Reno may join race

Bob Butterworth also is among Democrats expressing interest in a campaign for governor.

By TIM NICKENS

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 19, 2001

Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno said Friday that she is considering running for governor next year, a possibility that would energize Democrats searching for a high-profile candidate to challenge Republican Gov. Jeb Bush.

Reno said in an interview that she has been approached by supporters who would like to see her run against Bush, who is expected to announce next month that he will seek re-election. She talked over the idea recently with U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who is heavily involved in an informal screening of potential Democratic candidates.

"I care so much about this state," Reno said. "I was born and raised here. I have explored so many parts of it. I want to do what's best for the state and what's best for everybody else."

If Reno decides to run for governor, her entrance into the race would further spice a contest that already is certain to capture national attention.

Bush, the younger brother of President George W. Bush, is the Democrats' top target in 2002 and presides over the state that decided the presidency after a historic recount. The U.S. Supreme Court ended the drama more than five weeks after the election with a 5-4 opinion that stopped further recounts and effectively handed Bush the presidency with a 537-vote win in Florida.

Reno indicated it will be months before she makes a final decision. She would not commit to appearing with other potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates next month at a state party fundraiser that will feature Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who was Al Gore's running mate.

But in another indication that she is seriously exploring the race, a Reno representative participated in a conference call Friday with other potential candidates to discuss the logistics for the fundraiser in Miami Beach.

The other possible candidates who either participated in the conference call or sent representatives included Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth. He said in an interview earlier this month he had "pretty much" decided against entering the race.

Other Democrats who were represented on the conference call: Jim Bacchus, an Orlando lawyer and former member of Congress; U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa; state House Minority Leader Lois Frankel of West Palm Beach; Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne; state Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami; Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox; and Bill McBride, the managing partner of the Tampa-based Holland & Knight law firm.

Pete Peterson, a former member of Congress from North Florida and U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, also is considering a run for governor.

"This indicates that the perception, at least among the Democrats, is that this is a winnable race," said Florida Democratic Party Chairman Bob Poe, who coordinated the conference call. "If Jeb Bush were a lock, you might have one or two people looking at a kamikaze run. You wouldn't have 10 people."

One concern Reno likely would have to address is her health.

Reno, 62, has Parkinson's disease, which sometimes causes her hand to shake. She said if she became a candidate she would publicly disclose "every issue" about her health and let voters decide if it was a problem.

"I would not do it if I did not think I could," she said. "My general theory is if you can get through almost eight years in Washington on that workload, and come home and kayak . . . without going swimming, you ought to do fairly well."

There would be other hurdles as well.

The first female U.S. attorney general is popular among many Democrats, but she often was held at arms-length by the Clinton White House after ordering a string of independent counsel investigations. She said Friday that she believed that intermediaries had informed Clinton she is considering running for governor, but she said she has received no response.

Republicans often criticized Reno for not seeking an independent counsel to investigate the Clinton-Gore fundraising efforts of 1996. Other voters also would be sure to criticize her for the 1993 raid of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas.

Reno also could face a difficult time in her hometown.

Miami's Cuban-American community is still upset with her decision to use federal agents to remove 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez from his relatives' home last year. That predawn raid led to Elian's return to Cuba, which he had fled in a small boat months earlier.

But Reno also would offer the Democrats many positives.

She could raise millions of dollars nationally for a race that could cost up to $20-million. She would match Bush in star power, and she is known for standing her ground in the toughest of circumstances. And she knows Florida well from her tenure as Dade state attorney, regular trips to Tallahassee and frequent outdoor adventures.

"Just like any other candidate, she's going to have to prove herself," Poe said.

Demonstrating that she already has thought about campaign themes, Reno said Friday that she believes the state has to invest more in children in areas ranging from education to health care. She wants to make the elderly more comfortable and improve the state's infrastructure without harming the environment.

Reno indicated she will watch the Democratic field develop and defer to anyone whom she believes could do a better job as governor, although she did not name names. She also avoided any specific criticism of Bush.

"One of the things I should consider is looking at how he has dealt with the issues I care about," Reno said.

Running for governor was not on Reno's radar screen when she left Washington in January as the second-longest serving attorney general in history. Reno already had turned down an opportunity to become dean of the Florida State University law school. She sounded ready to enjoy some time out of the spotlight and planned a cross-country trip in a new red pickup.

Reno said Friday that the trip is still on. She just bought a camper top for the truck this week.

But now a run for governor also is on her mind, and it may be months before she decides.

"I want to make an informed decision," Reno said.

Conference call

These Democrats or their representatives were on a conference call Friday with Florida Democratic Party Chairman Bob Poe to discuss the logistics for how potential candidates for governor will speak at a state party dinner next month:

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