It's an exciting year for the Planeteer yearbook, with lots of memories already in the bag and many yet to be made for the Class of 2006.
Who's most likely to succeed? Who's going to the head of the class? Who's going to suffer a brutal hazing and wind up face first in the toilet?
There's no way of knowing until after the primary on Sept. 5, but with this handy facebook we hope to give you information both useful and irreverent on candidates for the Democratic and Republican nominations in the most important and competitive primary races in Tampa Bay.
The "fondest memories" and "actual quotes" sections are drawn from the public record (see our sources page). The "activities" were totally invented by the yearbook editors.
And for our straight-ahead, we're-serious endorsements for the contended races, see our voter's guide.
The Planeteer
Charlie Crist
"Chain Gang Charlie"
Republican
Current job: Florida Attorney General
Activities: George Hamilton Fan Club
Fondest memories: Fighting for lower phone rates; fighting for lower insurance rates; fighting rumors that he is gay.
Actual quote: "I'm not."
Jim Davis
"Yes, but he's dependable"
Democrat
Current job: U.S. Congressman
Activities: Junior Policy Wonks
Fondest memories: Voting against an increase in the minimum wage to piss off Republicans; leading a coalition to try to keep oil drilling off Florida's shore.
Actual quote: "My favorite source of caffeine is Cuban coffee."
Tom Gallagher
"The Ladies' Man"
Republican
Current job: Florida Chief Financial Officer
Activities: Jocks for Jesus
Fondest memories: The chick on the car hood; smoking dope as a young man; cheating on his first wife; accepting Jesus Christ as his personal lord and savior.
Actual quote: "I made mistakes that I regret in my first marriage."
Rod Smith
"Gimme some sugar"
Democrat
Current job: Florida Senate
Activities: Rod & Gun Club
Fondest memories: Putting Danny Rolling away for those Gainesville student murders; getting nearly $1 million of campaign help from Big Sugar; screwing up Jeb's plans to roll back the class-size amendment.
Actual quote: "My father always said, 'You're not nearly as smart as people say you are right now, but you're not nearly as stupid as they'll say you are the next time you mess up.'"
LeRoy Collins Jr.
"The Admiral"
Republican
Current job: U.S. Navy (retired)
Activities: Sons of Governors Club
Fondest memories: Getting the endorsements of the St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Tribune, Miami Herald; growing up as the son of Florida Governor LeRoy Collins.
Actual quote: "It is unfortunate that with [Katherine Harris] in this race, this campaign has become a circus sideshow."
Katherine Harris
"The Ditz"
Republican
Current job: U.S. Congresswoman
Activities: Queen of the Drama Club
Fondest memories: Stealing the 2000 presidential election for George W. Bush; shaking her tits on Hannity & Colmes; dinner with Mitchell Wade — twice!
Actual quote: "Actually, Governor Bush last week was so generous and gracious in his comments and wished me well and said I would be a formidable candidate."
Will McBride
"Rodriguez"
Republican
Current job: Corporate lawyer
Activities: Geneaology Research Team
Fondest memories: Aiming to be the second William McBride to lose a statewide election in the last four years; denying Harris' claim that he changed his name from "Rodriguez."
Actual quote: "But more important than an apology to me, Katherine Harris should also apologize to every Rodriguez and every person of Latino descent for implying that somehow they should be embarrassed about who they are."
Peter Monroe
"The other, other guy running against Katherine Harris"
Republican
Current job: Commercial real estate developer
Activities:Future Bureaucrats of America
Fondest memories: Working with Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld in the 1970s to "rid this country of wage, price and rent controls;" running the government agency that sold off properties in the aftermath of the savings and loan collapse.
Actual quote: "US intelligence regarding [Cuba and Venezuala] must be coordinated at the strategic level as Chavez and Castro move to shape a Western Hemisphere Axis of Evil."
Bill Nelson
"Lucky"
Democrat
Current job: U.S. Senator
Activities: Model Rocket Club
Fondest memories: Looking back at the Earth from the space shuttle; looking back at Katherine Harris self-destruct.
Actual quote: "It's becoming clearer and clearer that the president and members of his administration have misinformed the Congress and America."
District 9
Gus Bilirakis
"Daddy's boy"
Republican
Current job: Florida House of Representatives
Activities: Sons of Congressmen Club
Fondest memories: Meeting Dick Cheney and Newt Gingrich; voting against a federal $1 million grant to educate women about heart attacks and breast cancer; sponsoring legislation to outlaw the practice of executing murderers who committed their crimes as juveniles.
Actual quote: "After twenty-four years of devoted service, my dad has decided not to seek re-election and I've decided to run for the honor of serving the Bay Area in Congress."
Phyllis Busansky
"Fabulous!"
Democrat
Current job: Health care reform consultant
Activities: School Nurse Reform Task Force
Fondest memories: Serving on the Hillsborough County Commission with a guy named (no lie) Big Jim Selvey; implementing Florida's welfare reform program; having Tribune columnist Steve Otto on her speed dial.
