District 45 decision looms

With the primary only days away, Richard Corcoran had raised more money and said he had knocked on more doors than his competitors in a sometimes-contentious bid for the state House of Representatives District 45 seat.

Corcoran, Fabian Calvo and Pasco County School Board member Kathryn Starkey are Republicans looking to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Tom Anderson because of term limits. Grady Peeler qualified for the race as a write-in candidate but has not campaigned. Peeler's name will not be on the ballot.

District 45 includes portions of Holiday, New Port Richey, Trinity and Moon Lake in Pasco and portions of Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor, Clearwater and Dunedin in Pinellas County.

Calvo, 32, a Clearwater businessman and conservative radio talk show host, has portrayed his opponents as beholden to special interest groups. In campaign material, he has portrayed Corcoran as a wolf.

Starkey said Corcoran has resorted to a negative "hit mail" campaign against her and has "done quite a bit to try and discredit me."

"Fabian has an interesting way of doing it," Starkey said. "He goes to doors and tells people I'm supported by pro-abortion groups and I'm for gay marriage, and he's wrong on both counts."

Starkey, a 52-year-old mother of four, said she prefers to "just focus on my experience."

"I have a strong background in improving education and also a strong environmental background," said Starkey, of New Port Richey. "I think I'm the better candidate. I've lived in the district 20 years, although my family has been here since the 1890s, and they've done things to improve people's lives. I've managed large budgets and reduced taxes."

According to the Florida Division of Elections, Corcoran raised nearly $193,000 through July, bettering Starkey, who had raised more than $128,400, and Calvo, who raised more than $44,000.

Corcoran, 45, a New Port Richey lawyer, is a former chief of staff for former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio. He has been endorsed by former Gov. Jeb Bush; state Sen. Mike Fasano; former state House Speakers Rubio, Daniel Webster and Tom Feeney; Pasco Sheriff Bob White; Florida Right to Life; the National Rifle Association; the Suncoast Police Benevolent Association; Florida Retail Association; and Pasco County Firefighters.

Corcoran, married with five children, has said he wants to eliminate property taxes to influence more baby boomers to retire to Florida, which he said could mean "a tremendous influx of capital" that would help stimulate job growth. He said he wants to "cap" government growth.

Corcoran said he has knocked on 25,000 doors to trumpet his message.

"The message is clear," he said. "The future of our country is our children and grandchildren. We need strong leaders who believe in the fundamental principles our country was founded on. We need a strong free market. We've been moving away from that, and we need to get back there."

Among those endorsing Starkey have been former Gov. Bob Martinez, former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, former state Sen. Jack Latvala, state Sen. Gerald "Jerry" Rehm, the Fraternal Order of Police, Pasco County Sheriff's Lodge 29, Pinellas Lodge 43, Fraternal Order of Police, the Florida Hospital Association, the Pinellas County Farm Bureau and the Florida Medical Association.

She has said the economy and job growth are the most pressing issues facing the district. She supports the pursuit of the S.T.E.M. academic fields, - science, technology, engineering and math - an educational approach favored by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Florida.

Married with two children, Calvo has been endorsed by Pinellas Circuit Court Clerk Ken Burke and Conservative Patriots, a conservative think tank.

He champions the immigration law passed in Arizona and would work to get a similar law passed in Florida. He opposes the proposed high-speed rail that would connect Tampa to Orlando because, he said, it will cost taxpayers billions. He said that eliminating property taxes and corporate taxes will help small businesses grow.

"I believe in getting rid of all taxes and replacing them with just a simple sales tax," Calvo said.

REPUBLICANS

Name: Fabian Calvo

Age: 32

Education: attended Otis College of Art & Design in California

Family: married, two children

Professional experience: owns Calvo Management International Inc.; conservative radio talk show host

Political experience: none

Website: http://calvo2010.com

Name: Richard Corcoran

Age: 45

Education: earned law degree from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., 1996; earned bachelor's degree in international studies from Saint Leo College, 1989

Family: married, five children

Professional experience: runs Corcoran Law Firm

Political experience: ran for Florida House of Representatives, District 43, in 1998 but lost in primary to incumbent Nancy Argenziano; former chief of staff for former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio

Website: www.richardcorcoran.com

Name: Kathryn Starkey

Age: 52

Education: attended Florida State University from 1976 to 1981, majoring in interior design

Family: married, four children

Professional experience: has worked in government and community relations with Starkey Land Development Co. for about 15 years; has owned interior design company

Political experience: Starkey has served on the Pasco County School Board since 2004; re-elected in 2008

Website: www.kathrynstarkey.com