House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, has not been front and center in the bitter Republican gubernatorial primary between Rick Scott and Attorney General Bill McCollum. But Cretul, a backer of McCollum, emerged to take a shot at Scott late Friday.

“It has been nearly five months since Rick Scott entered the Republican primary, and we still do not know where he stands on issues critical to Florida’s future,” said Cretul. “Instead of putting forth substantive policy proposals, he has shamelessly attacked Bill McCollum’s record of principled conservative leadership and changed the rules in the middle of the game to spend more money in an effort to hide his checkered past.”

“Rick Scott’s strategy to pour money into this election has become increasingly clear -- he cannot compete with Bill McCollum on sound policy and conservative ideas so he has resorted to once again putting profit over principle through a relentless stream of false attacks,” added Cretul. “Fortunately for Florida, voters will have the final say, and I am confident that when the votes are counted, Bill McCollum, the true conservative in the race, will prevail.”