While Florida governor candidates Charlie Crist and Rick Scott bash each other nightly in their dueling television ads, Nan Rich is relying on shoe leather to propel her lower profile gubernatorial campaign.
Rich, who is running against Crist in the Aug. 26 Democratic primary, spoke Tuesday at Spruce Creek Country Club to members of the Tri-County Unified Progressives, which covers Lake, Marion and Sumter counties.
The appearance was one of more than 350 she has logged over the past two years as she traveled 135,000 miles across the state.
“My philosophy is grass roots,” she said after her speech. “People are getting tired of all the money.”
Unlike Crist, who switched from the Republican to Democratic party after his term as governor ended in 2011, Rich told the group she is more authentic.
“We can’t have two Republicans running in November,” she said. “We need to have a true Democrat.”
Rich pointed out sharp differences between herself and Crist. On gun control, for example, “he has an A+, I have an F,” she said, referring to scores from the National Rifle Association.
“From the Panhandle to the Keys, people applaud that,” Rich said. “What it’s all about is sensible gun laws to protect our children. People are ready to stand up and say we’ve got to do something about this.”
On education, she said too many tax dollars go to private schools that teach religion. She said Florida also needs to correct its low ranking in state funding for education.
“I believe that public dollars need to remain in public schools,” Rich said.
Scott, who touts his record of promoting jobs, has turned away jobs that would have been created by high-speed rail and expansion of the federal Medicaid health-care program, she said. Scott refused federal high-speed rail funding and the state declined to participate in Medicaid expansion.
Rich said she’s proud of her tenure as state senate minority leader from 2010-2012, when she helped kill bills to privatize public education and close all Planned Parenthood clinics in Florida.
She said she was one of the first Florida legislative supporters of gay rights and also favors tougher environmental laws to protect Florida fresh water sources.
Members of the progressive group seemed receptive to her message, interrupting her speech several times for applause.
Pat Brown said she hadn’t heard of Rich before the meeting and wanted to hear her views. Vickie Reese said she came to hear the views of Rich as well as congressional candidate David Koller and Marion County School Board candidate Diane Schrier.
“This gal is the real McCoy,” villager Sue Michaelson said of Rich. “She’s the genuine candidate.”