Florida - U.S. Senate and House Candidate Endorsements based on drug war policy reform Note: This is an old Voting Guide. Go to the New Drug WarRant.net Voting Guide Make a difference in Florida Drug WarRant is providing information to help you make decisions on voting and supporting candidates. Be aware that the information provided here ONLY relates to drug policy reform, and there are other reasons to vote for a candidate. However, drug policy reform is a critical issue, and one that is too often neglected by candidates, unless the voters make it critical. Below each candidate, you will see information about their drug policy reform views and/or voting record. (see the criteria at right for definitions). A red check mark is a Drug WarRant endorsement. A vote for them will be a vote for drug policy reform. In some cases there may be multiple good options. In other cases, there just isn't a good candidate. More endorsements will come as the election nears. If you have additional information about a candidate's drug policy positions, please contact Drug WarRant. If you don't know your district, go to Project Vote Smart and enter your zip code to find out your district and detailed information on all the candidates. Criteria 1. The National Political Awareness Test (NPAT) asks candidates which items they will support if elected. Not all candidates have answered the questionaire. For the purposes of Drug WarRant's endorsements, we have focused on the following specific items from the NPAT: NPAT Drugs: Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding drugs. Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs. Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs. Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes. Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs." Other or expanded principles For the purposes of endorsement, clearly the most important areas are "c, d, and f." A candidate with all three is gold. Selection "a" is a negative factor (although some consider this only for violent or major drug dealers). Selection "e" should be negative, but is confusing. There are some candidates who have an enlightened view of drug policy, who still choose "e" simply because of the heightened border concerns since 9/11, so there may be more involved in that response. At a minimum, a candidate should have chosen "d." The choice of "c" and/or "f" add greatly to their attractiveness. NPAT Colombia funding: Should the United States increase its financial support to Colombia to combat "the war on drugs"? "No" is the preferred answer here (at a minimum -- in fact, the answer should be to reduce funding, rather than just not increasing it). It is possible that someone could claim they are for increased funding to Colombia, but not for spraying or military purposes, but rather humanitarian purposes -- this seems a stretch, however, so I am looking for a solid "No" here. 2. The Hinchey Amendment. The incumbents have had two opportunities (2003/2004) to vote on an amendment that would stop the federal government from interfering with medical marijuana in states where it is legal. There was no legitimate reason to vote against this (and it was a bipartisan amendment), so a "no" vote is generally an indication of ignorance, or being in the pocket of the drug warriors. The proper response is: "Hinchey: Yes/Yes." 3. Other criteria. Where there is useful information from campaign web sites or news reports, those details are added here. If you have additional information (preferably with links), please let me know. US Senate Piotr Blass (Write-in) No NPAT Dennis Bradley (Veterans) No NPAT Betty Castor (D) No NPAT Rachele Fruit (Write-in) No NPAT Mel Martinez (R) No NPAT Mark K. Stufft (Write-in) NPAT Drugs: c,d,g Education and treatment cost less than incarceration.; NPAT Colombia funding: No Nancy Travis (Write-in) No NPAT Senate endorsement will come later. Check back. US House 1 Mark S. Coutu (D) No NPAT Jeff Miller (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Well, let's see. Coutu is a cook with no political experience. Still sounds better than Miller, who voted against the Hinchey amendment both years. US House 2 F. Allen Boyd (D) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Thomas A. Frederick (Write-in) No NPAT Bev Kilmer (R) No NPAT I can't call this one yet. Boyd is unacceptable for the Hinchey vote. Kilmer is a "tough on drugs fanatic who doesn't know how to be smart on drugs" and Frederick doesn't even have a web site. Any help here? US House 3 Corrine Brown (D) Incumbent NPAT Drugs: b,c,d,g The only sensible solution is to work closely with other nations & at a local level, support law enforcement while helping rehabilitate drug victims.; NPAT Colombia funding: No Answer; Hinchey: Yes/No Johnny M. Brown (Write-in) No NPAT Another tough one to call. It's unlikely that Johnny Brown is a serious candidate. And what's up with Corrine voting for Hinchey in 2003 and against in 2004? She got dumber? Plus her NPAT statements are incoherent. US House 4 Ander Crenshaw (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Richard Grayson (Write-in) NPAT Drugs: b,c,d,f; NPAT