Washington (CNN) -- Will pot politics push Florida Democrat Charlie Crist to victory on his quest to regain the governor's mansion?
That's what some Democrats are hoping.
Polls show Crist and his
GOP rival, current Gov. Rick Scott, are neck-and-neck. A Quinnipiac
University survey released Monday has Crist at 42%, Scott with 41%,
Libertarian candidate Adrian Wyllie with 7%, and 9% of likely voters
still undecided. Public Policy Polling released Sunday had the Crist and
Scott at 44% each.
Crist's law partner, John
Morgan, spent millions to get an amendment to legalize medical
marijuana on the ballot on Tuesday -- a move some say was meant to help
Crist win by boosting turnout from Democratic-leaning groups.
"Democrats in Florida
privately hope that having a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot
can bring out a set of voters who aren't otherwise likely to vote in a
midterm election," said Reid Wilson, a Washington Post reporter who
closely follows state politics. "It's very political calculation and one
that frankly Charlie Crist's allies have put a lot of money into."
In a sign of a growing
trend, 23 states and the District of Columbia have already legalized
medical marijuana. Florida is not the only state where pot is on the
ballot this year -- voters in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., have a
chance on Tuesday to approve measures legalizing recreational use of
marijuana, following in the footsteps of pot pioneers Washington and
Colorado, where weed has proved to be big business. State records show
marijuana sales brought in an average of roughly $332,000 a month to
Colorado communities in the first eight months of the year.
There has been some big
money behind the ballot battle in the Sunshine State. According to the
Center for Public Integrity, an estimated $4.7 million has been spent on
television ads supporting both sides of the debate. Most of that money
-- $3.9 million -- has been spent by opponents of the ballot measure,
who are financed in large part by conservative casino magnate Sheldon
Adelson.
In contrast, after a
massive effort to get the measure on the ballot, Morgan and his
supporters have spent just $828,800 on television ads urging voters to
pass the amendment -- a disadvantage that could prove decisive in a race
that will come down to the wire.
That means it could be anybody's game.
"The campaign against
[the amendment] has been pretty aggressive and I think pretty effective
based on the polls so there are a lot of people who are now actually
kind of mobilizing to vote against medical marijuana initiative, because
they think it's just problematic, too many loopholes, too easy for
people to basically be selling marijuana out in the open," said Adam
Smith, the political editor of the Tampa Bay Times. "So there's at least
some speculation that rather than driving young people who are inclined
to vote for it to the polls, it's going to motivate people who are
against it to turn out which could help Rick Scott.
The amendment needs 60%
to pass and while many polls show strong support for the initiative, it
is not clear that there is enough to pass it -- a sign that Democrats'
high hopes the ballot measure could sway the race for their guy could go
up in smoke.
i read that they are trying to legalize medical pot in florida and a bunch of stats on that topic also i read the gov opinion on the topic another thing i read was the attempt to motevate potheads to try and vote by doing this topic
ReplyDeletebasically the good kush is bringing in the money for Washington And Democrats in Florida having medical marijuana in the ballot can bring out voters that most likely wouldn't have voted before
ReplyDeletethere trying to legalize pot in Florida because everyone there is already a pothead so they might as well legalize it
ReplyDeleteabout politics. and trying to legalize marijuana in florida. several states had arlready legaliized it. he needs 60% of people to pass it.crist is trying to be govenor.
ReplyDelete-Florida isn't the only state to have medical marijuana on the ballot.
ReplyDelete-A lot of money(4.2mil) is being spent on commercials and ads trying to get voters to pass the amendment.
-Needs 60% to pass
-Colorado is bringing in 332,000 dollars in from legalizing marijuana.
-Democrats in Florida privately hope that having a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot can bring out a set of voters who aren't otherwise likely to vote in a midterm election.
They are trying to legalize pot in Florida to bring in voters who would most likely not have voted before. Two people are debating.
ReplyDelete332,000 in the first 8 months of the year went back to the colorado communitys, its a close poll, non weed smokers fighting against it, using weed for medical uses, and the amendmant needs 60% to pass
ReplyDelete1.Polls show Crist and his GOP rival, current Gov. Rick Scott, are neck-and-neck.
ReplyDelete2.Democrats in Florida privately hope that having a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot can bring out a set of voters who aren't otherwise likely to vote in a midterm election
3. 23 states and the District of Columbia have already legalized medical marijuana
4. there are a lot of people who are now actually kind of mobilizing to vote against medical marijuana initiative, because they think it's just problematic, too many loopholes, too easy for people to basically be selling marijuana out in the open
5.The amendment needs 60% to pass and while many polls show strong support for the initiative, it is not clear that there is enough to pass it
They are trying to legalize pot in florida
ReplyDelete