TAKING A PAGE FROM GOVERNOR BUSH'S BOOK?

The Buzz, the political blog of the St. Petersburg Times, reminds us that it wasn't too long ago that Governor Jeb Bush criticized Democratic gubernatorial contender Congressman Jim Davis of Tampa for missing a number of votes in the House of Representatives. It seems that now Davis' primary challenger, State Senator Rod Smith of Alachua, has followed the gov's lead and notes on his Web site that Davis missed 11 votes last Thursday, including one on cutting the estate tax.

Smith's site asks: "The issue not withstanding, it is a shame that the 640,000 Floridians that Congress Davis promised to represent did not have a voice on the issue. Was he campaigning? Was he sick? Does he have a note from his doctor?"

The senator, who claims to have missed only four votes during the last legislative session in Tallahassee, should know where his Democratic opponent was: They were together at a candidate forum in Orlando.