News Service of Florida: Jeb Bush doing Thrasher ads
Aug 19, 2009
By JOHN KENNEDY
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, Aug. 18, 2009….A state Senate Republican primary battle has pulled former Gov. Jeb Bush off the couch and before the cameras to help longtime ally John Thrasher.
Bush has shot three television spots for Thrasher, who is embroiled in a suddenly fierce primary battle in the Jacksonville-area for the seat formerly held by late Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville.
Thrasher, R-Orange Park, was House speaker during Bush�s first two years as governor. During those years, Bush successfully pushed through the Legislature the bulk of his political agenda, including the nation�s first statewide voucher program, civil justice limits and more than $1 billion in tax cuts.
�I used to call him Elvis and myself Col. Parker,� Thrasher said of his relationship with Bush. �Now maybe I�m Elvis, I don�t know.�
The District 8 race has emerged as a major TV campaign. The first spots began airing last week paid for by an organization called Stop Tax Waste, Inc., a so-called 527 group which Thrasher and supporters say is allied with the trial bar lobby.
The organization�s president, T.J. Harrington, told the News Service of Florida that the ad was paid for by conservatives unhappy with the Legislature�s free-spending during the Thrasher era, although he conceded that trial lawyers could be among the contributors.
The ads appeared within two days of former Rep. Stan Jordan�s entry into the Republican primary field. Jordan, who had been backed by trial lawyers during his eight years in the Legislature, is leaving his Duval School Board post to run.
Thrasher, a former Florida Medical Association lobbyist, responded to the ads with biographical TV spots. The first Bush ad may air as soon as this week, he said.
The special election primary is scheduled for Sept. 15. There are no Democrats running yet, but a general election would be held Oct. 6.
Also in the race are Republicans Art Graham, Robert Allen Jones and Joshua Larose. Harrington said Stop Tax Waste is not supporting an individual candidate.
Bush, who left office in 2007, campaigned on behalf of Florida Senate candidate Frank Bolanos in 2006 in an attempt to unseat Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, who had cast decisive votes against him on a school voucher ballot initiative, but Bush has remained mostly in the political background since leaving office.
Bush, who left office in 2007, has mostly stayed out of Florida legislative races since leaving office.
Bush cut a Spanish-language TV ad for Republican presidential nominee John McCain last fall. But Thrasher�s spots are the former governor�s first since then.