Primary Day Live Blog

24 Comments / 2012 Elections, 2012 Florida House Elections, 2012 Florida Senate Elections, Florida Legislature, Florida Politics

Primary Day is upon us. Check back here for frequent updates during the day from the races across the state, and beginning at 7pm EDT, up to the minute updates from every major race across the state. Both Dave Trotter and Kartik Krishnaiyer will be contributing all day long and late into the night.

A reminder about our endorsements for today’s Democratic primaries:

Congress
2nd Congressional District – Al Lawson

18th Congressional District – Patrick Murphy

22nd Congressional District – Lois Frankel

State Senate

12th District- Geraldine Thompson

27th District – Jeff Clemens

39th District – Dwight Bullard

State House

20th District – Marihelen Wheeler

46th District – Jason Henry

49th District – Joe Saunders

63rd District – Mark Danish

98th District – Louis Reinstein

107th District- Barbara Watson

State Attorney

9th Judicial Circuit – Jeff Ashton

17th Judicial Circuit – Chris Mancini

County and Local
Orange County Sheriff – Jerry Demings

Running updates below

ALL TIMES Eastern Daylight
6:20 AM (Dave Trotter) – Regional Weather Report (Rapid Refresh Model Forecast): Panhandle: Light showers will be present throughout most of the Panhandle today. There will be a break in the weather around 9 AM to 11 AM, but then light storms will intensify as the afternoon progresses. Most storms in the area will dissipate around 5 PM, but storms around Tallahassee could remain until polls close.

North Florida: Morning in north Florida will be clear, but light showers will start to build around the Big Bend and Gainesville by 1 PM. These storms will only last an hour or two.  Light showers could return to Gainesville around 5 PM as well as in Ocala. The ones near Ocala could intensify until the polls close. Jacksonville should be clear of rain all day.

Central Florida: Light showers in Daytona Beach and Seminole County could be present when the polls open. These showers should die off by 10 AM. Pinellas County could also experience some light rain as well. From noon until 3 PM, most of Central Florida should be clear, but stronger storms will build up around Daytona Beach and could linger until the polls close. Orlando and Tampa should be clear of rain most of the day, with storms in the Orlando area only intensifying around 7 PM.

Southwest Florida: Light storms will be present in most of SW Florida between the hours of 7 AM to noon. At noon, skies will clear, but more intense storms will be moving into the area around 5 PM with heavy rain in Ft. Myers until polls close.

Southeast Florida: Martin and parts of Palm Beach could experience some light showers when the polls open. These storms will dissipate around 11 AM, but light showers in Dade and Broward county still start, with the most intense rain in Miami. While Miami might clear, most of the light rain will linger around Broward County. Storms will intensify in west Palm Beach County around 4 PM. Rain could be present the remainder of the day, but other models show that the population centers along the cost could be spared rain after 3 PM. The rain possibilities between Palm Beach and Miami are 50% in the afternoon.

8:00 AM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Jacksonville/Duval County: Reports of turnout in Jacksonville being moderately high for the big  Bean-Weinstein Republican primary in SD 4. This battle is a proxy war for the Senate Presidency, much as the Frishe-Brandes battle today in Pinellas County is. The big difference being unlike SD 22 (Frishe-Brandes), which was carried by Obama and Sink but does not have a Democratic candidate, the winner today in SD-4 will face Nancy Soderberg, a highly thought of Democrat we profiled two months ago on this site. Soderberg has to this point in the cycle been the biggest recipient of FDP financing, receiving $23,000. Both John McCain and Rick Scott carried this district by a healthy margin, but Soderberg arguably has the best resume of any Democratic candidate in the state  running for a legislative seat.

8:15 AM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Broward County – The incomparable Bob Norman, of WPLG Local 10 (Miami/Fort Lauderdale ABC affiliate) has reported that the controversial mail piece from the “Miami Tea Party” we reported about Saturday which gave a fake endorsement of Broward Sheriff Candidate Louis Granteed in the Democratic Primary was the work of non-other than famous Nixon/Reagan operative/trickster  Roger Stone. Stone who faded from the national scene in the 1990s has been a prominent southeastern Florida political consultant and lobbyist since guiding Arlen Spector’s Presidential Campaign in 1996 to an early exit. Stone’s mailer has been the talk of the town since being dropped over the weekend.

9:21 AM (Dave Trotter) – Early voting numbers are high in Orange County. In 2008, early voting reached about 10,000. This time, it is around 18,000. The West Oaks Library has large Democratic numbers, which will be an impact on the Senate 12 race. Also, the Alafaya Trail Library had both high Democratic and Republican numbers. No doubt the Congressional race is pulling in the Republican numbers. The Democratic numbers might be for HD 49.

