More Election 2008 Endorsements

• Commentary: Daily News election endorsement summary
• Editorial: Obama offers Americans what country needs now
• Editorial: Election 2008: Judicial retention - Those who know say ‘yes’

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Share and Enjoy [?]

Action is low-key in Florida Legislature contests on the ballot for Aug. 26, for which early voting starts Monday.

These races comprise only modest portions of Collier and Lee counties.

But, they’re important — more important than the level of respect for voters and the process shown by some of the candidates.

Florida Senate, District 27

Republican nomination

Matt Caldwell of Lehigh, a property appraiser, seeks to carry a fundamental platform of conservative values to Tallahassee. That includes cutting taxes and reducing government waste and promoting economic opportunities.

Clear enough. But the candidate has more homework to do on the privatization of Alligator Alley and Everglades restoration — key issues on which he declines to offer opinions.

Caldwell notes it is time for Lee County to be home base for a Florida senator. Garrett Richter of Naples will assume the Senate district formerly served by Burt Saunders, also of Naples, for one part of Lee County. David Aronberg, a Democrat from Palm Beach County, is the senator for the other district, which Caldwell wants to serve, which also includes pieces of Hendry, Glades and Charlotte counties.

Caldwell’s opponent for GOP nomination, Ed Heeney of Boynton Beach, has not campaigned beyond qualifying to have his name placed on the ballot and declined an interview request.

Who can vote? All 74,000 registered Republicans from Lee in this Senate district.

Florida House, District 101

Democratic nomination

Maria Jimenez of North Naples is the clear choice in this race, which will determine the Democratic challenger for incumbent Republican Matt Hudson of Naples in November.

She is bright, energetic, well-informed and eager to serve.

She knows what it takes to get things done by networking with others across the state. She points to the successful launch of three charter schools, including two with Redlands Christian Migrant Association in Immokalee and Homestead. As a veteran of social services, including youth gangs while she lived in Miami-Dade, she knows firsthand what helps and what is just more red tape and mandates from Tallahassee.

She is well-informed on key issues such as casino gambling, Everglades restoration and the privatization of Alligator Alley, which she opposes. She says roads brings communities together and they are too important to hand to someone else — even if there is big money involved.

Also in race: Sam Lopez.

Who can vote? All 17,000 Democrats in the Collier County portion of this district that also includes parts of Broward.

What happens next? Winner proceeds to face Hudson, the Republican, on Nov. 4.

Florida House, District 112

Democratic nomination

No endorsement.

We cannot endorse Betty Gaffney, of Miami, because she is not campaigning or even returning phone calls. Neither can we endorse Juan Espinosa, also of Miami, a television personality who knows next to nothing about matters that are important to constituents. He was not aware of plans to privatize Alligator Alley.

He talks of a need to “invest more in our future” and “work in a bipartisan way on problems,” but offers little hope of being able to follow through as a public servant.

Where are the Democratic parties of Collier, Miami-Dade and Broward counties and Florida? How did they let this “contest” happen? Though the party does not tell candidates what they can and cannot do in terms of running for office, the party does have a stake in the perception and outcome.

This mocks our political system.

Thank goodness District 112 has Republican David Rivera of Miami, a solid incumbent, who is ready to keep up the good work he has been doing for this far-flung district since 2002. He will be on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Who can vote? All 4,000 Democrats in the Collier part of the district.

Note: To confirm their respective districts, voters can check their sample ballots or voter information cards issued by each county’s supervisor of elections office; go online to each supervisor’s Web site and type in their address; or call the offices at 252-8450 in Collier or 533-8683 in Lee.