Putnam’s campaign for governor has first shakeup
In an unexplained campaign shakeup, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s gubernatorial campaign parted ways with its newly named campaign manager and political director.
The departure of campaign manager Kristin Davison and political director Jared Small came as a surprise following Putnam’s well-covered and expertly staged 10-day, 22-stop bus tour through Florida that wrapped up last Saturday after he announced his bid for governor on May 10. The campaign even credited Small and Davison with their help in the successful launch.
“We’re very grateful for her efforts to help this campaign get off to the strongest possible launch,” said campaign spokeswoman Amanda Bevis. “We wish her the best.”
Throughout Monday, Republicans began buzzing with word of internal divisions between Davison and Bevis, who worked for Putnam before the campaign, that led to the shakeup.
Davison, a veteran of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s campaign and Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt’s reelection team, has a hard-charging style that didn’t mesh with the more feel-good nature of Putnam’s longtime circle of advisers and supporters, according to Republicans familiar with the dispute.
“Adam wants everyone to be friends; Kristin wants to win,” said one Republican allied with Davison. “What Putnam doesn’t realize is that a lot of people thought she was what his campaign needed.”
Another Republican was more blunt: “Disappointing to see two highly qualified people who organized a wildly successful campaign launch and bus tour get pushed out because non team players, who are out of their league, forget that all tides rise together, not individually.”
One persistent concern of some Putnam backers and Republicans who aren’t part of his campaign is that the establishment career politician — he’s 42 and has held elected office since he was 26 — can be outflanked on his right by a good conservative candidate. In that regard, Putnam has been compared to former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, who was on his way to locking up the GOP nomination for governor in 2010 when an unknown businessman named Rick Scott came out of nowhere, beat him and then won the general election.
“Putnam is about as third as strong as McCollum was back then,” said one consultant who worked with Scott’s first campaign. “The question is whether there’s another opponent out there who is as strong now as Scott was.”
Owing to his money and name ID, Putnam is the likeliest GOP frontrunner in the 2018 race to succeed the term-limited Scott, who is mulling a run for U.S. Senate. Eight other Republicans have so far filed and more potential candidates are still looking at the race. One recent entrant, Republican Liberty Caucus head Bob White, views Putnam as his biggest threat, according to Florida Today, and is centering his campaign on running against Tallahassee politicians.
“There’s a much too powerful political class in Florida,” White said in his announcement. “It consists of the politicians, the lobbyists, and the rich and powerful corporations and special interests they represent. It’s an exclusive club, and you’re not welcome. In Tallahassee, it’s their will be done, not yours.”
With six having filed to run for governor, Democrats have fewer candidates. Only two have political experience, political support in various quarters of the state and robust campaign teams: former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.
As with the Republicans, a number of Democrats are examining whether to run for governor, including Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine and Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan, the godfather of Florida’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment. Including independent candidates, a total of 18 people have filed to run for the seat so far, according to the state Division of Elections.
Democrats haven’t controlled the Governors Mansion since losing it in 1998.
UPDATED at 11:15 p.m. with more quotes, background.