A screen capture of the Tallahassee Democrat website shows their focus on the GOP. The headline this morning proclaims ” GOP rolls Democrats on guns in schools.”

However, this headline comes after a Politico report by Marc Caputo last night revealed the “families of the 17 people murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are calling on Florida House lawmakers to pass a gun and school safety bill amid opposition from Democrats as well as the National Rifle Association.”

Also, according to Politico, state Sen. Lauren Book, a Democrat, said that, in light of the parents’ letter, “I urge my colleagues in the House to help get this legislation across the finish line. We can continue to work on this — it’s the beginning of this conversation, not the end. But we cannot let session end without making this incremental change. The time is now.”

The Tallahassee Democrat’s focus on the GOP was also inplay earlier yesterday. The Tallahassee Democrat described Senator Bill Montford’s vote – a Democrat – for the safety plan as a vote “with Senate GOP” instead of a vote for the $400 million in security and mental health resources in the bill.

In fact, the Tallahassee Democrat reporter James Call labeled the bill a “pistol-packing teacher proposal..”

Montford’s vote created a buzz when Tallahassee’s Mayor and candidate for governor, Andrew Gillum, was quick to tell local media about his disappointment with Montford’s decision.

When will the Tallahassee Democrat inform its readers about the support of the school safety plan by the Parkland families?

However, that was not enough for Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.

The two amendments Montford supported were not adopted and he was faced with supporting two bills that provided significant financial help to schools, but also contained two measures he was against.

On the school safety plan, Montford voted in support of $400 million for security measures and mental health programs and some gun control regulations, despite the provisions that addressed arming some teachers with guns.

“When you go to the safety bill, do we go back to where we are and not address mental health issues? Do children go back in August to schools that are not hardened? Do we let children go back to an environment that are not safe? I don’t think so,” Montford told the Tallahassee Democrat.

On the education bill, Montford chose the ability of school districts to get control of money for construction and building maintenance over his objections to a provision that requires a labor union to sign up 50 percent of teachers in a bargaining unit as dues-paying members or lose its certification.

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who is running for governor of Florida, was quick to criticize Montford’s votes.

Gillum told the Tallahassee Democrat,  “I was very disappointed by both his votes yesterday.”

Montford responded.

Montford told Tallahassee Democrat reporter, James Call, that “[T}o be able to criticize someone for a vote if they do not understand or have not read it is bush league.”

Referring to Gillum, Montford added: “I stay out of his business. He best stay out of mine.”

When word slipped out weeks ago that Senator Montford may run for mayor, those looking for change at city hall quickly coalesced around a potential candidacy. After City Commissioner Gil Ziffer withdrew from the mayoral race, the support for Montford became more public.

Barney Bishop, a local political activist and state-wide lobbyist, has been vocal in his support for the popular state senator:

Bill Montford is the only person that I know of who can ride in on the white steed and lead Tallahassee out of this morass of corruption that inundates our city.  He will need help, of course, from the new commissioners, but Bill is unique in that he has earned the respect of his peers wherever he goes and both Democrats and Republicans listen when he talks.

Others, who did not want to go on the record, have offered similar sentiments.

However, now with rumors circulating that Montford may bow out, a number of his supporters fear that City Commissioner Curtis Richardson could end up as Mayor of Tallahassee.

Richardson has not been shy about his intentions. He told the local media, “I am waiting to see what happens with Senator Montford.”

Richardson has proven throughout his career he can win local elections, and therefore, presents a real problem for those who want someone outside the city structure as mayor.

Richardson has won elections for the Leon County School Board and for Florida House of Representatives.

More importantly, in 2014, he won a hard fought city-wide election for his current city commission seat against a fellow Democrat, Diana Oropallo. Oropallo had significant support from some city power brokers, but only garnered 40% of the vote, while Richardson received 52% and avoided a runoff election.

A large part of Richardson’s success is due to his likable personality, his support for neighborhoods in development disputes and the unwavering support of the African-American community.

