Race pitting Hogan, Mica turning into war of words

Race pitting Hogan, Mica turning into war of words

By KEN LEWIS
Staff Writer
Publication Date: 11/02/02

The congressional race for District 7 is one of stark political contrasts.

A conservative Republican and former businessman faces a liberal Democrat, an attorney famed for his lawsuits against businesses.

Incumbent congressman John Mica, a friend of President Bush and a Capitol insider, runs against storied Jacksonville attorney Wayne Hogan. Hogan earned tens of millions after Florida's 1997 $17-billion suit against big tobacco and has emphasized his independence. He refuses to take money from Washington lobbyists and political action committees, but remains one of the biggest soft-money contributors in Florida. And as of Oct. 24, he had donated almost $2.8 million of his own money to his own campaign.

Mica, on the other hand, had accepted $495,346 from political action committees this year, but had not reported spending any of his own cash on the race.

It's like night and day.

Redistricting made Mica the local incumbent, though the Winter Park 59-year-old was elected to represent areas near Orlando. Hogan, 55, announced his candidacy in July.

Since then, the campaigns have grown increasingly aggressive. Mica toured the area with powerful figures like the national drug czar John P. Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy. Also coming to St. Johns County recently in Mica's company were former President Bush, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, National Park Service Director Fran Mainella, and Woodie Woodward, associate administrator for airports for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mica is supported by President Bush, who turned to him to draft anti-terrorism legislation to help secure airports after Sept. 11.

But Hogan is not much of a Mica fan.

Hogan accused Mica of ducking out of two debates this month.

In August, he said Mica fell for the "manipulation" of insurance companies when Mica voted in favor of a House bill to cap pain and suffering damages awarded to victims in medical malpractice lawsuits. The idea of the bill is to ultimately decrease malpractice insurance rates for doctors, though insurance companies made no promises that rates would drop. Hogan said the representatives in favor of the bill didn't understand the real problem. Mica blamed the problem on windfall lawsuits produced by lawyers like Hogan.

Hogan denounced him as the "PAC-man" of American politics.

But Hogan's support has seemed comparatively slight.

That started to change last week, after Mica and the National Republican Congressional Committee aired two television advertisements berating him for taking millions from Floridians after the tobacco suit.

Hogan's team says the ads just aren't true: his paycheck came from the tobacco companies. The ad was chided by two big-name Democrats: Rhea Chiles, the widow of former Gov. Lawton Chiles, and Florida's Attorney General, Bob Butterworth. Chiles was Florida's first lady when Hogan and Butterworth beat tobacco.

Until last week, those were the major Florida Democrats who spoke in favor of Hogan to a local audience. State Rep. Doug Wiles of St. Augustine since published a letter of support in The Record on Friday. And on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Bob Graham called The Record to lend his support to Hogan. The call followed questions from The Record about why ranking Florida Democrats had not been stumping for Hogan in the area.

Hogan said he wanted his campaign to be about people in the district and not celebrities.

Mica and Hogan vie for a seat that lasts two years and paid $145,100 in 2001 and $150,000 in 2002.

District 7 includes all of St. Johns and Flagler counties, as well as parts of Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Putnam counties.

The platforms

Mica said his focuses are these: National and homeland security; economic development and job creation; transportation and infrastructure; affordable health care for all Americans.

Hogan said his focus will be on these: Education; affordable health care for seniors and veterans; economy; restoring investor confidence; creating sustained growth without manipulating debts; fiscal responsibility.

Both said they favor giving President Bush authority to determine the nation's course of action regarding threats of war against Iraq.

The money

The biggest difference between the candidates is money. It's blatant in some ways and subtle in others.

After refusing political action committees' money, Hogan stressed his independence.

Meanwhile, Mica stressed the strength of his Washington connections.

The difference underscores the sides that each candidate accuses the other of playing for.

Mica says Hogan runs on money earned from lawsuits that ultimately manipulate policy and hurt businesses. Hogan says Mica runs on money donated from special interest groups that ultimately manipulate policy and hurt individuals.

According to the candidates' descriptions of each other, Hogan wants to buy the seat, and Mica is bought by interests that want him in the seat.

Campaign receipt and endorsement reports from the Federal Election Commission bolster the candidates' statements. Hogan is wealthy enough to donate almost $2.8 million to his own campaign. And since July, he apparently had no problem accepting at least $70,000 in donations from Florida attorneys and their spouses.

The attorneys' donations are worth noting because Mica has said that trial attorneys are their own special interest group and Hogan supports them and is supported by them. Hogan is a former president of the Academy of Florida Trial lawyers.

Mica's money trail speaks volumes as well.

As of Oct. 24, he hadn't recorded spending any of his own money on the campaign, despite receiving about $1 million in contributions. Of that, $512,323 came from individuals and $495,346 from groups like political action committees. The Republican Party gave him $9,500.

Some of Mica's PAC-contributors are curious.

There's $15,000 in donations from Phillip Morris and RJ Reynolds tobacco companies. Which is no surprise, given Hogan's history. Mica also accepted tens of thousands of dollars from nearly every major airline company in the nation, and thousands from oil, train and automobile companies. It makes sense. Mica is the highest ranking Florida member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee.

He also received thousands from insurance companies.

He even got $2,000 between 1997 and 2000 from the recently disintegrated Enron Corporation.

St. Johns County

The candidates shared a few ideas concerning local issues that could be addressed federally. Both said they would work to improve transportation and infrastructure. Both vowed to continue maintaining the coast, especially the parts affected by St. Augustine Beach's multi-million dollar beach renourishment plan.

But Mica said his seniority in the U.S. House leaves him in a better position to help St. Johns County and all of Northeast Florida.

"As a businessman, I support lower taxes and more efficiency from the government," Mica said.

Hogan said he was concerned that St. Augustine had not received sufficient federal attention for its historic treasures. He said he would pursue federal dollars for local landmarks. He also has said that he will instigate investigations of the practices of insurance companies. Many companies have closed or left the state in the last year, as the stock market stumbled, rates rose, and profits dropped. An investigation could make sure there's not "another Enron" in Florida, Hogan said.

Mica points to his history in the Orlando area, where he said he attained funding for two new veteran's clinics and a new nursing home. He cites his 10 years as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, and his 10 years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was also the former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Paula Hawkins, from 1980 to 1985.

Hogan said he will push for real prescription drug benefits through Medicare. He also has discussed creating a Patients' Bill of Rights.

According to Mica, a patient's bill of rights would produce nothing but bureaucratic red tape.


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