Politics may help Gov. Bush reel in bonanza of jobs
TALLAHASSEE -- After two years of politically painful budget cuts, Gov. Jeb Bush is angling to land a major federal contract for Florida, bringing the promise of money and jobs into a key battleground state just in time for next year's presidential contest.
Working quietly and quickly for weeks, Bush has been trying to position Florida as a rival to California in a bid for a $6.2 billion satellite-communications system that the Pentagon is planning to award early next year.California rushed out of the starting gate more swiftly, already putting up a $10 million package of financial incentives. But Florida is seen by some experts now looming as the odds-on favorite.
The reason: presidential politics.
"Which state matters most to George W. Bush? It's Florida," said Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia. "The political incentive to bolster the economic climate in Florida is clear."
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