State Sen. Dave Aronberg (D) was in town yesterday to meet and greet locals as he campaigns for Florida Attorney General. Dee Dee Ritchie, Corbet Davis, Ray & Valerie Russenberger and Brian & Crystal Spencer hosted the event held at Jewelers Trade Shop.
Aronberg, age 38, represents a district that is only 38 percent Democrat. He is the only Democrat to chair a state senate committee, Military Affairs. He stressed his ability to reach both parties.
“I had to make a decision in the senate whether I wanted to be bridge builder or a bomb thrower,” Aronberg said. “I choose to be bridge builder.”
The Harvard Law School grad also said that he is the only person running that really wants to be Attorney General.
“This is not a stepping stone to some higher office,” said Aronberg. “I was an asst. Attorney General under Bob Butterworth, who served 12 years as AG. Those that followed him, Charlie Crist and Bill McCollum, always had their eyes on something else.”
Aronberg talked about how Butterworth and Gov. Lawton Chiles had successfully gone after Big Tobacco. While current AG McCollum has done a good job of going after Internet predators, Aronberg wants to focus on economic predators.
“Florida is number one foreclosures and mortgage fraud. Bernie Madoff got his start in Florida. We’ve set out the welcome mat for financial fraud. This has to stop.”
Aronberg believes Crist and McCollum have diminished the AG office by focusing on their next campaign for some higher office.
In closing his speech, Aronberg said, “I ask for your support because I am somebody who wants the job, can win support from Democrats and Republicans and is the only one under the age of 40.
“I am not running solely a South Florida campaign. North and Central Florida will decide the Democratic primary. ”
For more on Dave Aronberg, visit wwwDave4Florida.com
