Billionaire enters Fla. Senate race
Published: May 1, 2010 at 4:08 PM

PALM BEACH, Fla., May 1 (UPI) -- A Palm Beach businessman who made millions of dollars betting on the collapse of Florida real estate has entered the state's U.S. Senate race.

Jeff Greene announced Friday he would run in the Democratic primary, The St. Petersburg Times reported. Rep. Kendrick Meek, little known outside his Miami-area district, had been considered the leading candidate for the Democratic Senate nomination.

Gov. Charlie Crist withdrew this week from the race for the Republican nomination to run as an independent, leaving former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio as the leading GOP prospect.

"I am an outsider, the only candidate who isn't a career politician,'' Greene said. "I've been a job creator. I've worked in the economy myself. I'm the only one among the four of us who ever signed the front
side of a paycheck."

Greene's background includes giving Heidi Fleiss, the so-called Hollywood madam, a place to live after she was released from prison and betting on the housing collapse that gutted the Florida economy. He said his fortune, estimated at $1.25 billion, gives him the freedom to avoid big political contributors.

"I'll spend whatever it takes to get my message out and to be competitive with these career politicians," he told the Times.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/05/ ... 272744492/