CANDIDATES AND WANNABEES

Of course, you hear about all the major candidates for statewide office, usually well financed and well known across the state, but there are always the "other" candidates that you hear little about. They are individuals with usually one primary issue, generally not known even among many in their own areas, and obviously little financial backing. But they have a reason to run, and I thought that here you could learn a bit about them, as well as the major candidates:

GOVERNOR
DR. PIOTR BASS (Write-In - Boynton Beach) - Professor of Computer Mathematics at Keiser Career College, and previously at Baypoint Schools in South Florida. Ran for U.S. Senate as a write-in candidate last year.

CAROL CASTAGNERO (D - Lakeland) - Retired Teacher. Ran as the Democratic candidate for State Senate District 15 last year, receiving 39.1% of the vote. Issues mainly focus on scrapping FCAT and reigning in DCF.

CHARLIE CRIST (R - Tampa) - Current Attorney General. Former State Senator and Education Commissioner. Former member, Florida Board of Regents.

JIM DAVIS (D - Tampa) - Current Congressman, District 11. Former State Representative. Attorney.

BERNIE DECASTRO (R - Ocala) - Prison Ministry President. Convicted for a series of drug related crimes and spent 18 years in prison but eventually paroled and received a full pardon from then-Governor Lawton Chiles in 1994.

RICHARD PAUL DEMBINSKY (R - Port Orange) - Wastewater Engineer. Ran as a write-in candidate for District 28 State Representative in 2004, running third to eventual winner Dorothy Hukill (R - Port Orange). Highway safety seems to be his issue of choice after an aunt was killed by a drunk driver.

TOM GALLAGHER (R - Miami) - Current Chief Financial Officer. Former Secretary of the Department of Professional Regulation and State Treasurer. Former State Representative.

JAMIE GANNON (Write-In - Orlando) - Bartender/Actor. Acting credits include roles in Roadkill, Voltage, and Cup of Joe. Focusing mainly on highway construction and education.

PHILLIP J. KENNEDY (D - Crestview) - No information found, only that he is a frequent candidate

MONROE LEE (D - Gainesville) - Paraprofessional Designer. Write-in candidate for Alachua County Commission last year. Probably best known for his 1980 Dodge Ram pickup, which is painted with bright designs. Was fined $5,000 three years ago for practicing architecture without a license.

SCOTT MADDOX (D - Tallahassee) - Former Florida Democratic Party chairman. Former Myor/Commissioner of Tallahassee; the first "strong" mayor in the city's history.

WILFREDO PAPA-ROQUI MANEIRO, II (Write-In - Tallahassee) - Filed to run only a month after the last gubernatorial election in 2002. Calls himself the "Voice of the New Generation, Generation X". No information on his background available.

MICKEY RICHARDSON (Write-In - St. Marks) - No information available.

ROD SMITH (D - Alachua) - Attorney. Current State Senator. Former State Attorney. Adjunct professor at the University of Florida's Levin College of Law.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
In Florida, the nominees of each party select their running mate after the primary.

ATTORNEY GENERAL
JOE NEGRON (R - Stuart) - Current State Representative.

EVERETT RICE (R - Treasure Island) - Former Pinellas County Sheriff. Former State Representative.

BURT L. SAUNDERS (R - Naples) - Current State Senator. Former State Representative, Collier County Commissioner, Collier County Attorney, and Assistant Dade County Attorney.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
MILT BAUGUESS (R - Tallahassee) - Investment Advisor; Insurance Agent

CHARLIE CLARY (R - Destin) - Current State Senator and President Pro Tempore. Architect. Former Destin City Councilman.

ERIC COPELAND (D - Miami) - Attorney; Property Tax Consultant

RANDY JOHNSON (R - Celebration) - Current State Representative. President/CEO, Central Florida Sports Commission. Previous Staff Director, Orange County Commission. Previous Director of Staff/Admiral's Aide, Orlando Naval Training Centre.

TOM LEE (R - Brandon) - Current State Senator/President. Vice President, Sabal Homes of Florida.

DENNIS ROSS (R - Lakeland) - Current State Representative. Attorney.

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
CHARLES BRONSON (R - Tallahassee) - Current Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Former State Senator. Former Reserve Deputy, Brevard and Dade counties. Formerly managed family cattle business.