Colombia funding: No Grayson is a great choice here. He's smart and funny (he's also a comedian) and has excellent views on the drug war. You'll like him. Vote for him. US House 5 Virginia "Ginny" Brown-Waite (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No H. David Werder (Write-in) No NPAT Robert G. Whittel (D) No NPAT Need more info, here. US House 6 David E. Bruderly (D) NPAT Drugs: b,c,d,f,g Drug use and addiction is a medical issue; not a police/criminal issue.; NPAT Colombia funding: Undecided Newell W. O'Brien (Write-in) NPAT Drugs: a,b,e; NPAT Colombia funding: Yes Clifford B. "Cliff" Stearns (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: Hinchey: No/No Somebody needs to help Bruderly out with some more info on Colombia. Otherwise he's perfect, and much better than the alternatives US House 7 John L. Mica (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Somebody please run against this joker next time. This guy is an ignorant liar, and a stooge for the drug czar (see some of his comments here. Do not vote for him. Leave this one blank. US House 8 Ric Keller (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Stephen T. Murray (D) NPAT Drugs: b,d,f; NPAT Colombia funding: No An easy one. US House 9 Gus Michael A. Bilirakis (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Andrew G. Pasyan (Write-in) NPAT Drugs: g Start in high school and learn about health and nutrition and to visit mental institutions of individuals that use drugs.; NPAT Colombia funding: No Answer Bilirakis is unacceptable due to his Hinchey vote, and Pasyan has absolutely no clue what's going on in the world. Sorry, I got no help for you here. US House 10 Robert D. "Bob" Derry (D) NPAT Drugs: b,c,d,e OTHER DRUGS SHOULD BE TREATED THE WAY SOME STATES TREAT ALCOHOL. DECRIMINALIZE USE AND FIRMLY CONTROL SUPPLY.; NPAT Colombia funding: No C.W. Bill Young (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/NV US House 11 Karl M. Butts (Write-in) No NPAT James "Jim" Davis (D) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/Yes Robert Edward Johnson (L) NPAT Drugs: c,d,f,g I'm all for increasing border security, but it's got nothing to do with fighting the insane war on drugs.; NPAT Colombia funding: No Jim Davis deserves some real kudos for improving his vote on Hinchey from 2003 to 2004. However, Johnson is so perfectly strong on his drug war stance, that a vote for Johnson will send a great message. US House 12 Robert D. "Bob" Hagenmaier (D) NPAT Drugs: b,d,g Allow judges more flexibility to impose sentences other than prison.; NPAT Colombia funding: Undecided Adam H. Putnam (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Somebody should school Hagenmaier a bit, but he's still a better choice than Putnam US House 13 Katherine Harris (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Jan Schneider (D) NPAT Drugs: b,c,d,e; NPAT Colombia funding: Yes Schneider's wrong on Colombia, but she's still way better than Harris. US House 14 Connie Mack (R) No NPAT Robert M. Neeld (D) No NPAT Could use some help here. Any info? US House 15 Simon Pristoop (D) NPAT Drugs: b,c,d,f,g I object to the expenditure of billions of tax dollars to protect a small percentage of idiots from abusing themselves.; NPAT Colombia funding: No David J. "Dave" Weldon (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No US House 16 Jeff Fisher (D) No NPAT Mark Adam Foley (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No US House 17 Kendrick Brett Meek (D) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: Yes/NV Omari Musa (Write-in) No NPAT US House 18 Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Sam Sheldon (D) NPAT Drugs: b,d,e,g Criminal prohibition of small quantities of marijuana should be in the discretion of the individual states.; NPAT Colombia funding: Undecided US House 19 Robert Wexler (D) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: Yes/Yes Leave this one blank. Run against him next time. US House 20 Margaret Hostetter (R) NPAT Drugs: e; NPAT Colombia funding: Undecided Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) No NPAT Need more information. US House 21 Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Frank J. Gonzalez (L) NPAT Crugs: c,d,f,g Ending the war on drugs causes the price to drop which causes dealers to go out of business whcih causes a steep drop in inner city violence and increase in property value.; NPAT Colombia funding: No This is an easy one. Go Gonzalez US House 22 Donald G. Kennedy (Write-in) NPAT Drugs: a,c,d,e; NPAT Colombia funding: No John "Jack" McLain (Constitution) NPAT Drugs: a,e; NPAT Colombia funding: No E. Clay Shaw (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Jim Stork (D) No NPAT Need more information. Will make an endorsement here later. US House 23 Alcee L. Hastings (D) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: Yes/NV US House 24 Tom C. Feeney (R) Incumbent No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Leave this one blank. Run against him next time. US House 25 Mario Diaz-Balart (R) No NPAT; Hinchey: No/No Leave this one blank. Run against him next time. Back to main voting guide page.