Bill Murray for Governor

From the Palm Beach Post

TALLAHASSEE — It's official — Republicans Charlie Crist and Tom Gallagher and Democrats Jim Davis and Rod Smith qualified to run for governor as of noon Friday.

Two other Republicans and three other Democrats also qualified to replace term-limited Gov. Jeb Bush.

But so did someone named only "Bob."

Right then I thought of a 1991 movie.

So did a Port Orange man who is campaigning to "sweeten Florida."

So did "The Gov Runner."

And so did a dozen other candidates, none of whom voters have probably ever heard of.

The noon end of the five-day qualifying period for state and local races created a few surprises for some candidates, left others automatically reelected and sent at least two freshmen to the House without any election at all.

Late Friday morning, GOP gubernatorial hopeful Michael W. St. Jean paid the $7,743.60 fee and dropped off his qualifying papers at the state Division of Elections headquarters, handing
out campaign buttons wrapped in aluminum foil.

The 62-year-old Jacksonville Beach resident, also know as The Gov Runner, is "standing up for what is right, just and good," according to St. Jean's glossy campaign brochure.

He admitted he faces an uphill battle making it out of the Sept. 5 primary, and he's already spent nearly all of the $25,000 of his own money he dumped into his campaign account.

"I realize that without divine intervention I don't have a prayer. But I have a lot of faith," St. Jean said.

Vernon Palmer, 53, of Miami will join Crist, Gallagher and St. Jean on the Republican primary ballot.

In the Democratic race, voters will choose among Smith, Davis and lesser-known candidates Glenn Burkett of Panama City, retired schoolteacher Carol Castagnero and Orlando attorney John Crotty.

Isn't it great it only costs a few thousand to get on the ballot. Any nutcase with enough money can get themselves on the ballot to be elected governor. Even people without prior political experience.

We also have nutcases with political experience running for Governor. TFM prefers to call them knuckleads.

Maybe the Bill Murray character would be an improvement on the current front runners.

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