State. Sen. Bennett no longer seeking commission seat

State Sen. Mike Bennett is once again taking himself out of the running for an elected office.

This time the Bradenton Republican says he is no longer thinking about running for a seat on the Manatee County Commission – a position he’s been seriously talking about running for since July.

“The reality is that there are a lot of other things I can do to have an influence on public policy than be on the County Commission,” Bennett said.

Bennett was looking to run against Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash, another Republican.

Bennett’s decision not to run for the commission comes just five months after Bennett initially filed to run for Congress against Democrat Kathy Castor, but changed his mind weeks later.

And at one point, Bennett even considered – although only briefly – running for School Board.

All the considering and reconsidering is thanks to term limits in the state Senate. Bennett has been in the Florida Senate since 2002, but cannot run again because of term limits. Bennett’s Senate district includes parts of Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties as well as most of Manatee County.

Bennett told the Herald-Tribune that he just may in fact be done with elective office after the legislative session ends in March.

“I think so,” Bennett said.

Republicans target Fitzgerald

It did not take long for congressional candidate Keith Fitzgerald, a Sarasota Democrat, to catch the attention of the National Republican Congressional Committee last week.

Fitzgerald was in Washington, D.C., for four days of meetings with Democratic strategists and members of Congress as he begins to build a campaign staff. But within hours of arriving, NRCC officials were already sending out press releases warning that Fitzgerald was “rushing” to the aid of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama.

“Fitzgerald will be nothing more than a rubber stamp for Obama and Pelosi’s broken policies, which voters are rejecting more than ever before,” NRCC spokesman Paul Lindsay said.

Fitzgerald, a New College of Florida professor, announced earlier this month that he is running against U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key.

On the same day they went after Fitzgerald, the NRCC sent out nearly identical press releases about two other Democrats considered the party’s best chances of beating Republican incumbents in 2012. Lindsay made similar statements about California Democrat Jose Hernandez, a former astronaut, and New York attorney Brianne Murphy – who are considered two of the Democrats best chances to take back a Republican seat in 2012.

Fitzgerald said he’s not a rubber stamp for anyone. But still he was happy to see the GOP taking him as seriously as they are taking Hernandez and Murphy.

Romney counting on Pat Neal

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is leaving no doubt that he trusts Lakewood Ranch developer and former state Sen. Pat Neal a lot.

Romney has picked Neal to be part of his statewide leadership team heading into the presidential primary election on Jan. 31.

Neal is one of 18 elected officials and prominent supporters that will be part of his advisory network in Florida.

“This team will be essential to my campaign as I reach out to voters,” Romney said in the statement. “With the help of these committed public servants, I am confident that we can defeat President Obama and turn around this struggling economy.”

Neal is listed as one of 10 people who will be co-chairs of the statewide organization. Besides Neal, State Sen. John Thrasher, former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense, and former state Senate president Tom Lee are listed as co-chairs.

For a full list of Romney’s leadership team,  read this Political Insider column.

Area political events

Tuesday: Awake the State, a Democratic-leaning group, holds a rally at Sarasota’s Bayfront Park from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The group is calling on supporters to help mobilize the middle class.

Wednesday: Anti-communist researcher Trevor Loudon speaks to 13 Patriots, a Tea Party group based in Sarasota. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the South Gate Social Hall, 3145 South Gate Circle, Sarasota. For more information, email thirteenpatriotscontact@yahoo.com or call (941) 737-7743.

Thursday: Attorney Greg Schell of the Migrant Farmworker Justice Project will be the keynote speaker at the Sarasota-Manatee Farmworkers Supporters memorial dinner at 6 p.m. at the Renaissance on 9th, 1816 Ninth Street W., Bradenton. Cost is $30 per person. For more information call 730-3452 or 379-0317 or email patliebert@verizon.net

Friday: U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hasner speaks to the Republican Women’s Club of Sarasota at 11:30 a.m. at Michael’s On East, 1212 East Ave. S., Sarasota. Cost is $22. For reservations, call (941) 925-2929.