Senate Candidates Lee, Burgin Trade Barbs at Republican Club Meeting

Responding to accusations, insinuations and allegations, the two Republican state Senate candidates in a race racked with controversy addressed a full house at the July 30 Alafia Republican Club meeting.

State Rep. Rachel Burgin, R-Riverview, and former Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, are embroiled in a battle for the District 24 Senate seat vacated by Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, who is running for Hillsborough County property appraiser.

Burgin told fellow conservatives at the meeting that she's the underdog in a race being controlled by big-money interests in Tallahassee.

"When I decided to run, I got a call telling me, 'Rachel, you're not the chosen one,'" said Burgin. "But I won't let the Senate leadership dictate whether or not I can run. I decided to run against the odds and it's been a hard-fought race so far."

Burgin has had an filed against her with the Florida Elections Commission for allegedly directing a gambling lobbyist, in violation of state campaign laws. to help fund a series of mailers disparaging her opponent.

Burgin says the charges are "completely and entirely unfounded." Not only does she have no association with the Tallahassee political committee, The American People Committee, which distributed the mailers attacking her opponent, she said she has had no contact with the gambling lobbyist that filtered funding for the mailers.

She believes insiders in Tallahassee are conspiring to make it appear as if she's on the side of the gambling industry.

But Burgin said her record on gambling is a matter of public record. She said she has consistently voted against expanding gambling in Florida.

"My core belief is that we cannot rely on the expansion of gambling to resolve our budget deficits," she said. "The media has said I've solicited gambling money but every opportunity I've had to vote, I've voted against gambling. You can look at any of the votes I've ever taken."

Burgin believes her conservative stances are a threat to the powers-that-be in the Senate.

"I'm fighting the machine, and it's not an easy thing to do," she said. "When the Republican party is not for you, it makes it very difficult to raise resources. I don't have paid people. I don't have money to put out fancy stuff. But we're diligent."

Lee took umbrage with the implication that leaders in Tallahassee are directing his campaign.

He said sitting senators and State Attorney Pam Bondi have endorsed him because they worked with him previously and are familiar with his record.

"These are people I've served with and I'm proud to have friends who believe in me," he said. "But to label me an insider doesn't do you much justice. I took on the special interests, and now I'm an insider? It doesn't hold water."

After being elected to the Senate in 1996, Lee said he developed a reputation as an independent thinker.

"I tried to solve problems in Tallahassee," he said.

After his term expired, he returned to his family's homebuilding business.

"I had no plans to get back into public life," he said. "But when Sen. Storms decided not to run, I got a lot of phone calls."

When asked if he has accepted money from a gambling interest or lobbyist, Lee unequivocably answered "No, I have not.

"I made a pledge early in the campaign not to accept money from any gambling institution or lobby," he said. "And I do not support the expansion of gambling."

Burgin disputed the claim, saying she can name five gambling lobbyists who have contributed to Lee's campaign coffers.

And she said she is aware of three gambling interests that have deposited funds in her account.

"But it doesn't matter if you vote against everything they're in favor of," she said. "The whole issue of gambling is a ruse by Democratic lobbyists to throw me under the bus."

Despite the contention between the two candidates, when asked if they would endorse one another if he or she loses the Aug. 14 primary, both Lee and Burgin said they would.

Alafia Republican candidates also had a chance to hear from House candidates Betty Jo Tompkins, R-Brandon, and Jake Raburn, R-Plant City.

Tompkins is running for the District 59 House seat on a pro-life and pro-family platform. She's received endorsements from the Tampa Bay Times and The Tampa Tribune as well as U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor and Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan.

Like her four opponents, Tompkins said she staunchly pro-life. However, she believes her long resume of community and civic involvement sets her apart from her competitors.

"I've spent the last 35 years heavily engaged in all kinds of activities within the district," she said.

If elected to the seat, Tompkins said she would work to revamp the social service system that permits food stamp recipients to sell their vouchers for guns, drugs, alcohol and prostitutes.

She also said she wants to regulate the items recipients can purchase with food stamps, including steaks, jumbo shrimp and junk food.

"We need a society that doesn't offer a handout but offers a hand up," she said.

Raburn told club members he believes the state needs to reduce regulatory burdens on industries to produce more jobs in the state.

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