Democrats battling for `consumer' title

TALLAHASSEE -- As two of the state's leading Democrats vie for attorney general, the contest is becoming exactly what the party didn't want -- nasty.

Dave Aronberg labels rival Dan Gelber a hypocrite beholden to special interests. Gelber calls Aronberg a ``junior lawyer'' and a ``typical politician.''

The attacks come as the state lawmakers, who sat six feet apart on the Senate floor, seek an edge in a tight primary race where they agree on most major issues.

Beyond the blustery attack ads, the two are battling to claim the title of consumer advocate.

The state's chief legal officer -- arguably the second most powerful elected post -- plays a key role in protecting Florida consumers from fraud and discrimination.

``It's probably a more powerful position than the governor because he can use the courts rather than the Legislature,'' said Walt Dartland, the executive director of the Consumer Federation of the Southeast and a former candidate for attorney general.

An examination of the candidates' legislative records show Aronberg and Gelber split on several key consumer issues, such as property insurance and utility regulation. The votes reflect larger philosophical differences between the two men.

Aronberg, 39, is moderate, reflecting the even partisan split in his district, and sides often with business groups. He is more youthful with a people-pleaser attitude.

At a recent campaign stop, Aronberg used the word ``consumer'' five times in a seven-minute speech as he talked about his legal experience fighting for people and the litany of ``consumer protection'' legislation he sponsored in his eight years in the Senate.

A Harvard graduate, he took leave from a private Miami law firm to work with the state's insurance commissioner in the 1990s to investigate companies that refused to pay claims on policies sold to Holocaust victims. He later joined the Florida Attorney General's office ``to stand up for consumers full time,'' he said.

As a lawmaker, he established a consumer fraud post in his office, hiring a former deputy attorney general who helped recover $4 million for his constituents.

FIERY PARTISAN

Gelber, 49, represents the liberal Miami Beach. He is fiery partisan with a self-assured demeanor.

The son of a prosecutor and judge, he became a federal prosecutor in South Florida at age 25, developing an expertise in public corruption and civil rights. A number of the cases involved economic crimes, where he said he targeted public officials and scam artists.

``I prosecuted the kinds of cases where there are real victims to crimes,'' Gelber said. As a top Democrat in the House, he led the effort against rate hikes for the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Company and pushed a bill to expand prescription drug discounts.

Although both men claim the high ground on consumer issues, an examination of legislative records shows Aronberg and Gelber split on several key votes.

In 2003, the telecommunications industry pushed a controversial bill to increase phone rates as much as 20 percent a year. Aronberg voted yes. Gelber, then a House member, missed the vote, but a day later recorded his opposition to the measure.

SPLIT ON INSURANCE

Another dividing issue: property insurance -- in particular, the industry's effort to reduce state regulation of homeowner policies.

In 2009, the Legislature passed HB 1171 to give large insurers the ability to set rates without state oversight, a move that critics said would lead to costlier policies. Gov. Charlie Crist later vetoed the bill.

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