Surprise!!! The St. Petersburg Times has endorsed Dan Gelber over Dave Aronberg in the Democratic primary for Attorney General:
On policy, Gelber and Aronberg are strikingly similar. Both pledge to return the Attorney General’s Office to the nonpartisan reputation it had under Democrat Bob Butterworth, for whom Aronberg once worked. Both would drop the state’s politically motivated lawsuit against the federal health care reform and its support of the Arizona immigration law. Both talk of tackling mortgage and Medicaid fraud, public corruption and prescription drug abuse.
Aronberg, 39, also has established himself as a thoughtful and effective lawmaker, mastering an awkward district that spans the width of the southern half of the state. He never shied from complex topics, from consumer protection to the plight of released sexual offenders who have trouble returning to society because of residency requirements. But Aronberg’s legal resume is far less extensive than Gelber’s and he has shown poor judgment in the campaign by repeatedly trying to link Gelber to the BP oil spill because of Gelber’s former employment at a firm hired by BP.
Democrats are fortunate to have two well qualified candidates in this race, but Gelber has the edge in legal experience and political savvy in Tallahassee. In the Democratic primary for attorney general, the Times recommends Dan Gelber.
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