Barbra Stern loves her mother, but that doesn't mean she likes the routine reference of the familial relationship in the media. 

When I spoke to her yesterday she said she objected to repeatedly being mentioned in news reports as the "daughter of Judy Stern." 

But she'll just have to get used to it, especially since Barbra was just appointed to the Florida Elections Commission by Gov. Rick Scott and her mother is one of South Florida's top lobbyists and (often ruthless) campaign mavens. 

The appointment itself seems odd: Both Sterns are diehard Democrats and Barbra was running again for state house against Rep. George Moraitis (R-Fort Lauderdale). Stern said she owes it to a recommendation by Democratic House Leader Ron Saunders. 

Here we go again: Saunders is very close to, yes, Barbra's mother, and has tapped her to pick Democratic House candidates in Broward County. Question: What is Barbra going to do when an issue concerning one of the campaigns her mom has an interest in comes before the board? 

"It's a statewide board," she said. "If there is something that is perceived as a conflict I would recuse myself from the issue." 

As a result of last week's appointment, she also had to drop her bid against Moraitis, since the elections post forbids its holder to occupy a public office. "It was a very tough decision," she said. "But I had to withdraw from running." 

She also addressed the rumor she was the girlfriend of suspended Broward sheriff's Dep. Paul Pletcher, who was recently charged with battery and criminal mischief. Pletcher was arrested by the State Attorney's Office after an alleged road rage incident in which he pulled over a woman while armed but off duty, yelled racial slurs at her, and took her cell phone from while she was videotaping the incident and smashed it on the road.

Despite the smashing of the phone the video was preserved and is now evidence in the case against him. Facebook photos show Pletcher and Stern together, including Thanksgiving, and one where Pletcher refers to Stern as "wifey." But Stern says she's just old and good friends with Pletcher and never dated him.

"We're old friends and it's an old joke," said Stern. "I'm single. I'm not even dating him. I don't run away from friends. It's very unfortunate what he's going through ... we try not to talk about it. He's got very good counsel and there's two sides to every story."