FL State Sen. Alex Villalobos barely squeaks by

[seafan]

State Sen. Villalobos barely squeaks by

BY MARC CAPUTO AND BREANNE GILPATRICK
September 5, 2006

In Florida's meanest and most expensive state Senate race, Miami Sen. Alex Villalobos was re-elected Tuesday night, overcoming the millions spent by third-party attack groups and the ire of Gov. Jeb Bush who helped run a candidate against the moderate Republican.

Villalobos said his squeaker of a victory over Miami-Dade School Board member Frank Bolaños was a triumph of the little-guy over ''special interests'' in the state capitol, which could face political gridlock with his return. He was to be Florida's first Cuban-American Senate president before he was cast out by the leaders of his own party.

Another reason for Villalobos' win: the unprecedented negative advertising blitz targeting him backfired on Bolaños and his supporters, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and an education lobby group, All Children Matter, that was miffed he voted against a Bush school-voucher plan.

''The voters were obviously disgusted. They tried to buy an election, but it didn't work,'' Villalobos said. ``They should have spent more money on health care for children and buying more books for kids instead of all that trash on TV.''

snip

[davidinalameda]

1. we should encourage Republicans like him

anyone standing up to a Bush can't be all that bad

[saltpoint]

2. Jeb has a deep pocketful of connections in the Miami area and if

they couldn't take this guy out, it's a blow against the dark side and a bit of encouragement for us.

The BFEE CAN be defeated in Florida.

[seafan]

3. Yes, Jeb's GOP took a lashing with this major defeat. Sweet indeed.

We will defeat these ba$tard$, one by one. Nice to see you, Old Crusoe.

[saltpoint]

4. Hi, Seafan. Same right back. Thanks for the uplift on a setback

for Slobberin' Jeb.

I think we're going to have a pretty good night nationwide on Nov. 7th.

[seafan]

6. It's sure startin' to look that way. Bring. It. On.

[saltpoint]

9. Ol' Jeb doesn't look all that chipper in that photo, does he?

Great pics!

[MidwestTransplant]

5. He is from Miami. How Republican of a district can that be.

He should switch parties.

[Orangepeel]

8. there are some very republican districts in Miami

especially in the areas with lot of older Cubans.

[w4rma]

7. A non-loyalist Republican. (nt)

[Judi Lynn]

10. This is some of the finest information you'd want to hear on any

random day! He fought _Jeb's vouchers, and he STILL won, even after _Jeb went after him BIG TIME.

God, it's TREMENDOUS seeing him beat that scum. I truly didn't think he stood a chance, after I started reading about him and the trouble they were creating for him.

By now, he seems far too fine a man to be a Republican! 3 cheers for State Sen. Alex Villalobos. :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[seafan]

11. Jeb 'made it his personal mission to oust Villalobos.'

The fact that Villalobos was able to hold onto his seat is a stinging defeat for Governor Jeb Bush, who made it his personal mission to oust Villalobos.

The governor was angry that Villalobos dared to say no to him when the governor demanded that Villalobos help him repeal the class size amendment and radically expand a voucher program that would rob the public school system of money it desperately needs.
Villalobos stood up the governor because he knew his constituents wanted smaller classes for their schools, and they wanted more money going to teacher salaries. It cost Villalobos his leadership position in the senate, but that wasn't enough. The governor, along with a group of special interests including the insurance industry, wanted Villalobos dead -- politically at least.

snip

The focus now turns to Tallahassee. After seeing many of his North Florida colleagues, as well as the governor, try to plant his head on a pike, Villalobos returns to Tallahassee as the most dangerous man in state government.
He took their best shot and he is still standing. From insurance reform to education issues, Villalobos owes the Republican leadership nothing. He is free to build his own coalitions of Democrats and moderate Republicans. And most important of all, he is now free to say exactly what he thinks.

For groups like the insurance industry, which likes to intimidate politicians, that can mean big trouble. For the public at large, however, it will be incredibly refreshing.

http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_249192201.html