9:45 AM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Broward and Palm Beach Democratic leaders are complaining once again about “phony” palm cards circulating in condo areas. The “phony” palm cards are often done by candidates and are only “phony” in the eyes of Democratic club leaders who violate the bi-laws of the Florida Democratic Party by making endorsements in primaries and imply the opponents of the candidates listed on their palm cards are Republicans. The FDP has been unwilling to reign in the use of palm cards in condo areas which are now a dime a dozen.

9:55 AM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Palm Beach County Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel has sent out the following alert about voter “fraud.”


“BertAaronson.com is a phony website unauthorized by Commissioner Burt Aaronson.
The Commissioner strongly continues to support Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
Do not be fooled by this new, low level of election treachery.”

A treacherous move no doubt by Bradshaw’s opponents and a despicable one that should be rejected by the voters. But this is no different than some similar moves authorized and promoted by Democratic leaders in southern Florida themselves. But Aaronson is well within his rights to sue the perpetrators of this fraud and we would encourage him to do so. This race has been so below the radar I did not even know Bradshaw had an opponent until receiving this email. Then again, I no longer live in Palm Beach County and have been disconnected from local politics there. So the phony website worked. I am now aware Bradshaw faces races, albeit from a dirty trickster.

10:25 AM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Word out of the Treasure Coast is that their have been flyers circulating endorsing from Dave Weldon in the GOP Senate Primary from some sort of religious conservative group. We will search for confirmation of this as the morning wears on.
10:30 AM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Maybe slightly late here on this but Haley Barbour, the former RNC Chairman, Mississippi Governor and GOP superstar has endorsed John Mica vs. Sandy Adams.
11:15 AM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Peter Schorsch over at Saint Petersblog explains why Pinellas has collected so many more absentees for this primary than Hillsborough.
11:55 AM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Reports are of very low turnout in Broward County including in Condo areas. An August primary combined with the flood of negative ads may have kept super voters away.
1:04 PM (Dave Trotter) – Polling places around Central Florida have been busier than usual, especially in the 7th Congressional District.
1:07 PM (Dave Trotter) – According to the Florida Times-Union, absentee voting in Duval County is 20% lower. Early voting was up about 1,700 votes from 2008. Only 7,000 votes in Duval have been cast to far, which is much lower than expected.
1:17 PM (Dave Trotter) – Lead story on the Miami Herald Website says “Technical glitches slow some voting in Broward”. This is said to be caused by the record amount of absentee ballots cast in Broward. 40,000 absentee ballots were returned to the Broward SoE.
3:04 PM (Dave Trotter) – St. Pete Times (oops, Tampa Times) reports over 1 million people have already voted in today’s primary, most of that from early and absentee voting.
3:15 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Lots of  anger in Palm Beach County as current Tax Collector Anne Gannon was removed from a “Democratic” palm card in Century Village West (Boca Raton). Gannon has been challenged in the primary by long time Republican Pete Carney, a two time loser for the office when a member of the GOP, who switched parties just to challenge Gannon in the primary.  Based on the removal of Gannon from the palm card it can be surmised that the Democratic club is working with some local leaders to put a stealth Republican in the Tax Collectors office. Gannon’s opposition has been covertly backed according to sources by many powerful south Palm Beach county “Democrats,” who are not elected officials but are in fact major behind the scenes players in the party.
4:05 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Turnout in the critical southwest Broward condo Century Village Pembroke Pines is slower than any election in memory, including March Pines municipal elections. However, the large numbers of absentees from Broward indicate a healthy number of early votes.
4:45 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) –  Word out of Brevard County is that turnout is mixed in different areas of the county and that many votes were cast early particularly in Palm Bay and Melbourne.
7:00 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) –  Polls are now closed in the Eastern Time Zone. Results to follow shortly.
7:10 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Early absentee results from Palm Beach County show Mac Bernard and Kevin Rader with comfortable leads over Jeff Clemens and Steve Perman respectively.
7:15 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Tom Lee leading Rachel Burgin by double digits early on absentees.
7:30 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – If absentees are any indication, Sandy Adams’ short congressional career is over. John Mica up almost 2 to 1 early on.
7:45 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Senator Mike Fasano is once again Rep. Mike Fasano. Details here.
7:55 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Todd Long looks destined to win the GOP CD-9 Primary meaning Alan Grayson is virtually assured of a return to Congress.
8:09 PM – TPH’s Public Enemy #1, Victoria Siplin, loses to Geraldine Thompson by 12%!!
8:25 PM  (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Andrew Morey, one of my personal favorite candidates running for State House this year holds a slim lead over Aaron Bosshardt in the HD 21 Dem Primary. Bosshardt had a huge fundraising advantage and the support of House Victory. Morey is a grassroots oriented candidate with lots of local activist support in Gainesville.
8:30 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) –  SD 27, Jeff Clemens closing on Mac Bernard  whose big lead among absentee/early votes has almost been completely erased by election day votes.
8:45 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Clemens has taken a narrow lead in SD 27. Ron Saunders on the strength of Monroe County has opened up a big lead in SD 39.
8:55 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Larry Lee appears to be headed to the General in HD 84 as former Rep. Adam Fetterman is falling short. Everett Rice has conceded in the Pinellas GOP Sheriff Primary.
9:10 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Despite the number of votes that still need to come in we feel fairly confident saying that Al Lawson will be the Democratic nominee to face Steve Southerland in November. Lois Frankel has sent an email to supporters (including yours truly) that she has won the nomination and will face ultra right wing Republican Adam Hasner in the fall.
9:55 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) –  Dwight Bullard has taken the lead in SD 39.
10:25 PM (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – Dorworth has been renominated by the Republicans. That leaves the door slightly open for Mike Cleland in November. Politico calling the CD 3 race for Yoho beating both Stearns and Oelrich.
10:55 pm (Kartik Krishnaiyer) – The close HD 107 race between Julien and Watson is still hanging in the balance with provisional ballots and some precincts yet to be recorded.
11:10 pm (Kartik Krishnaiyer)- Looks like it will be Beshears vs. Hill in HD-7 come November. The seat is rated as a toss up. Jeff Brandes beat Jim Frishe and will face _____ in this St. Petersburg based seat that Obama and Sink both carried. Right, the Ds did not field a candidate and the seat goes automatically to the GOP.
We’re calling it a night. Tomorrow morning look for our first post primary analysis piece. Thanks again for reading.

