Peter Schorsch
One thing that became clear after news of the Tuesday Night Massacre broke is this: If Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, or for that matter Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, wants to win higher office in 2018, whether it be U.S. senator or governor, he must stand up to Gov. Rick Scott now.
On Tuesday, Atwater challenged Scott to re-open the search for a new FDLE commissioner, a suggestion Scott quickly swatted away while insisting that Atwater and the rest of the Cabinet sign off on changes to several key state agencies.
Even if Scott does not relent and agree to reopen the search process, Atwater deserves credit for firing the most significant shot across Scott’s bow. We knew Pam Bondi was not going to do it, so it was up to either Atwater or Putnam to rise up in defiance of the governor — and Atwater got there first.
Now, he must stand his ground.
He needs to fire back at Scott, saying that while he agrees with the need to refresh executive leadership, now is not the time for more changes within the executive branch. Atwater needs to draw a line in the sand and say that there will be no changes at the top of the Office of Insurance Regulation or the Office of Financial Regulation or any other agency where the Cabinet’s acquisition is needed to make a change.
If Atwater holds the line here, he will a) be doing the right thing; b) win the respect of so many others for standing up to Gov. Scott; c) endear himself to Florida’s political media, which, as Steve Bousuqet has articulated, has been urging the Cabinet to show some backbone; d) improve his standing for 2018.
Counter to this, if Atwater folds, he relegates himself to second-tier status behind Putnam, Marco Rubio, and Will Weatherford for the two statewide office nominations up in three years.
In other words, Chief Atwater, now is your time.
