BUSH BITTER, BLAMES VILLALOBOS FOR VOUCHER PROPOSAL FAILURE

One of the major pieces of Governor Jeb Bush's agenda for his final year in office, a proposed constitutional amendment which would have allowed the Legislature to restore the school voucher programme, died a bitter death for this session Monday by a single vote. Senate Majority Leader J. Alex Villalobos of Miami was replaced shortly afterward as the governor and Senate president put the blame squarely on his shoulders.

The Majority Leader's primary responsibility is to line up votes among his collegues to support his party's legislative agenda. Instead, Villalobos cast the vote which killed the proposed amendment, saying that "I voted my conscience, which is what I've always done and what I'll continue to do". Villalobos noted he is a product of public schools; his wife works for the Miami-Dade school district. The measure, which required a 60 percent majority to be brought in front of the voters in November, failed by a 23-16 margin. He had also voted against the governor and most of his collegues Friday on a proposal to ask voters to reconsider the class-size amendment, which died on a 20-20 tie decision.

After Monday's vote, Bush was quoted as saying "This wasn't a vote about school choice. Trust me. It was about people's feelings being hurt. It's about personal pride. It's about a dysfunctional Republican caucus. That's what it's about. And there's very little I can do about that."

The Senate GOP caucus has been bitterly divided over who will lead their body as Senate President during the 2009-2010 term: Villalobos or Senator Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach. The battle has at times caused not only harsh words between collegues, but has also affected how some votes have ended up. Apparantly, Bush and current Senate President Tom Lee of Valrico believe it had an effect in the voucher vote as well...in Lee's case, certainly in last Friday's class size amendment vote.

Only minutes after the vote, Lee dumped Villalobos as Majority Leader, replacing him with Senator Daniel Webster of Winter Garden, who had sponsored the voucher amendment. The Miami Herald story noted:

As Senate sergeants removed Villalobos' nameplate from his desk on the Senate floor late Monday and replaced it with that of the new majority leader...Villalobos' supporters crowded into his office to blast Lee's move.

''This is a shock and disappointment in the president,'' said Sen. Evelyn Lynn, a Republican from Ormond Beach. "There has never been any question Sen. Villalobos has been a team player . . . I'm very disappointed in the action that was taken today. I never thought it would come to this.''

In the face of the Republican caucus' bitter division, Lee apparantly holds Minority Leader and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Senator Rod Smith of Alachua in high regard for working the chamber, according to today's Palm Beach Post:

"Lee, with only days left in his final legislative session, said he thought the experience of watching Democrats like Sen. Rod Smith, D-Alachua, work the chamber floor to put together winning coalitions may be just what it takes for Republicans to let go of the past and work together better next year."

You've heard the old saying that "A house divided cannot stand"? Yes, a Republican made that quote famous...former President Abraham Lincoln. Well, friends, let's see how the GOP Senate caucus foundation cracks even more...