Dear Friends,

When I endorsed Loranne for CFO I told you I would work hard to help her get elected to this critical cabinet post.

And when I said that, I meant it.

You know how much I care about the future of our great state.  I care that we have elected leaders who understand how to safeguard tax dollars. I care that we choose leaders who are not afraid to stand up to those who would spend tax dollars on programs or policies that don’t help average everyday Floridians. (more…)

Dear Friends,

The past few weeks have been exciting.  We started strong and launched our campaign with incredible endorsements from some of Florida’s most cherished leaders.

And every day we have been met with growing support and on each of those days I have been asked, “Loranne, what can I do to help?” or “How can I get involved?”

Now there is a way…and it’s all in one location.

(more…)

The Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Former state Rep. Loranne Ausley is running for chief financial officer.

Ausley entered the race Monday and is the only major Democrat now seeking the seat Alex Sink is giving up to run for governor.

Ausley, 46, of Tallahassee served in the House for eight years, leaving in 2008 because of term limits.

She’s a lawyer who chairs the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, which provides health insurance for low-income children.

Ausley also serves as a senior adviser to the Lawton Chiles Foundation, which highlights childhood issues in Florida.

Ausley was seeking a state Senate seat before entering the race.

Senate President Jeff Atwater and Rep. Pat Patterson are seeking the Republican nomination.

The CFO keeps watch on state spending and contracts, among other responsibilities.

By Bill Cotterell, Tallahassee Democrat

Former state Rep. Loranne Ausley announced her candidacy for chief financial officer Tuesday with endorsements by CFO Alex Sink and three well-known past Florida Democratic leaders.

Ausley’s decision to switch from a Big Bend legislative race to the CFO contest had been expected for weeks, filling a gaping hole in the Democratic lineup for next November.

“Florida stands at a crossroad,” she said in announcing her decision. “We see unprecedented corruption in and around the political process, we see our state failing to make solid investments in our future and we see many politicians in power turning their backs on the working families of this state.”

It was a message echoing Sink’s 2006 theme. Now running for governor, Sink endorsed Ausley, joined by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, who is running for the Senate, and former Sen. Bob Graham.

Ausley is an attorney who served in the Florida House 2000-08. She chairs the Florida Healthy Kids Corp. and had been running to succeed state Sen. Al Lawson.

Sink said it took some convincing to get Ausley in the race.

“I very much encouraged her,” said Sink, who named Ausley to head the Healthy Kids oversight board.

Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, faces a challenge in the Republican primary from state Rep. Pat Patterson, R-DeLand. Atwater has raised nearly $1.6 million. That’s more than any candidate in either party for any Cabinet race.

Ausley had raised $274,000 in her race for the state Senate. There is a process for her to convert the money to the CFO campaign but Ausley said she has a long way to go to catch Atwater.

“This is about people,” she said. “We’ve got 10 months and a statewide network of people, so it can be done.”

After Ausley announced her candidacy, Atwater announced that he has been endorsed by former Attorney General Bob Butterworth, who served 16 years in the Cabinet as a Democrat and lost a 2002 state Senate campaign to Atwater in his Broward-Palm Beach County district. Former House Speakers James Harold Thompson of Quincy, Lee Moffit of Tampa and Hyatt Brown of Daytona Beach also endorsed Atwater for CFO.

Butterworth said Tuesday his endorsement applied to the GOP primary. He said he attended a fund-raiser for Atwater about three months ago in Fort Lauderdale and contributed $500, signing an endorsement card.
“I should have made clear at the time that there was no Democratic candidate in the race then,” said Butterworth. “I had no way of knowing a good friend of mine would get in.”