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CAMPAIGN 2010 | U.S. SENATE

Florida's GOP Senate rivals evade questions on records, policies

Appearing before reporters and editors, U.S. Senate candidates Marco Rubio and Gov. Charlie Crist exchanged barbs but deflected questions about their own records.

BY MARY ELLEN KLAS

Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau

TALLAHASSEE -- Facing a roomful of reporters Wednesday, Florida's Republican candidates for U.S. Senate offered a glimpse of what's ahead in their campaigns when the heat is on: dodge and weave.

Former House Speaker Marco Rubio, who surged ahead in the polls this week and got a boost in fundraising, refused to answer several questions about his record from reporters and editors at the annual Associated Press meeting Wednesday. Instead, he talked about his anti-government, anti-tax agenda while offering few specifics.

His opponent, Gov. Charlie Crist, offered his trademark rosy view of state government, highlighted his plan to cut $100 million in corporate taxes and boost the education budget with money from a troubled gambling pact.

FEW SPECIFICS

When asked how he would fill the state's $3 billion budget hole, Crist offered few specifics: Rely on more federal money and make unspecified cuts, he said.

Both candidates took swipes at each other. ``I don't have the luxury of going around the state and politicking all day,'' Crist said referring to Rubio, who is no longer in public office. ``I am the governor of Florida and I am going to fight for the people every day.''

Rubio ducked questions about whether he would support the use of federal money to bring high-speed rail to Florida, but slammed Crist for endorsing the federal stimulus money last year, saying he was ``not informed.''

``When Charlie Crist lined up behind the stimulus package, he cut the legs out from every other Republican who was trying to find an alternative,'' Rubio said.

Rubio, facing questions for the first time as a front-runner, also avoided offering details about his role as a registered lobbyist, representing clients before Miami-Dade County while he was a legislator.

He called questions about whether he supports releasing the Republican Party of Florida's credit card expenses ``an internal party issue'' and said questions about what he knew about indicted former House Speaker Ray Sansom's budget deal were ``false distractions.''

Rubio also refused to answer whether his no-bid job at Florida International University was similar to Sansom's no-bid job. ``I'm proud of my service at Florida International University,'' he said.

He repeatedly deflected the grilling, saying they were ``side issues'' and detracted from the primary issues of the campaign.

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AHEAD IN POLL

McCollum spoke on a day when a new Quinnipiac University poll showed him with a 10-point lead over Sink. McCollum attributed the poll advantage to the work of the attorney general's office on issues such as chasing after child predators and street gangs.

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