A Florida Republican political candidate hopes to tap the deep pockets of Newport's Bellevue Avenue as he prepares to run for state Senate in Palm Beach and Broward counties.

The connection isn't quite as incongruous as it sounds. The candidate, Nick Loeb, is the son of John L. Loeb Jr., a New York philanthropist and former abassador to Denmark, whose multi-million contribution to the storied Touro Synagogue in Newport, the Journal wrote about last week.

Though not a Rhode Islander, the elder Loeb had ancestors who lived in Newport and were key principals in the establishment of Touro, the oldest surviving synagogue in America. That centuries-old link prompted Loeb to step up as the sole financier of the new $12-million visitor's center at Touro.

We here at Political Scene are guessing that gift had something to do with the willingness of a Newport resident to host the upcoming "special reception."

According to our fellow political junkies at Florida's Sun Sentinel, who snagged a copy of the invite, the $250-500-a head event will be held on Aug. 18 at Sherwood, the Bellevue Avenue home of Camilla Blaffer Royall.

On the host committee are familiar local GOP names, including state Republican chairman Giovanni Cicione, as well as Rhode Island House Minority Whip (and rumored candidate for U.S. Congress) John Loughlin.

Nick Loeb, a business consultant who's never held elected office, is reportedly running in a fierce Republican primary, but has thus far out-raised his two opponents by a 2-to-1 margin.