Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam crossed the most taboo of Florida’s partisan lines Tuesday as he campaigned for commissioner of agriculture and consumer services: The University of Florida graduate took his message to the campus of his school’s hated rival, Florida State University.

Former FSU football great Peter Boulware hosted a fund-raiser for Putnam, bringing his campaign to the home turf of his Democratic opponent, Scott Maddox, the former mayor of Tallahassee and an FSU graduate.

Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson spoke at the fund-raiser, saying he didn’t mind stepping aside, as long as Putnam takes the reins.

“What (people) really don’t think about is the amount of jobs involved. (Putnam) understands because he’s been there. He gets it. He’s worked in it,” Bronson said.

Putnam, from Bartow, spoke to FSU’s College Republicans, stressing the importance of the often-overlooked agriculture commissioner seat, but also the need for young volunteers and voters in what most analysts believe will be a wave election for the GOP.

“No one knows social media better than young people. Republicans can’t afford to let Democrats take over social media,” Putnam said.

He lauded President Obama’s ability to entice new voters to the polls in 2008, but that’s where the praise for the president stopped. Putnam cautioned his young supporters against overconfidence in the face of favorable odds for Republicans.

“(Obama) showed all of us how to use new technology to connect to voters without costing the campaign a dime,” he said.

The need for jobs in Florida is paramount, and Putnam tied the agriculture commissioner position to the push to attract high-tech, clean-tech, renewable energy businesses to Florida -- bringing high-wage jobs and young professionals with them.

“You all know young professionals that left this state because they got a better job somewhere else. I want to steal other states’ talent and bring ‘em here about four decades earlier than they were going to come here anyway,” Putnam said at the fund-raiser.

Although Putnam grew up in agriculture-heavy Polk County, he said the agriculture commission race is not just for rural areas.

“Even if you came here three weeks ago and bought a condo on the beach -- all of (the Cabinet positions) shape the business climate for our state,” he said.

A poll released last week showed Putnam held a slight lead over Maddox, but many voters are undecided. Putnam’s campaign is high on its candidate’s chances and thinks it has made considerable progress since the primaries.

“We’ve obviously made quite a bit of a push since then,” Trey McCarley, Putnam’s campaign manager said.

Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.