Former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre announced his bid for the Democratic senate nomination in Florida back in October, but has been relatively silent since. Not anymore. Ferre has come out swinging this week, attacking Gov. Charlie Crist (R) and slamming Sen. George LeMieux (R), who Crist appointed earlier this year.
On Wednesday, Ferre attacked Crist, suggesting the governor was lying about his record in a recent interview with the St. Petersburg Times.
“Charlie Crist has been anything but ‘honest and truthful’ and he certainly has put politics over people,” Ferre said in the statement. “Sadly Charlie Crist has not done the job we have already elected him to, property taxes have not gone down and either [sic] have insurance rates. Now Charlie wants a promotion when he doesn’t merit one based on performance in the job he has now.”
Today, Ferre turned his attention to LeMieux, Crist’s former Chief Of Staff who Crist appointed to the senate seat after Mel Martinez (R) vacated it in August. LeMieux isn’t running in the race for his current job (which Crist and Ferre are vying for), but has recently hinted he might run for Florida’s other senate seat in 2012.
“What we need in Washington now is less partisanship and less jockeying for political advantage and more bi-partisan problem solving,” Ferre said today. “Instead [LeMieux] plays politics — to the determent of Florida.”
Ferre criticized Crist over the LeMieux pick, and called on LeMieux to stay out of the current senate race.
“Governor Crist chose to appoint a staff member and political operative to the U.S. Senate,” Ferre said. “I want my Senator working on Florida’s problems not out fundraising for his political benefactor.”
The new attacks on Crist an interesting turn of events for a campaign that, rumor had it, was part of an elaborate plan to destroy Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) run by Crist allies.
