Women have always been a sought-after voter bloc, even though the 2012 presidential election and the alleged Republican War on Women — that, 
between us girls, we really shouldn’t buy into — took it all to a whole new level.
And, as expected, that trend will continue as Florida females become a hot commodity this November. In fact, they are already beeing wooed and courted.
Former Gov. Charlie Crist, who wants his job back as a Democrat now, launched not one, but two video ads last month targeting basically one half of his bread and butter base. Perhaps it is because polls show his support dropping among women. A Public Policy Polling survey found Crist had dropped nearly 50 percent to a seven-point lead over Scott among women voters, when a July Quinnipiac University poll gave the Democrat a 15-point advantage.
Perhaps it is because women account for just over half of the state electoate, at 53%. Maybe it is because almost four million of those six million women are Democrat — or two for every one Republican — even though Florida is historically and embarrassingly among the lowest performing in women voter turnout, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. In the 2010 gubernatorial election, for example, less than half of those six million women voted, ranking the Sunshine State 35th in 50 for women voter participation, according to a Democratic pollster at Lake Research Partners 
quoted in Slate.
Or maybe it is just because women are the “it” thing in politics right now.
Just look at former First Lady-turned-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a favorite possible 2016 nominee for president. You may have looked at her as she signed copies of her book at Books and Books today, after which she campaigned for Crist. Her hubby and former Prez Bill Clinton came for the former guv earlier this month. Guess it’s his wife’s turn to get girls riled up (although Ladra thought that’s what Bill does — wink, wink). That is also the intent of the aggressive video ads that paint Gov. Rick Scott as a woman hater.
The first 30-second spot features a rainbow of multi-ethnic women, young and old, talk about abortion rights, allowing employers to deny coverage for birth control and equal pay for equal work.
“When it comes to doing what’s right for Florida women, Rick Scott has been wrong every single time,” it ends.
An email from Crist campaign, signed by running mate and former Miami-Dade Democratic Party chair Annette Taddeo, urges Democrats to contribute to the campaign so more people can see the spot.
“We’re going to hold him acc
ountable. Watch our new ad — then chip in to help keep it on the air,” Taddeo writes.
“Rick Scott has never once stood up for us. He’s never fought for our right to choose, or for equal pay, or for affordable contraception. Instead, he’s put obstacle after obstacle in our way. When women succeed, our families succeed. But Rick Scott doesn’t want any of us to get ahead,” Taddeo wrote.
The Florida Democratic Party has also criticized Scott recently for appearing at a North Florida event with Congressman Steve Sutherland, who actually questioned whether opponent Gwen Graham — the daughter of former Gov. Bob Graham — ever went to a “lingerie party” and having a men-only fundraiser.
“Rick Scott apparently doesn’t think he needs women to win,” state Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant told reporters.
The Florida League of Women Voters has traditionally been active at election time. But there are other signs that more women are getting politically involved:
- Last month, Crist also secured the support of Planned Parenthood, which for the first time ever formed a PAC in Florida, if not necessarily on the former GOP’s his track record, then because Scott’s is worse.
The Women’s Republican Club Federated of Miami, which has had regular high-profile guests at its monthly meetings and organized the Republican congressional District 26 primary debate at FIU, will host a fundraiser for Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday.- The National Association of Women Business Owners joined the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) , the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade and The Women’s Fund to host a “Meet the Candidates” forum last week in Coral Gables where candidates discussed topics such as certification of women-owned business and capital available, as well as eligibility for federal and state contracts.
“It is particularly important for candidates to focus on women entrepreneurs and business owners because women-owned businesses comprise the fastest growing sector of the economy,” said Karen Lapekas, vice president of NAWBO Miami, adding that there are 230,000 women-owned businesses in Miami-Dade, which is the county with the 4th largest number of women-owned businesses in the nation.
“By focusing on women-owned businesses, candidates reach not only women business owners, but all business owners generally, because issues important to women entrepreneurs are not necessarily unique to or affect only women,” Lapekas told Ladra. “For instance, where there is inequality in the granting of government contracts, not only do minority-owned or women-owned businesses suffer, but so does the economy as a whole. Consumers ultimately pay the price of un-level playing field.”
Wanted: Women voters — who already tend to lean blue added by Ladra on
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