Actual quote: "I hope Congress and their 'Big Oil' lobbyist friends have a happy first anniversary of their disastrous Energy Bill."
David Langheier
"What are we doing sending jobs to India?"
Republican
Current job: Chiropractor
Activities: Junior Backcrackers
Fondest memories: Being endorsed by the far-right National Federation of Republican Assemblies; his membership in the Florida Minutemen Civil Defense Corps.
Actual quote: "We must secure our porous borders."
District 10
C.W. "Bill" Young
"Bringing home the bacon"
Republican
Current job: U.S. House of Representatives
Activities: The Earmark Society
Fondest memories: $12 million for a Clearwater bridge; $500,000 for Eckerd College; $344,000 for grapefruit juice research locally; $100,000 for waterfront parks; $1.5 million for the STAR Center in Pinellas …
Actual quote: "I think we did very well this year. I think you'll find that all of these [projects] will have a very positive effect on our community."
Samm Simpson
"Two M's?"
Democrat
Current job: Activist working in independent radio and TV
Activities: Future Grandmothers for Peace
Fondest memories: Meeting Dennis Kucinich; opposing just about everything the Bush administration has done, from its energy policy to the War on Terror; calling herself an "Independent Thinking Democrat."
Actual quote: "I'm weary of death and destruction. We need a moral revolution and a spiritual revelation."
District 11
Eddie Adams Jr.
"A pioneer"
Republican
Current job: Residential architect
Activities: J.C. Watts Fan Club
Fondest memories: Being the first minority candidate in the 78-year history of Temple Terrace to run for a city office.
Actual quote: "When I was a kid, I used to see James Bond movies and he'd go to all these fabulous places and do these fabulous things and I would say to myself that one day I would see the world, too."
Kathy Castor
"6 to 1"
Democrat
Current job: Hillsborough County Commissioner
Activities: Daughters of State Education Commissioners Club
Fondest memories: Voting against the gay pride ban; voting against a proposed beltway; voting against a $40 million sports complex …
Actual quote: "Commissioner [Storms], do you have any dignity whatsoever? Any dignity?"
Scott Farrell
"Pimp my ride"
Democrat
Current job: Business attorney
Activities: Auto Shop
Fondest memories: Spending thousands on an RV refitted to run on waste oil; meeting fellow alt-fuelster Bonnie Raitt.
Actual quote: "It's time for Kathy Castor to be honest with the residents of Hillsborough County about her desire to campaign fulltime for her next elected office and resign her position as a county commissioner."
Al Fox
"Viva Fidel!"
Democrat
Current job: Washington lobbyist
Activities: Che Guevara Society
Fondest memories: Taking then-Tampa Mayor Dick Greco to Cuba for an audience with Fidel; founding the Alliance for Responsible Cuba Policy Foundation.
Actual quote: "Fidel Castro is someone you can do business with. He wants our business right now."
Lesley "Les" Miller
"Ouch! Vouchers!"
Democrat
Current job: Florida senator
Activities: Student Council Minority Leader
Fondest memories: Invoking a little-known legislative rule to grind the Senate to a halt as a means of blocking attempts to repeal the class-size amendment.
Actual quote: "We're just saying introduce kindergarten through second grade to Spanish in some type of way."
Michael Steinberg
"Winning isn't everything"
Democrat
Current job: Disability lawyer
Activities: Students for Social Security
Fondest memories: Finishing first in the 2002 Democratic primary for Florida House District 47 (worst memory: losing the general election to Kevin Ambler).
Actual quote: " Each of we who are running for this seat knows the true obstacle to peace in the Middle East. It is terrorist violence against Israel…."
District 10
Stephen Gorham
"Stephen"
Democrat
Current job: Director of Networking and Telecommunications, Hillsborough Community College
Activities: A-V Club
Fondest memories: Running for office.
Actual quote: "Let us never forget that freedom is not free and our way of life is worth defending at all costs."
Sandy Murman
"I hate Ronda"
Republican
Current job: Former Florida House member
Activities: Four-H Club
Fondest memories: Fighting for children in the Legislature, including reforming the state's troubled Department for Children and Families; defending then-Speaker Johnnie Byrd for calling Republican legislators "sheep" that need to be led.
Actual quote: "We all use analogies like that. I think of sheep as kind animals. They're just out in the field working hard for the farm."
Ronda Storms
"Let he who is without sin …"
Republican
Current job: Hillsborough County commissioner
Activities: Future Demagogues of America, Library Monitor
Fondest memories: Discriminating against the gay community; phoning a county employee at home in a covert attempt to block a bikini bar's opening; berating colleague Kathy Castor.
Actual quote: "A bane upon you. May the worms of your avarice consume your intestines."
Ray Young
"I don't care for Ronda"
Republican
Current job: Air-conditioning sales
Activities: A-C Club
Fondest memories: Becoming a deacon and member of the First Baptist Church of Plant City; getting his concealed weapons permit.
Actual quote: "We really felt like the Lord was leading and guiding us to be in this race."
