Multimillionaire Candidate May Have Less Disconnect than Career Politician

Who's more likely to be the champion of the common man? A multimillionaire businessman or a politician who began more than two decades of public service in 1981?

This morning Rick Scott, prompted by a question on live radio in Jacksonville, said he would give up his $133,000 salary as governor.

"That's not important to me," Scott said. "I'm really not doing it for the salary."

University of South Florida political analyst Susan MacManus, said that could really help the super-wealthy Scott in the polls, especially compared to his chief opponent, Attorney General Bill McCollum.

"That's going to be music to the public's ears," said MacManus. "Particularly to those who themselves have been suffering financially."

MacManus said many already perceive that politicians get wealthier while they are in office, and some politicians use their office to pad their own pockets.

McCollum, on the other hand, suggested he would not be willing to give up his salary. After telling a group of Palm Beach County Republicans he made a lot more in the private sector than as a state representative, he said, "You don't make money while you're doing these jobs, but you do need to support yourself and your family."

[How did McCollum respond when asked if he'd give up his salary? See video in Snap!]

While McCollum's preference to keep his salary likely won't hurt him, earlier in the day he collected a check from the Division of Elections for $1.26 million taxpayer dollars of matching funds.

Last month, McCollum said he would take the public funds even in the face of a challenging economy.

A Bay News 9 reporter asked McCollum, "Speaking of pulling in the belt, you're going to take public financing money, right?"

McCollum responded, "We are."

Reporter: "So you're asking local governments to go ahead and maybe cut teacher pay, cut police officers if they don't have the revenue, and yet you're going to take millions of dollars in taxpayer money to fund your campaign?"

McCollum replied, "Am I going to to take some taxpayer matching funds? Yes, I am, because I have an opponent now who's a multi-multimillionaire."

While the Scott campaign is calling this hypocrisy, MacManus said it might not hurt McCollum too much with the average voter.

"For the people who closely follow campaign finance, it is an important thing," said MacManus. "The other side is that both [Jeff] Greene, [Democratic U.S. Senate candidate], and Scott have so much money it makes it impossible for anyone else to compete."

 

Lane Wright can be reached by email at lane@sunshinestatenews.com or by phone at 561-247-1063.