After sharing this year’s list of Tampa Bay’s 25 most powerful politicians with one political consultant who noted that neither Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano or State Representative Dwight were on the list, they said, simply, “That’s insane.”
And therein lies the beauty of list making…that some do not make the list.
When compiling a list of the 25 most powerful politicians, there is inevitably someone at #26 who probably has a strong argument why they belong instead of someone else.
But, just as only 64 teams (actually, it’s now 68) can play in the NCAA’s March Madness — thereby leaving off some deserving squads — so too must a few politicians be left off this list of the most powerful politicians in Tampa Bay.
Those ‘also receiving votes’, as the phrase goes, were Fasano, Dudley, Hillsborough Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez, and State Representatives Jamie Grant and Darryl Rouson. Each of these five pols were listed on several panelists’ list, but not on enough to crack the Top 25.
The composition of the panel certainly impacted who made the list. It’s a who’s who of local political aficionados, but, just like in years past, it could have used more voices of color, etc.
I promise to work on that with the next list.
In the meantime, I am prepared to deal with the charges of insanity.