However, critics point to his recent support of an internal hire for city attorney, his vote to water down of the city’s ethics ordinance, and his recent statement  that there was “no cloud over the city” as evidence that Richardson is not the change that is required to clean up city hall.

Since his comments, Richardson has recommended that City Commissioner Scott Maddox step down amid the FBI investigation.

So now, Montford supporters are encouraging people to send emails and make phone calls asking the senator not to get out of a race he was never in, but a race most believe he would easily win.

There message, delivered with passion and a hint of desperation, is “you are our only hope”!

Montford was the only Northwest Florida legislator on the list developed by the News Service of Florida. The study analyzed legislators from both parties in the Senate and House. The methodology for the analysis is provided at the bottom of the report.

Evan Power, the Chairman of the Leon County Republican Party said, “Sen. Montford is one of the most conservative Democrats in the state legislature.  It does not shock me that he votes many times with the Republican members.  It is probably a good reflection of his district which has democratic strong hold Tallahassee in it, but also includes conservative rural counties.”

Among the lawmakers who cast the most-frequent crossover votes: Rep. Kimberly Daniels, D-Jacksonville; Rep. Rene Plasencia, R-Orlando; Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee; and Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah.

The 10 House Democrats most likely to cross party lines, based on an analysis by The News Service of Florida. They are ranked by the percentages of votes they cast with the Democratic caucus on divided issues where the party largely hung together:
Rep. Kimberly Daniels, D-Jacksonville — 64.8 percent
Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation — 71.1 percent
Rep. Roy Hardemon, D-Miami — 74.1 percent
Rep. Nicholas Duran, D-Miami — 78.4 percent
Rep. Matt Willhite, D-Wellington — 79.7 percent
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs — 80.0 percent
Rep. David Richardson, D-Miami Beach — 84.0 percent
Rep. Richard Stark, D-Weston — 84.8 percent
Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach — 85.5 percent
Rep. Robert Asencio, D-Miami — 86.4

The 10 House Republicans most likely to cross party lines. They are ranked by the percentages of votes they cast with the Republican caucus on divided issues where the party largely hung together:
Rep. Rene Plasencia, R-Orlando — 76.8 percent
Rep. Kathleen Peters, R-Treasure Island — 77.6 percent
Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, R-Orlando* — 77.6 percent
Rep. Bill Hager, R-Delray Beach — 80.8 percent
Rep. Jay Fant, R-Jacksonville — 81.0 percent
Rep. Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven — 81.8 percent
Rep. Rick Roth, R-Loxahatchee — 86.6 percent
Rep. Dan Raulerson, R-Plant City — 86.8 percent
Rep. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota — 87.3 percent
Rep. Don Hahnfeldt, R-The Villages — 88.1 percent
* Eisnaugle has resigned from the House.

The Senate Democrats most likely to cross party lines. They are ranked by the percentages of votes they cast with the Democratic caucus on divided issues where the party largely hung together:
Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee — 72.2 percent
Sen. Daryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg — 76.5 percent
Sen. Daphne Campbell, D-Miami — 83.3 percent
Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando — 88.2 percent
Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation — 88.9 percent
Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville — 88.9 percent

The Senate Republicans most likely to cross party lines. They are ranked by the percentages of votes they cast with the Republican caucus on divided issues where the party largely hung together:
Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah — 71.4 percent
Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater — 75.0 percent
Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami — 82.4 percent
Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa — 88.9 percent
Four senators tied at — 94.4 percent

Methodology

The News Service of Florida analyzed more than 90 votes from the regular legislative session to determine the partisan make-up of votes and the number of times each lawmaker voted against his or her respective party.

Many bills, particularly on non-controversial issues, receive unanimous or near-unanimous support each legislative session.

But the News Service analysis looked at issues where at least 20 percent of the members of the House or Senate voted on each side of the issue. Votes were deemed partisan if less than 10 percent of the membership crossed party lines.

Members’ individual rates of following their parties were calculated separately. A member voted with his or her party if he or she voted the same way as two-thirds of the caucus on one of the divided votes tracked by the analysis. The votes counted were those initially cast, not those recorded or changed by members afterward.