District 16
Kim Berfield
"Blondie"
Republican
Current job: Florida House of Representatives
Activities: Homecoming Queen
Fondest memories: Posing in the Scientology fashion show.
Actual quote: "The decisions that we're making today will impact others in the future."
Frank Farkas
"Frankly"
Republican
Current job: Florida House of Representatives
Activities: Junior Gamblers Anonymous
Fondest memories: Taking part in the $48,000 junket to Toronto paid for by the gambling industry; nearly sneaking through legislation to exempt ubërdeveloper Grady Pridgen from local land-use rules — until those meddling kids at the St. Pete Times interfered.
Actual quote: On criticism of the gambling junket: "I don't understand why they would be concerned."
Charlie Justice
"The Justice League"
Democrat
Current job: Florida House of Representatives
Activities: Superman Fan Club
Fondest memories: Voting twice against having the state interfere in the death of Terri Schiavo.
Actual quote: "My friends, isn't it time we stopped talking about Right and Left but simply talked about right and wrong?"
Hillsborough District 1
Rose Ferlita
"Nice white lab coat"
Republican
Current job: Tampa City Council
Activities: Future Pharmacists
Fondest memories: Walking out in protest during an atheist's invocation at a council meeting; criticizing Mayor Pam Iorio; helping poor residents needing meds at her Seminole Heights pharmacy.
Actual quote: "You get a receipt when you buy gas through a machine. Why can't you get a receipt when you park your car? If [getting a parking ticket wrongly] happens one time to a tourist, they're going to think the whole city is a sham.''
Don Kruse
"The Kruser"
Republican
Current job: Auto dealer sales manager
Activities: Student Volunteer Fire Brigade
Fondest memories: Driving to campaign appearances in a used firetruck with the slogan, "Put out the fire."
Actual quote: "I see a lot of waste and also a lot of ways to cut this waste without sacrificing any programs.''
Mary Mulhern
"Is it my turn yet?"
Democrat
Current job: Fine arts consultant
Activities: Student Art-Studio Site Committee
Fondest memories: Riding public transportation to the county center to file her candidacy papers and publicize her call for better mass transit; writing art criticism for the Weekly Planet.
Actual quote: "It is so great to be able to be red-white-and-blue and wave my dollar-store flag and decorate my son's bike and walk in the neighborhood parade.''
Gary Santti
"Biting the hand that feeds him"
Republican
Current job: Civil engineer
Activities: Speed Slide-Rule Competition Team
Fondest memories: Criticizing the current commission's mismanagement of growth and his own industry's role in it.
Actual quote: "The greatest transgressor of the public good is my industry, engineering and contracting."
Brad Swanson
"I see gay people"
Republican
Current job: Technology consultant
Activities: Adopted Sons of Republican Fat Cats Club
Fondest memories: All those University of Florida frat parties, the proximate cause of college administrators asking him to leave because of low grades; acting as an extra in the film Witness as a child.
Actual quote: "I am a Christian and not afraid to admit it."
Hillsborough District 3
Dorothy "Nicolle" Admire
"Two L's?"
Democrat
Current job: USF graduate student
Activities: Student Medicaid Advisor
Fondest memories: Convincing Pinellas Park to make all its government buildings handicap-accessible.
Actual quote: "I'm a visionary."
Ken Anthony
"The invisible candidate"
Republican
Current job: State Farm insurance agent
Activities: Under-18 Underwriters
Fondest memories: Being appointed to the Hillsborough Aviation Authority.
Actual quote: "I think rail is an inevitability."
Chloe Coney
"Gotta be the Hat"
Democrat
Current job: Former director of economic development program
Activities: Junior Milliners
Fondest memories: Bringing $30 million worth of economic development to East Tampa's poorest neighborhoods; building a coin laundry and ice cream shop at one of the community's worst drug-infested intersections to reverse its fortunes.
Actual quote: "We can't have people who are willing and able to work and have job offers go without income because of a bus schedule."
Kevin White
"Sharp-dressed man"
Democrat
Current job: Tampa City Council
Activities: The Haberdashers
Fondest memories: Being a cop; spending more than $6,000 in campaign contributions for expensive silk suits, and disguising the purchases on state finance reports as paid to "Robbins Consulting."
Actual quote: "Robbins is my fashion consultant, which provides me a fashionable wardrobe so that I can make a good impression during the campaign."
Pinellas District 2
Calvin Harris
"Why me?"
Democrat
Current job: Pinellas County Commission
Activities: Student Democrat-Republican Alliance
Fondest memories: Being the first black elected to the Pinellas County Commission; supporting (Republican) Mayor Rick Baker's 2005 re-election campaign.
Actual quote: "If you can't talk about the veracity of the people you're dealing with, the next logical step is, what about their equipment? Can we trust it to work?"
Norm Roche
"Party purity"
Democrat
Current job: Magazine editor
Activities: Student Democrats Against The Student Democrat-Republican Alliance
Fondest memories: Having his brother file as a write-in candidate in the general election so Republicans could not vote in the Democratic primary.
Actual quote: "It is hardball. Enough is enough."
Also see:
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2006.
