Florida Republican leaders worked hard to thwart any costly and potentially divisive primaries in this busy election cycle. They failed badly.
State Sen. Paula Dockery was the latest to thumb her nose at the party establishment, formally announcing her campaign for governor recently, just a few months after a battalion of party leaders gathered alongside Attorney General Bill McCollum in Orlando to anoint him as their gubernatorial standard-bearer.
Look at almost every statewide race and you'll see contests for the Republican nomination.
• U.S. Senate: Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio is making life increasingly difficult for Crist, who had expected a cakewalk.
• Attorney general: Normally a sitting lieutenant governor would be the overwhelming favorite, but Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp has drawn a challenge from former state Rep. Holly Benson. Tampa prosecutor Pam Bondi probably may jump in soon.
• Agriculture commissioner: U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, was going to walk into this seat, conventional wisdom had it. But state Sen. Carey Baker had other ideas.
• Governor: Dockery may be unknown to most of the state, but with a personal fortune at her disposal and a message that paints McCollum as a career politician, she has potential to be a serious threat.
The only statewide race shaping up as drama-free for the GOP is chief financial officer, where Senate President Jeff Atwater has no major primary challenger and Democrats don't even have a candidate.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/tough-primary-races-points-to-a-divided-florida-gop/1050855
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