President Obama’s visit to Florida yesterday showcased a divide between two candidates hoping to win Florida’s 18^th District.

A few hours before Obama was set to speak about energy at the University of Miami, Rep. Allen West (R-FL) weighed in on surging gas prices and how much it’s costing him personally at the pump.

“Here is the bottom line, last night it took 70 dollars to fill the tank of my 2008 H3 Hummer, what is it costing you?” West asked in a Facebook post. “What does it cost the President to fill his gas tank?”

Meanwhile, the NRCC sent out a release yesterday hammering Democratic congressional candidate Patrick Murphy, who is running to take on West in Florida’s 18^th District.  Hoping to link Murphy to Obama’s energy policy, the NRCC fired off an e-mail before the Miami speech, saying the 29-year-old congressional hopeful is running “to support more of Obama’s failed energy policies.”

“Patrick Murphy probably doesn’t know that a gallon of gas costs $3.68, so it unsurprising he supports President Obama’s disastrous energy policies which continue to hurt Floridians,” the NRCC said.

Murphy fired back at the NRCC and West, telling FL Democracy that “Big Oil pores millions into keeping the GOP and people like West in office.”

“Allen West will not cure energy independence by complaining about the cost of filling up his Hummer.  The only way to achieve our energy goals is to stop putting polluters and Big Oil profits first and support a smarter renewable energy policy here at home,” Murphy said.

Murphy appeared with Obama yesterday at the second of three fundraising events the president held in Florida. During his remarks at the Coral Gables home of developer Chris Korge, Obama gave Murphy a shout-out.

“You’re going to have to elect Mr. Murphy,” Obama instructed the crowd.

Tags | Allen West, Barack Obama, Patrick Murphy