Sasso stint ends as quickly as it began

BY MICHELLE SPITZER • FLORIDA TODAY • November 8, 2008

Democrat Tony Sasso's stint as House District 32 representative ended about eight months after he took office, when he narrowly lost his bid for re-election Tuesday.

Republican Steve Crisafulli of Merritt Island defeated Sasso, 52.2 percent to 47.8 percent, in a district that includes parts of southeast Orange County and the northern part of Brevard County, including NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Sasso blamed his loss in part on Republican presidential candidate John McCain's strong showing in Brevard and on Crisafulli's more than $193,000 lead in campaign contributions.

But Sasso, 55, who served on the Cocoa Beach City Commission from 2001 to 2007, said the political door is not necessarily closed.

"If a door of opportunity opens in the future, I may step through," the Cocoa Beach resident said. "I will certainly continue to be very active in my community, working with Boy Scouts and on various boards."

Sasso held the office since he was sworn in on March 4, after he won a special election to replace Bob Allen, who resigned from his seat after he was convicted of soliciting oral sex from an undercover officer in a Titusville park.

By a margin of 48 percent to 46 percent, Sasso defeated Republican Sean Campbell of Merritt Island, who spent more money and received significant financial backing from his party.

Sasso's win in that Feb. 26 election was considered an upset in a district in which there are more Republicans than Democrats. A third candidate got about 6 percent of the vote.

This time, Sasso said he thinks a key issue in his defeat was that McCain received the majority of the votes in Brevard in the presidential race. Sasso said he thinks many McCain supporters also voted for other Republicans on the ballot.

"I think a lot of people just went down the ticket and voted Republican," he said. "I wish they would have looked at the issues a little bit more."

In addition, Crisafulli raised twice as much money as Sasso did during the campaign.

"I was told early -- when I was still in Tallahassee and he (Crisafulli) became tagged -- at that time, I had heard numbers that between half a million and a million dollars would be spent on this campaign," Sasso said.

"It makes a big difference when you have that much money and you have more television ads running in Orlando and Brevard County. There were no bones about it. This was their No. 1 targeted seat."

While Sasso got 44 percent of the votes in Brevard, he received 56 percent of the votes in the Orange County portion of the district, which is more heavily Democratic, but is a smaller part of the district.

Sasso, a marine engineer, teamed with Florida Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, in helping to pass the Clean Ocean Act that bans gambling ships sailing from Port Canaveral and other Florida ports from dumping waste offshore.

He also advocated for space-related bills critical to Brevard's economic future, including a $15 million investment package for space infrastructure, specifically to refurbish a launch complex at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in an effort to attract private launch companies.

In the next several weeks, Sasso plans to get reacquainted with his wife and two sons, "squeeze myself through the jungle in the backyard," he said, and help his former opponent make the transition.

Sasso said he offered to meet with Crisafulli and fill him in on any unfinished business.

It's an offer Crisafulli, 37, said he welcomes.

"I don't want to lose any people in the shuffle," Crisafulli said. "It's important that we work together."

Crisafulli, a fourth-generation Brevard resident, is vice president of his family's business that involves cattle, citrus and real estate.

Although his family has been a staple on the Space Coast for decades, Crisafulli said the Republican presence in the area was a big help in his victory.

"For the most part, our Republican stronghold carried us through, although it was a little closer than we obviously wanted it to be," he said.

He is gearing up for new-member orientation next week in Tallahassee, starting the transition process and attempting to win over detractors.

"Let them take the opportunity to follow me through for the next couple years, watch me and see if I'm making a difference," Crisafulli said. "I'm going to fight for everyone, regardless of if they voted for me."

As a first-time elected official, he knows there are challenges ahead.

He is counting on his experience in business and his connection to the community to help.

The biggest issue he sees in Tallahassee is the budget, but he also wants to concentrate on economic development and on bringing more jobs to the area.

"It's going to be a tough couple years because of the budget, but with tough decisions and challenges come great opportunity, and I'm up for the challenge," Crisafulli said.

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20081108/NEWS01/811080319/1006&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL