Gallagher, Crist: Cut from the same cloth?

For the past four years, Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist and Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher have each done everything they can to position themselves as the heir apparent to Gov. Jeb Bush.

Now, with both Republicans running for governor in the Sept. 5 Florida primary, voters are struggling to differentiate the two.

Each claims to be a conservative, pro-family, anti-abortion, pro-business Republican who will keep the economy running smoothly while continuing most of the policies initiated by Bush.

How can voters distinguish between two men who appear to share the same brain?

The candidates themselves proved to be of no help when both came to Naples during separate trips recently. Both were asked what the differences are between them, and neither had an immediate answer.

"There's no difference between us. We're exactly the same," joked Gallagher when he came to Naples on May 24 and spoke at the Norris Center.

Gallagher said he's focused on letting voters know who he is and what he stands for. He's not focusing on pointing out differences between himself and Crist.

Crist was also unable to give a specific example when he was asked the same question on June 8 after speaking to the Naples Economic Development Council.

"I think there are a lot of differences between us," Crist said, before pausing to try to think of one. "They're more personal differences and stylistic differences than policy differences I think."

People who want to know the differences between them should come to the debate Tuesday night, Crist said.

The two are debating each other at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts near Pelican Bay in North Naples.

University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett said there are no major policy differences between the two.

"If you can find any differences between them let me know because I haven't found any," Jewett said. "Both are casting themselves as Republicans in the Jeb Bush mold. But in primary races it's often about style."

The primary election will be decided on likability, who projects better on television, and what voters think of the background of the two men, Jewett said.

Crist seems to be a better campaigner and connects with people a little easier than Gallagher, Jewett said.

Gallagher is stressing the point that he's a married family man with a young son, a potentially vulnerable point for Crist, who is divorced with no children.

The candidates' refusal to compare and contrast themselves is probably by design, Jewett said.

"I think right now they are trying to be careful not to attack each other personally," Jewett said. "It could backfire on the person who goes negative first."

Jewett expects the race to get nasty in the next few months, and he expects Gallagher to be the one who goes negative since he is trailing Crist in the polls.

In the latest poll released by the Tallahassee-based Strategic Vision LLC, Crist got 48 percent of the vote and Gallagher got 35 percent. About 17 percent of the people polled were undecided. The poll had a 3 percent margin of error.

According to the Florida Secretary of State, Crist has raised $8.8 million for the race while Gallagher trails with $6.7 million.

In Collier County, each man has his supporters.

Attorney Mike Carr, who used to be the head of the Collier Republican Party, is backing Gallagher. Carr previously campaigned for Crist when he ran for attorney general and in a losing bid for the U.S. Senate.

"The basic difference is the depth of knowledge the two men have," Carr said, adding that he thinks Gallagher has more depth than Crist.

"You can have a discussion with Tom Gallagher and he has an intricate knowledge of state government," Carr continued. "Charlie is very good at sound bites but he doesn't have the depth of understanding that Tom has."

State Rep. Mike Davis, R-Naples, disagreed with Carr and said Crist has the broader depth of knowledge. Davis is Crist's campaign co-chairman in Collier County.

"I've known Charlie for a long time and he's always been a great administrator who hires top people," Davis said. "Philosophically, I agree with him on most things."

Both candidates are good public servants, Davis said, but he believes Crist would make a better governor.

Collier Commissioner Jim Coletta is backing Crist. But Coletta is effusive in his praise for both of the candidates.

"They're both wonderful people and each would make a fine governor," Coletta said.

Naples Mayor Bill Barnett is backing Gallagher. But he echoes Coletta in saying that both men would make fine governors.

"I think for most people it depends on who you talk to and who you like," Barnett said. "Both are very much like Jeb Bush."

Barnett likes the fact that Gallagher has been a businessman and is impressed with his experience in Tallahassee.

Collier Commissioner Tom Henning, a Gallagher supporter, breaks from the pack and argues that there are policy differences between the two.

Henning is critical of a Crist proposal that says auto insurance companies who do business in Florida should be required to also offer homeowner's insurance.

The commissioner believes auto insurance companies would just leave Florida if that proposal became law.

"Gallagher is offering ideas (for home insurance) that make sense," Henning said, citing Gallagher's call for a federal catastrophe fund.

Throughout this race, the legacy of Jeb Bush looms large.

"Filling Jeb's boots will be a real challenge," Carr said.

The governor has refused to endorse either candidate, and has said he will campaign in the general election for whoever wins the Republican primary.

"Everyone calls themselves Reagan Republicans now," Jewett said. "But in this race they're really Jeb Bush Republicans."

The winner of the primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary between state Sen. Rod Smith and U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, among others. Davis is from Tampa and Smith is from Gainesville.