state commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

District 12 stretches from east Hillsborough through most of Polk County and into Osceola. In the November election, the winners of the Aug. 24 primary will also face Polk County commissioner Randy Wilkinson, the tea party candidate, whose participation complicates predictions of who will win in this largely conservative district.

Democrats are fortunate to have two excellent candidates: Polk County's elections supervisor, Lori Edwards, 53, and Doug Tudor of Riverview. Tudor, 47, retired from the Navy as a master chief petty officer in 2008. He now works for a defense firm.

Both candidates are knowledgeable and friendly, but Tudor's more liberal political positions are not an easy fit in this predominately rural and agricultural swath of Florida. Our choice is the more centrist Edwards.

She moved to Polk County in 1982 and spent her early career as a news and radio reporter. Her interest in all things political, particularly the development of public policy, led her to run for the state House in 1992. She served four terms before her election to the supervisor's post in 2000. She is known for having run an efficient, friendly office.

Edwards says she's running for higher office primarily to "bring to Washington the strong voice of regular middle-class people." She says she understands the struggles many of her constituents are undergoing.

She supported passage of President Obama's heath care reform "because we can't afford not to do something," but she questions whether the legislation really addresses containing the cost of care.

Edwards believes the country's security is important but looks for an orderly withdrawal from Afghanistan.

She would look toward alternative energy sources, saying the country's consumption of oil is not sustainable. She opposes offshore drilling.

She is reticent about raising taxes, understanding that local small business people are feeling the pinch. She says many federal regulations are archaic, duplicative and conflicting.

Edwards believes agriculture is a large part of the character of a changing district that she does not want to see lost, not only for its citrus and cattle production but also as a component of growth management.

In the Democratic primary for U.S. House District 12, the Tribune endorses Lori Edwards.

On the Republican side, newcomer John W. Lindsey Jr. is challenging former state Rep. Dennis Ross of Lakeland.

The two men largely share the same views, although Lindsey has a more Libertarian bent. Ross has considerably more experience and was a strong presence during his tenure in the state House, never hesitant to buck his party's leadership when he thought it necessary.

A lawyer, Ross, 50, held committee chairmanships until he refused to back the expansion of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-run insurance company, and the Legislature's imposition of artificially low - and thus fiscally unsound - rates.

Ross speaks passionately about the need for fiscal restraint in Congress. Like many Republicans he worries what profligate federal spending will mean for the next generation.

He has two sons and says creating jobs for the district would be his first priority. He opposes drilling for oil in state waters but argues the country can't afford to stop drilling in the Gulf altogether. He would support incentives to encourage businesses to curb their carbon footprints.

Lindsey, 49, of Dundee, the developmental manager of a chemical lab, opposes the new health care law and would seek its appeal. He also opposes cap and trade legislation. He supports a fair tax. He makes an impassioned case for these positions.

But he doesn't have Ross' experience or pragmatism. In the Republican primary for District 12, the Tribune endorses Dennis Ross.

Candidates not endorsed by The Tampa Tribune are invited by the editorial board to write rebuttals. Rebuttals should be limited to 200 words.

E-mail all replies to tribletters@tampatrib.com or write to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 191, Tampa, 33601-0191.