Mitch Perry
Gov. Rick Scott‘s Let’s Get to Work political committee raised $687, 691 in April, including a $100,000 contribution from Tampa Bay Lightning owner and Channelside developer Jeff Vinik. That brings his totals in 2015 to more than $2.3 million ($2,368,000).
Other major contributions in April came from the AIF PAC, the political action committee formed by the powerful Associated Industries of Florida organization. It contributed $150,000. AIF had mixed success during the recent legislative session that ended abruptly two weeks ago. It was pushing for a Medicaid expansion bill opposed by the governor and the Florida House but supported by the Senate. That led to the budget impasse that has led to the need for the Special Session set next month.
Another $100,000 in April came via another PAC, Floridians for a Stronger Democracy.
The PAC’s biggest expenditure in April were three separate payments of more than $657,000 to On Message Inc. That’s the Annapolis, Md., consulting firm that produced television ads for Scott during his 2014 campaign for re-election, as well as ads that aired in March.
Those commercials startled some observers who wondered why the governor was running advertisements a few months into his second term in office. The ads promoted his tax-cut proposals, proposals that may be jeopardy as legislators try to reconcile their budget differences when they convene next month for a Special Session.
A Public Policy Polling survey conducted in late March showed that Scott is once again underwater in terms of his personal approval ratings. The survey showed that 42 percent of voters think he’s doing a good job, while 46 percent disapprove.
