The Old Sheriff Knew How Politics Worked

By Bill Rufty Published: Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 10:40 p.m. Last Modified: Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 11:32 p.m. Every election year about this time I start thinking back about the late Monroe Brannen. He was wounded in the Philippines in World War II. Later, as a Lakeland police officer in 1949, he was shot in the face answering a domestic violence call. He served as sheriff for 16 years, and was a consummate campaigner and campaign adviser long after he left office. He died in March 2006. I had no "old hand" to turn to that year for a glimpse of elections way past. Brannen almost always wore a hat, and I figure he probably was one of those dignified old gentlemen who dressed up every time they went to town, even to Wal-Mart. When he walked into a political meeting, even in his 80s long after leaving office, many people would stand when he came in. He just had that presence. His greatest loves were politics and getting out and meeting people. At his funeral he was described as "Polk County's senior statesman.'' Brannen didn't think much of the Internet, or even television as campaign tools. Oh, he knew they worked and reached a lot of people, but he said it separated the voter from the candidate, and that, in his opinion, was inexcusable. Brannen felt that a candidate's character is best shown in person. "You just can't get the measure of a man if you can't shake his hand and look him in the eye,'' Brannen once said. Amen, Sheriff, amen. SEE JD RUN It is hard to tell from all of his television ads over the last two weeks whether state Sen. JD Alexander is running for re-election, or is a new show in the fall television lineup. He won't be up for election tomorrow. His race isn't until Nov. 4. He had raised $308,915 by Thursday, of which $40,000 was a loan, and had another $50,000 of in-kind services, largely from the Republican Party of Florida, to pay for polling, fundraising event expenses and campaign staff. That polling must not have been good, because independent expenses in the multi-thousands of dollars from third party groups for his re-election have gone through the roof. The state Republican Party has paid for at least three glossy mailouts for the Lake Wales Republican incumbent. The most recent television ads are paid for by the Florida Chamber Alliance, and several organizations - including Citizens First, the sponsor of the Amendment 1 drive - have been sending out literature. Alexander was an early and strong supporter of Amendment 1, and the organization apparently is showing its gratitude. They began mailouts before Alexander even drew an opponent and apparently, even before he made the decision to run again. They weren't exactly campaign ads; they were thanking him for his work on Amendment 1 that passed in January, or they explained what he did for his constituents during the 2008 session of the Legislature. Keep in mind that his Democratic Party opponent, Scott Thompson of Winter Haven, recorded less than $5,935 in campaign funds with another $4,000 of in-kind contributions that include Web site hosting, printing and office supplies. So one has to ask: What makes JD run ... so early? Thompson, whose roots are just as deep as Alexander's in citrus and ranching, may slightly blunt the advantage that Alexander, the grandson of Ben Hill Griffin, has in a Senate district that is largely rural with some voters still swayed by a candidate's family history. It is almost as if Thompson was a handpicked opponent. There are a lot of questions about this race. First, Alexander didn't draw an opponent until the last day of qualifying to get on the ballot. And Alexander said himself that at first he planned not to run again. Then, an out-of-county newspaper branded him as one of seven vulnerable Republicans in the Florida Senate. With the money and the connections Alexander has generated, it seems a bit of wishful thinking on somebody's part. But here's another theory: Alexander has always thought of himself as a dealmaker, both in the Senate and in business. Tie him up with a legitimate candidate - and Thompson does have a serious background in agriculture even if he doesn't have campaign money - and you keep Alexander from supporting other candidates who might support his issues, which are often at odds with the issues of his fellow Republican, Sen. Paula Dockery of Lakeland. When portions of this item first ran in my blog last week, several Alexander supporters insisted it was part of the continual Winter Haven vs. Lakeland war over CSX and everything else east and west. One even spoke of Winter Haven as Lakeland's "poor stepchild." The campaign may have some aspects of that. But it is much bigger than the east-west county jealousies and this campaign will certainly bring it out on both sides. [ Ledger Political Editor Bill Rufty can be reached at bill.rufty@theledger.com or at 863-802-7523. His political blog is at politics.theledger.com. Join him Tuesday night for an online chat about the election. ]