GOP Leadership Vacuum: Putnam makes it official

http://thehill.com/leading-the…

Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) is set to give up his seat in Congress to run for Florida Agriculture Commissioner, a move that a GOP official said is a precursor to a run for governor.

Putnam told the Associated Press that on Monday he will file paperwork to enter the race for state agriculture commissioner, and will give up his seat in the House to run statewide in his home state.

A Republican official with close ties to Putnam said that, in Florida, the Agriculture Commissioner is a highly coveted job and is often seen as a stepping-stone to the governor’s office.

So in order to keep his presidential aspirations alive, he is taking his gig from the house, where everyone goes unloved and has his eyes on the Florida governor’s race in 2014.  Anyone want to kill a promising political career?  It would be damning for him to drop out of the US House leadership (3rd ranking GOP Member) to miss his target of Governor.  If we have Alex Sink running, that’s a real possibility

Florida’s 12th district is the most appealing retirement we’ve got yet, clocking in with an old PVI of R+5.  I am compiling a list of possible successors, right now.  Edit: After consulting a map, it looks like Fort Meadows, Bartow, Lake Whales, Winter Haven, Haines City and Lakeland are all in the district, Lakeland being the largest population center in the district.  It’s hard comparing the congressional district map to the state senate and state house map, but it appears there are no state senators in the district and there may be a Democratic State Representative or two from the Tampa / St. Petersberg suburbs.

GOP Bleeding Talent

Last year, Putnam unexpectedly gave up his job as GOP Conference chairman, the third-ranking Republican in the House. The 34-year-old Putnam was, at the time, still seen as a rising star in the party because of his age and what his colleagues said were remarkable talents.

Zach Wamp, Adam Putnam… The GOP is suffering from leadership drain.  Who is next?

Another One Bites the Dust

I am requesting that, someone who has not had the opportunity to do it yet, que the music and embed the youtube video!  I’ve done it before and a few people get to do it every time.  Please don’t post it if you have before.  If you want to but don’t know how, ask and I talk you through it!

Edit: Josh Kraushaar at The Politico throws former state senator Rick Dantzler as a potential candidate for the seat.  He also points out a couple stats on the district:

There are more registered Democrats than Republicans within the district lines. And Obama ran competitively here, winning about 48 percent of the vote against John McCain.

( http://www.politico.com/blogs/… )

So what do we know about former State Senator Rick Dantzler?  He is looking at the race:

Former state Sen. Rick Dantzler, D-Winter Haven, is taking a serious look at running for Republican-leaning Congressional District 12 should Adam Putnam jump into the race for agriculture commissioner, as is widely expected. The moderate former senator who ran for governor and lieutenant governor in 1998 is analyzing the numbers in CD 12, where Republican prospects include state Sen. Paula Dockery, and state Reps. Seth McKeel and Dennis Ross.

Source: http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz…