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Campaign Crawlers
Democrats Send in the Clowns
Conservatives stay strong in Florida — and without them Republicans can’t win.
TAMPA — Vice President Joe Biden was in South Florida Friday to appear at a Democratic fundraiser and to campaign for Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek. Next Friday the Very Most Reverend Al Gore, Archbishop of the First Church of Climate Hysteria, will be in Tampa to give Meek his blessing.
Kendrick, running third in all polls behind conservative Republican Marco Rubio and all-things-to-all-voters Florida Governor Charlie Crist (I-Charlie), must really be desperate. Perhaps Meek and his handlers actually think having a guy who thinks FDR addressed the nation on television and another guy who thinks the sea will soon cover Florida again will help win votes for Meek.
Meek did get a bump when the still popular (with Democrats) former President Billy Bob Clinton campaigned for him a few weeks back. (Win one for The Groper.) But it’s hard to imagine that these last two B-list bunglers will win the hearts of any but aged-in-the-barrel leftists, a minority of voters in Florida. And these guys and gals were already on Team Meek.
Across the board the conservative cause looks solid in Florida a month and change from Election Day. Rubio, who has run on the platform of pushing for a conservative revival in national politics, enjoys leads of between 10 and 16 percent in polls that survey likely voters. Republican candidates for the state’s cabinet offices — attorney general, CFO, and commissioner of agriculture — all are more conservative than their Democratic opponents. And they all hold small poll leads, though there are a large number of undecideds in each of these races. Republicans hold large majorities in both houses of the Florida Legislature, and this won’t change after November.
Only in the governor’s race is the Democratic candidate making a serious challenge. Even here a Rasmussen Poll of likely voters shows conservative Republican Rick Scott with a six-point lead. Mason-Dixon gives Democrat Alex Sink a seven-point lead. Until she was in a state-wide race in center-right Florida, Sink, a former banker, was fond of talking about how comprehensively wonderful Barack Obama’s ideas were for the nation.
We haven’t heard much about the wisdom of Obama lately from Sink. No surprise as Obama’s approval ratings in Florida fight to stay above 40 percent. ObamaCare is nearly as popular in Florida as trench foot. Scott’s campaign features conservative themes of government frugality and tough immigration measures. His TV ads tie Sink to Obama and his programs. Rasmussen, who has done well in calling Florida elections, calls the Florida governor’s race a “leans Republican.”
Looking at all the numbers in the last Rasmussen poll, released September 15, will give some idea on how difficult it would be for Crist to overtake Rubio. The headline numbers are 41 percent say they will vote for Rubio Nov. 2, 30 percent for Crist, and 21 percent for Meek. The situation may be worse for Crist than these number imply.
Fully 80 percent of respondents who favor Rubio say they’re sure he will be their man on Nov. 2. Of those who favor Meek, 69 percent they are sure he will be their choice, up from 48 percent from the previous survey. But only 45 percent of Crist backers say they are certain he will still be their choice on Nov. 2. Apparently Crist supporters are nearly as likely to change candidates as Crist is to change his positions on major issues.
Other findings in the poll, with an error margin of four percent, conclude Rubio has the support of 72 percent of Republicans while only 45 percent of Democrats support Meek. Crist has support from 33 percent of Democrats and 19 percent of Republicans. Only among independents, fewer than one in five voters in Florida, did Crist enjoy an edge at mid-month. Rasmussen showed Crist with the support of 42 percent of unaligned voters, Rubio 27 percent, and Meek 24.
A more recent Mason Dixon poll, released Saturday, shows Rubio ahead of Crist 38 to 27 even among independents. Meek gets 20 percent of the unpartied. The “I would vote for” numbers in the new Mason Dixon are Rubio 40 percent, Crist 28, and Meek 23. There’s no run-off in this race, so the guy with the most votes wins, even if he receives less than a majority. This year, Rubio is almost certainly that guy.
Rubio holds a commanding lead in polls because he’s tapped into the indignation of Floridians against an over-reaching federal government presided over by a dreamy, leftist president and an aggressive Democratic Congress that holds public opinion in contempt. In 2008 Floridians voted for a guy who promised hope and change with few specifics. The way that turned out, they aren’t likely to do it again.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (38) | Leave a comment
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coal carrier| 9.27.10 @ 7:56AM
The three stooges. Billy, Joe & Al. Billy can’t keep his pants zipped up, Joe makes it up as he goes along and Al, the flim-flam man, is still pushing his scam.
Ladies & gentlemen, these three guys will do anything they can to separate you from your hard earned money. I can’t wait for November 2.
Alan Brooks| 9.27.10 @ 9:36PM
"Florida -- and without them Republicans can't win."
That is for sure. And without Dixie as a whole you would be nuthin'.
Aaron| 9.27.10 @ 10:20PM
Yeah, Alan, and without California and New York you Democrats would be nuthin'.
"To be 20 years old and a conservative shows you have no heart. To be 40 years old and a liberal shows you have no brain." Winston Churchill
How old are you Alan?
Tim*| 9.27.10 @ 8:15AM
We Tea Party Rebels support Marco Rubio .
The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates .
Rise Up !
Louis Jenkins| 9.27.10 @ 8:15AM
It's a most amazing mix, but the Rubi0-Crist story will carry the headlines. How on earth can Crist carry on? He knows he's defeated, but like others of his nature, he keeps clinging to a fantasy.
Nunya| 9.27.10 @ 11:08AM
That's typical of liberals, is it not?
Doesn't matter what the truth is, fantasy reigns supreme!
Siegfried X| 9.27.10 @ 8:18AM
The same thing is true. A year ago the Republican Establishment decided that "because Illinois is a Democratic state" we needed RINO Mark Kirk as a candidate, and to make that happen no experienced and well-funded conserative would run against him in the primary.
Yet now in late 2010 polls show that a substantial majority of Illinois voters say they are part of the "Tea Party". The conservative running for governor has a large lead over the Democrat, while RINO Kirk is just barely even with his opponent. Over 10% of poll voters also choose a third-party instead of Kirk, with nearly 20% undecided.
Every day it becomes clearer and clearer that the 2008 "Year of the RINO" was a power play by the Democratic wing of the Republican Party. It was based on the mistaken idea that independents and Republicans want the Republican Party to be a clone of the Democrats.
Siegfried X| 9.27.10 @ 8:37AM
This should begin: "The same thing is true in Illinois."
JeffW| 9.27.10 @ 11:02AM
Siegfried, the southern end of the state of Illinois gives you a hearty "Amen"!
During the primary I beat me head on the wall supporting a Tea party conservative, retired judge I have known my whole life. But, alas, getting the word out is difficult when the strings are controlled by the northern end of the state. Anyone south of Springfield (half the state) doesn't even exist in this states political arena.
That being said, now that Mark Kirk is the republican of choice, what option do we have other than support one of the few Republicans that voted FOR Cap & Trade? Our choices in this state are not good.
Nunya| 9.27.10 @ 11:12AM
Frankly, I'd be forced to vote for a 3rd party member who was a true conservative.
I'm sick of the RNC supporting RINO's over true conservatives nationwide, and I don't think I'm alone.
Siegfried X| 9.27.10 @ 12:30PM
Yes it will be truly horrible to be represented by the new Arlen Specter. On every vote RINO Kirk will ponder and talk and spin, and then eventually decide one way or the other while saying that he really wanted to vote the other way.
If I thought my vote would decide the race, then obviously I'd vote for the RINO instead of letting the Democrat win. But since over 5 million votes will be cast for Senator, I have a better chance of winning the lottery than deciding the race with my vote. Because of that I will vote third party conservative as a protest and to keep the heat on the RINO. A judge is expected to put the Constitution Party back on the ballot this week, and that's a good conservative choice. If they can pull 3% or more of the vote, along with that much for the Libertarian candidate, that will show Kirk that he's losing votes.
Siegfried X| 9.27.10 @ 12:39PM
One good thing is that Kirk has promised to filibuster almost all legislation in the lame duck session. If he keeps that promise, he will be better than Burris for at least a few weeks.
http://saveusfromthelameduck.com/
Siegfried X| 9.27.10 @ 12:41PM
From a column:
If Kirk wins that special election, he would ask to be seated immediately -- thus becoming the 42nd Republican senator. And that, Kirk told me, "is a total game-changer in the numbers of the Senate." What is his view of a lame duck? Kirk says, "The only legitimate thing for the Congress to do is to pass a short-term continuing resolution to keep the doors open -- and let the voice of the American people as communicated through their new representatives and senators speak in January."
Barring an emergency, Kirk would oppose passage of any major legislation before the new Congress is seated. "There is something unseemly about defeated congressman and senators exercising any significant power," he said.
