Eight Candidates for Florida Governor; 17 for U. S. Senator from Florida

To listen to the TV ads, two candidates' names will appear on the Florida gubernatorial ballot and three candidates' names will be on the ballot for U. S. Senator from Florida.


Think again.


Eight candidates and their running mates have filed and qualified as gubernatorial candidates; 17 candidates have qualified to run for U. S. Senator. Not all the names will appear on the ballots because several are write-in candidates. But all the people listed below have taken the time to file the paperwork in order to be a legitimate candidate. Many of the people listed below have paid thousands of dollars in filing fees to the State of Florida.


Oughtn't we at least recognize their initiative and courage?


[Thank you to Pinellas County's Supervisor of Elections, Deborah Clark, who makes this information available -- with links to each candidate's filing information on the Florida Supervisor of Elections' site.]


In alphabetical order, then, which is the NOT same way they will appear on the ballot, the gubernatorial candidates are:

• Peter Allen / John E. Zanni (The Independence Party of Florida / IDP), of Riverview, can be reached at  (813) 671-3122. Allen paid the state a filing fee of $7816.38.
• Michael E. Arth / Al Krulick (NPA), from DeLand, can be reached at  (386) 738-2230. Arth paid the state a filing fee of $5,210.92.
• Daniel Imperato / Karl C. C. Behm (NPA), from West Palm Beach can be reached at (561) 317-3210. Imperato paid the state a filing fee of $5,210.92.
• Farid Khavari / Darcy G. Richardson (NPA), from Miami, can be reached at (786) 286-6697. Khavari paid the state a filing fee of $5,210.92.
• Josue Larose / Valencia St. Louis (DEM / WRI), from Fort Lauderdale, does not list a phone number on the Florida Election Divisions' Candidate Tracking System page.  No fee.
• C. C. Reed / Larry Waldo, Sr. (NPA), from Miami, can be reached at (786) 715-9338. Reed paid the state a filing fee of $5,210.92.
• Rick Scott / Jennifer Carroll (REP), from Naples, does not list a phone number on the Florida Election Divisions' Candidate Tracking System page. Scott paid the state a filing fee of $7,816.38. 
• Alex Sink / Rod Smith (DEM), from Tampa, does not list a phone number on the Florida Election Divisions' Candidate Tracking System page.  Sink paid the state a filing fee of $7, 816.38.

Write-in (WRI) candidates for U. S. Senate pay no filing fee. Candidates with No Party Affiliation (NPA) pay $6,960. Candidates with a party affiliation pay $10, 440 -- unless the candidate qualifies by collecting enough signatures on a petition. The 17 candidates for U. S. Senator and their email addresses are:

• Lewis Jerome Armstrong (NPA), from Jacksonville, can be reached at (904) 771-0809. Armstrong paid the state a filing fee of $6,960. 
• Sue Askeland (NPA), from Stuart,  can be reached at (772) 287-9178. Askeland paid the state a filing fee of $6,960.
• Bobbie Bean (NPA), from Sebring, can be reached at (863) 385-2229. Bean paid the state a filing fee of $6,960.
• Piotr Blass (WRI), from Boynton Beach, can be reached at (561) 523-170. No fee.
• Charlie Crist (NPA), from Tallahassee/St. Petersburg, can be reached at (727) 498-5806. Crist paid the state a filing fee of $6,960.
• Bernie DeCastro (Constitution Party of Florida/CPF), from Ocala, can be reached at (352) 867-8877. DeCastro paid the state a filing fee of $10,440.
• George Drake (WRI), from Orlando, can be reached at  (407) 859-7191. No fee.
• Howard Knepper (WRI), from North Miami Beach, can be reached at (305) 948-3525. No fee.
• Carol Ann Joyce LaRosa (WRI), from Engelwood, can be reached at  (941) 473-3056. No fee.
• Richard Lock (WRI), from Sarasota, can be reached at (727) 410-3305. No fee.
• Kendrick B. Meek (Democratic Party/DEM), from Miami, can be reached at (305) 655-3213. No fee -- qualified by petition.
• Robert Monroe (WRI), from Oviedo, can be reached at (407) 492-8189. No fee.
• Belinda Gail Quarterman-Noah (WRI), from Tampa, can be reached at (813) 388-6755. No fee.
• Bruce Ray Riggs (NPA), from Crystal River, can be reached at  (352) 364-1928. Riggs paid the state a filing fee of $6,960.
• Marco Rubio (Republican Party/REP), from Coral Gables,  does not list a phone number on the Florida Election Divisions' Candidate Tracking System page. Rubio paid the state a filing fee of $10,440.
• Alexander Andrew Snitker (Libertarian/LIB), of Spring Hill, can be reached at (727) 424-9530. Snitker paid the state a filing fee of $10,440.
• Rick Tyler (NPA), of Pensacola, can be reached at (850) 417-488. Tyler paid the state a filing fee of $6,960.

 Puts a little different spin on things, doesn't it?