Unpredictable, politically incorrect, pugnacious, and very, very rich. Yes, it sounds like President Donald Trump, but it also describes personal injury lawyer John Morgan, who is mulling a run for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018. And among more than 170 of the most experienced and plugged in Florida politicos, a plurality thinks the medical marijuana and higher minimum wage advocate well known for his ubiquitous TV ads would be the Democrats’ strongest candidate, with former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham a close second.
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Here’s how the largely Republican group of Florida Insiders, including fundraisers, campaign professionals, lobbyists, academics, and activists, came down on the question of the strongest Democratic nominee:
John Morgan of Orlando: 36%
Gwen Graham of Tallahassee: 33%
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn: 18%
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine: 6%
Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum 5%
Other: 3 percent
The other category could include Christopher King of Winter Park, a dark horse political newcomer and real estate investor seriously looking at running. King, Gillum, Graham, and Levine seem to be closest to jumping into the race in the relatively near future, while Buckhorn and Morgan are keeping the door open. Morgan presumably has the money to wait until as late as next year to decide.
Republican prospects include Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran.
This week’s Florida Insiders included:
JC Planas, Fred Karlinsky, Rich Heffley, Christian Ziegler, Rodney Barreto, Jason Altmire, Jon Ausman, Julia Woodward, Chris Kise, Javier Manjerres, Chris Hartline, Ben Pollara, Ron Sachs, Joshua Karp, Roly Marante, Darrick D. McGhee, Pablo Diaz, Dan McLaughlin, Stephen Shiver, Erik Kirk, Alex Patton, Eric Zichella, Kathy Mears, Alex Heckler, Bernie Campbell, Kevin Cate, Christina Johnson, Richard DeNapoli, Geoffrey Becker, John French, Bill Lee, Cory Tilley, Doc Dockery, Kevin King, Meredith O’Rourke, Daniel Smith, Rick Wilson, Jim Rimes, Eric Jotkoff, Matthew Isbell, Patrick Slevin, Jeff Hartley, Paula Dockery, Joe Gruters, Ryan Tyson, Andy Ford, Screven Watson, John Morgan, Jeff Johnson, Mike Fasano, Doug Kaplan, Richard Crotty, Scott Barnhart, Brad Coker, Justin Day, Steve Schale, Rich Ramos, Jason Rosenberg, Bill Helmich, Stephen Bittel, Alia Faraj-Johnson, Alan Becker, Ron Pierce, Susannah Randolph, Susie Wiles, Jim Davis, Amber Stoner, David Johnson, Nancy Texeira, George Riley, Marc Reichelderfer, Jim Cherry, John Dowless, Travis Blanton, Matt Bryan, David Rancourt, Jorge Pedraza, Beth Leytham, Wayne Bertsch, Cesar Fernandez, Chip Case, Ron Gunzburger, David Bishop, Jon Costello, Steve Geller, Jamie Miller, Jim Horne, Dean Cannon, Tom Gaitens, Patrick Manteiga, Leslie Wimes, Brian Hughes, Van Poole, Zachariah Zachariah, Pat Neal, Susan Smith, Mike Hamby, Ashley Bauman, Tom Alte, Ellyn Bogdanoff, Brian Burgess, Steve Vancore, Stephanie Kunkel, Pete Mitchell, John Stemberger, Ana Cruz, Katie Bohnett, Kristy Campbell, Kartik Krishnaiyer, Jeff Kottkamp, Jason Unger, Nick Primrose, Cynthia Henderson, April Schiff, Christina Barker, Greg Turbeville, Paul Mitchell, Henry Kelley, Gretchen Picotte, Jamie Wilson, Mike Hightower, David Aronberg, Eric Eikenberg, Mark Zubaly, Jim Kitchens, Alan Stonecipher, Steve Uhlfelder, Betty Castor, Bob Poe, Jack Seiler, Jose Mallea, Marion Hammer, Greg C. Truax, Aubrey Jewett, Sarah Rumpf, John Wehrung, Nancy McGowan, Damien Filer, Darryl Paulson, Gayle Andrews, John Konkus, Tony DiMatteo, Evelyn Perez-Verdia, Brian Crowley, Mike Hanna, Abel Harding, Stafford Jones, Barry Edwards, Matthew Van Name, Mark Ferrulo, Andrew Weinstein, Thomas Grigsby, Jon Woodard, Jackie Lee, Kathleen Shanahan, Christian Camara, Jason Roth, Allan Bense, Towson Fraser, Jack Furnari, Frank Tsamoutales, Chris Korge, Ryan Duffy, Marty Fiorentino, Seth McKee, Stephanie Grutman, Husein Cumber, Tom Lewis, Jon Mills, Karen Unger, Bob Sparks, Chris Hand, Gus Corbella, Bud Shorstein, Franco Ripple,
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