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With Democrat Alex Sink announcing her campaign for governor, the attention now moves to Republicans Bill McCollum and Charles Bronson. Both plan to announce their intentions next week.

Several Republican heavies have aligned behind McCollum, saying his name is well-known and respected among voters. They say the party should focus its money and energy on defeating Sink and not risk damaging each other.

One Republican, Vern Buchanan, has already stepped aside. Now it’s up to Bronson.

“That’s a great debate: Is it better to have primaries or not have primaries?” McCollum said Wednesday. “I don’t know any candidate for office, including me in the past, who’s ever wanted to have a primary if they didn’t have to have one.”

Bill McCollum meet Charles Bronson:

“To get some of issues of the state really talked about I just felt like there needs to be a discussion there. And a primary is the best way to get that discussion out,” Bronson said moments earlier.

“I don’t know that will happen unless we can get a real race going that’s meaningful in this thing. I’ll wait until I finish up all my phone calls.”

So what do you think?

Is it better for the Republican Party of Florida if these two Cabinet officers compete in a primary, keep their names in the news and debate the critical issues facing the state? Or is the GOP’s only chance of beating Sink hoarding their money until 2010?

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