`Apprentice,' tea party members in races for Tallahassee

This year's state legislative races in South Florida includes a feisty contest that could divide Broward's gay and black communities, former state legislators attempting a comeback, and a handful of tea party activists hoping to make their way to Tallahassee.

The candidates have about two months before the Aug. 24 primary to grab voters' attention amid higher profile races for governor and U.S. Senate.

But state lawmakers set policy on issues close to home, such as oil drilling, FCATs and taxes.

``The people who make the most decisions about your life on a daily basis are on the bottom of the ballot, not the top of the ballot,'' said Ron Mills, a Democratic committeeman in Broward.

Among the most noteworthy races in Miami-Dade is the contest to replace Republican Alex Diaz de la Portilla, the powerful Senate majority leader.

The front-runners are state Rep. Julio Robaina, who has raised $191,078, and attorney and lobbyist Miguel Diaz de la Portilla -- the outgoing senator's brother -- who has raked in more than twice as much, $444,835 and loaned himself $500. (A third brother, Renier, is a former state representative and current Miami-Dade School Board member.)

Jenny Nillo, the third Republican in the race, was once Miguel Diaz de la Portilla's aide when he was a Miami-Dade county commissioner, and she donated $500 to his campaign last year. She and two other candidates -- both write-ins -- filed to run on the last day of qualifying last week and have not raised any money yet.

Campaign finance reports are based on fundraising totals through March.

DEMOCRATS SPLIT

In Broward, state Rep. Gwyn Clarke-Reed, an African-American first-term legislator in Deerfield Beach, faces fellow Democrat and gay activist Justin Flippen, a Wilton Manors city commissioner. That race could lead to divisions in Broward's Democratic black and gay communities.

After gay political leaders tried to build bridges with the black community and Clarke-Reed, ``this certainly sets us back a little bit,'' said Mills, president of the Dolphin Democrats, a gay political group in Broward.

MUSICAL SEATS

One of the most expensive Republican primaries pits two state representatives -- Ellyn Bogdanoff and Carl Domino -- against each other in a Broward/Palm Beach district.

Bogdanoff has raised more than quadruple his donations -- she has $425,403 while he raised $96,499. But Domino, a self-made multimillionaire, has lent himself $110,000 and could put in more.

In a TV ad, he tries to portray himself as a humble guy: ``I flipped burgers to pay for college,'' he says.

They clashed on one key issue which will draw attention among conservative primary voters: the ultrasound bill that Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed. Bogdanoff voted for, and Domino voted against, the bill that would have required women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound and listen to a doctor describe the fetus unless they signed a form to opt out.

Another hard-fought Republican primary is on for Bogdanoff's current state House seat -- a coastal Broward/Palm Beach district. The Republican front-runners are political newcomers: businessman David Maymon and lawyer George Moraitis.

Maymon is far ahead in fundraising -- $114,078 plus a $61,110 loan compared to Moraitis $58,930 plus a $15,000 loan -- since he started several months earlier.

The primary winner will face Barbra Stern, who switched her registration from Republican to Democrat to run and is the daughter of lobbyist Judy Stern.

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