Scott is now GOP front-runner - will this work in November?

Rick Scott is now the clear front-runner in the GOP primary race for Florida governor. This is an amazing development considering that no one knew of Scott four months ago. He has put in over $30 million dollars into this race. This is a record for a Florida primary. Has Rick Scott bought the GOP primary nomination? The clear answer is yes. Now can he buy the Governorship?

GOP politicians and operatives in the state now must face the realization that they have a candidate that no one in the party establishment wanted. He is on record as being the top administrator in a company that defrauded Medicare for over a billion dollars. Look for many stories from Democratic sources about his company's treatment of patients. He has risked the delicate relationship between the Florida GOP and the Hispanic community with his strong views on illegal immigration. He also has little experience in the political world except for starring in edited television commercials.

However before Democrats start rejoicing - they need to keep this in mind. He has more individual monetary assets than an any other candidate in Florida history. If he spent $35 million on the primary - what is he going to spend on the general? 40 million? He followed a simple formula in the primary race. Label himself as an outsider and attack the political establishment. While Alex Sink, the Democratic front-runner, has not been a career politician - she is the Chief Financial Officer of the state during the worst recession since WWII. The Scott campaign will have plenty of ammunition for their ads. If you have $30 million dollars - you can make Mother Theresa look bad.

The other challenge that Democrats have is from an unlikely source - an independent candidate named Bud Chiles - son of former governor Lawton Chiles. With his familiar name, he could take thousands of Democrats with him in November. Independent candidates usually start out stronger in the polls and then fade. The Sink campaign is hoping this will happen to Chiles.

Because Scott is such an unknown entity, voters, journalists and commentators need to find out what he would actually do as governor. " Let's get to work " is good politics but tells us nothing about his governing. Since he actually has a chance now to become governor, we need to know more.