SPEAKER PUTNAM?

The minds of some folks across Imperial Polk County have just gone wild in the week or so since Congressman Adam Putnam (R - Bartow) was elected Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the body's in-house think tank. It's generally considered the number five position among the GOP House leadership, which means that the "Red-Headed Minion" has his foot in the door among the big boys.

Lakeland Ledger Bill Rufty on Monday writes that some who know Putnam now believe that he'll eventually become Speaker of the House before coming home to seek the governor's office.

Among the wild-eyed fans are Polk County Commissioner and National GOP Committeeman from Florida Paul Senft, who told Rufty:

"His colleagues' confidence in someone at that level is almost unheard of...The breadth of his understanding on almost any issue is amazing. He does his homework. Of course a lot of people can do that, but he can translate that into understanding and formulating new conclusions. He is a sponge and can absorb mountains of information."

And David Shepp, a partner in the Lakeland-based lobbying/campaign firm Florida Strategic Group and a former legislative aide to Putnam when he served in the Florida House, says:

"He has an internal desire that pushes him forward and causes him to gain respect even though he was elected at a very young age...

"Ander Crenshaw, the congressman from Jacksonville who had been president of the Florida Senate before being elected to Congress for the first time when Adam was, worked his tail off for Adam to get chairman. Every other Republican member of the Florida delegation, all older than him, also worked like crazy for him...With his youth on his side and the respect from his peers, from what I can see, you could be on the way to the speaker's chair in a few years."

No doubt that Putnam is a rising star in the GOP universe. He is, indeed, extremely bright, although he could at least sometimes think for himself instead of being a puppet for the White House. But he ain't J. Dennis Hastert (R - IL) yet. That takes time, and the House is still a body that is steeped in seniority. I also believe that Adam could use a little more maturity before putting him in the Speaker's chair. So sit down, and don't get all too excited for awhile. With the GOP's current issues, they may not be the majority party by the time Putnam gets to that point!