The Florida Times-Union: Candidates deem economy key issue -- John Mica cites experience, Faye Armitage says its time for change

The Florida Times-Union
October 1, 2008
Candidates deem economy key issue


By Charlie Patton,
The Times-Union

John Mica cites experience.

Faye Armitage says its time for change.

Mica, 65, a Republican who has represented the 7th Congressional District since 1993, is seeking his ninth term. The sprawling district includes all of St. Johns and Flagler counties and parts of Putnam, Volusia, Seminole and Orange counties.

Armitage, a 50-year-old Democrat, is running for political office for the first time.

Mica said his 16 years in Congress have given him the experience to be a leader. He is now the ranking Republican on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

But Armitage said it's time Mica retired, something he once said he planned to do in 2004.

Both candidates said the economy will be a crucial issue in deciding the upcoming election.

Armitage called Mica a supporter of "Bush deregulation," which helped create the current financial meltdown.

Mica admitted he's no fan of government regulating business. But he also pointed out that in 1999 he voted against a bill that repealed a Depression-era prohibition preventing bank-holding companies from owning other financial companies.

"We don't want to put more impediments on business like higher taxes and red tape," he said.

Armitage favors disengagement from Iraq as soon as possible.

But Mica said, "What you don't want to do is leave turmoil behind or a situation that requires us to go back again and clean up an even more difficult mess. ... I think many of the people who blocked the surge prolonged our presence."

Armitage became a political activist after her son was paralyzed at age 7 in a soccer injury. She became a public advocate of embryonic stem cell research, which Mica has voted against in the past.

More recently, convinced that "the fight is won" on stem cell research, she said she "shifted my activism to universal health care."

Both candidates said they were champions of a new energy policy that would lessen U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Mica has favored expanded oil exploration and drilling, while Armitage said alternative energy sources should be found.

Armitage said that despite a widespread impression that the congressional district is overwhelmingly Republican, only 41 percent of registered voters are Republicans. The key to winning the race will be to capture the votes of the 22 percent who consider themselves independents, she said.

Mica said he's not concerned about an anti-incumbent mood.

"I think people pick and choose," he said. "I think there's a pretty clear choice here."

charlie.patton@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4413


This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100108/met_338771448.shtml.