24 thoughts on “Primary Day Live Blog”

  1. Dave Trotter

    If anyone has any election reports they want on our live blog that they feel could be important, please email us. Our contact information is in the “About Us” tab above.

    Also, My “Upset of the Day”….Rene “Coach P” Plasencia beats Marco Pena in the HD 49 R Primary.

  4. Dave Trotter

    I just moved from Illinois, so I am now registered here, but still have my Illinois DL. I voted absentee for exactly that reason. I was afraid they would turn me away with my IL DL.

  7. Morning Star

    Really Kartik? The anger is directed at Gannon for running a bad office not at the clubs. Carney is a tax pro. Gannon a politician. That’s the issue, but you always have to make everything us vs them and glorify even the most incompetent Democrat if they are a liberal and don’t go along with the leadership in the county. Your personal, perry vendetta against the leadership in Palm Beach has been exposed again with that maniacal and wrong headed post.

    I suggest you revise it to read that the Democratic Club choose to not make an endorsement in a race between two Democrats.

  8. Delray D

    Anne rocks! Eveyone loves Anne Gannon. Hey MS looks like your personal vendetta is showing your true colors. Her office runs great. Is a Carney a tax pro before or after he became a Democrat. I like this blog and being in tune with PBC & Broward, you make it too easy for all us to know who you are. Schmuck

  9. Ellen

    PBC does not play by the rules…hey Kartik how about the threats made by elected officials and their lawyer buddies. Just wait…you have not seen anything yet!

  10. Matty

    Hey MS, Ellen is you too…dont try to play two different people ….we know your game buddy. Check your grammar

  11. Kartik Krishnaiyer

    Morning Star,

    Your agenda and vendetta’s are clear. All have done here is report the news- what happened today at Century Village in Boca. That’s it. If you have a guilty conscious about what has happened either you should get in touch with those who can rectify this or if you are in fact in a position of power to do so, you should do so.

    A combination of factors here are going to make it more and more untenable for the Democratic clubs in southwest PBC to continue to keep this guise of being good Democrats going while pulling stunts like this. People who previously turned a blind eye to these abuses that have been going on since the 1990s (Ros Murray vs Tom Lynch anyone?) are now fed up and I don’t think the current power structure is going to last a whole lot longer.

    This was a dumb, dumb move. Gannon is very popular among Democrats in the condos and most primary voters in these areas know Carney is really a Republican.

  13. jeff

    Weiss & Handler law firm anyone on the Gannon thing? Or maybe it was BIZPAC who is in alliance with Weiss & Handler?

  14. Kartik Krishnaiyer

    This I don’t know for sure but the President of the Century Village West Democratic club is Marvin Manning and he has a long standing close relationship with Weiss & Handler. This having been said the Weiss & Handler firm supports many Democrats and should be applauded for that.

  20. Danny Democrat

    Kartik you can crow all you want about Morey. But your biased article calling him the real deal may cost us a chance to beat Perry. You are not practical. Bosshardt positioned better to beat Perry, Morey will be smoked. Let’s hope your boy goes down or else WE ALL LOSE!

  21. Kartik Krishnaiyer

    First off I don’t think we have that much influence, although given that we average 1500 hits a day, it is theoretically possible 200-300 people in HD 21 read the post. The race isn’t over yet, btw. Nonetheless, I find it insulting that party hacks like what I presume you are Danny continue to spout that we must nominate the most moderate candidates and those with the greatest fundraising ties to beat Republicans. We must nominate people who fire up the base.