Interested Conservative| 9.27.10 @ 5:32PM
I live up here in Kirk's house district, and while we could do better, we could do much, much worse.
First, he's honest. Second, he's probably the only vote for "cap and trade", solely for the "trade" part or the deal (he is the congressman for the Merc/CBOE in essence). Third, while he makes all the Illinois moderate noises, he's Rumsfeldian on defense and otherwise sound on economics.
He's no liberal like the Mainers, nor simply expedient like Specter, Murk, Chafee, Jeffords - etc..
With enough conservatives elsewhere, he won't be any obstacle or frustration in a majority.
Still - of all the Illinois races, it's disconcerting how well Alexi the crook is doing. The City apparently just won't learn.
Siegfried X| 9.28.10 @ 2:55AM
Like when he lied about his military record? He seems as phony as a three-dollar bill to me.
Siegfried X| 9.28.10 @ 2:58AM
"he's Rumsfeldian on defense and otherwise sound on economics."
Every RINO is. That is what corporate Republicans / RINOs are: corporate & war Democrats. They vote with the Democrats on every issue besides those which will benefit corporations. That includes war, which is good for many businesses.
gentlewaves| 9.27.10 @ 8:39AM
Al who?
Eric Cartman| 9.27.10 @ 9:08AM
You know, the guy who invented the internet . . . . saved the planet from ManBearPig . . . . wants to have a lock-box . . . . dry-humps message therapists? That guy.
Claypoole| 9.27.10 @ 9:23AM
Dear Eric: I think you mean "massage therapist." A "message therapist" is an English teacher.
Eric Cartman| 9.27.10 @ 9:28AM
Whoops! You are correct, sir. My mistake. BUT . . . if you play it just right, she could be both.
TR| 9.27.10 @ 11:03AM
Well, algorejr does have that annoying fey lisp. Oh, that would require a speach therapist. He only needs a message therapist to correct his disproven "global warming" discourse.
Nunya| 9.27.10 @ 11:13AM
LOL :-)
albert constantine jr.| 9.27.10 @ 8:46PM
I believe the industry term is "crazed sex poodle".
Majito| 9.27.10 @ 10:56AM
come on guys, don't be so hard on al...when he left his vp post, he was barely making ends meet...he then parlayed his vision of the future into megamillions and now is a wealthier man than willie and his futures seer wife...it appears that al has turned out to be slicker than barnum (one sucker born every day), got hollywood to make a movie where he is the star, swedes fell under his spell yielding a nobel prize, got the governator to excuse his inexcusable decision to fly his gulfstream vii daily from la to sacramento (of course it's ok 'coz the former austrian can buy carbon credits from al's company)...to me al has turned out to be a pretty slick red neck from the land of "old no. 7".
Clinton nee Publius | 9.27.10 @ 8:47AM
Conservatives, no; Tea Parties, yes. Mr. Thornberry is seeking to make the false argument - the unity argument of social conservatives who we have left behind us. We have to live with you, but like the hand-wringing progressives who just can't stand minding their own business, we choose to ignore the social conservative hypocrites.
ds80| 9.27.10 @ 9:31AM
"social conservative hypocrites"
O yee without sin, Clinton nee Publius
tu quoque will get you nowhere.
Eric Cartman| 9.27.10 @ 9:13AM
"how comprehensively wonderful Barack Obama's ideas were for the nation."
They were (are) good for the nation- like Jimmy's ideas were good for the nation. We got Ronald Reagan from Jimmy, and the TEA party from Obummer. Would either exist without the former?
Johnny Valentine| 9.27.10 @ 12:32PM
Never use Billy Bob Clinton and the rapist in the same sentence.
Jim O'Brien| 9.27.10 @ 2:51PM
If Alex Sinkhole won, she would immediately push for a Florida state income tax, to ensure continuation of soaring unemployment and foreclosure rates. As Florida's CFO, her performance merits termination, not promotion. The idea of Sink winning gives me a sinking feeling. She has stated very clearly that she thinks Obama is doing a good job, so she flunks the IQ test. She probably also thinks Hitler, Stalin, and Mao were misunderstood, but really well-intentioned, nice guys.
Gretchen| 9.27.10 @ 2:58PM
One could say that Obama will sink Sink.
JeffW| 9.27.10 @ 4:25PM
Gretchen,
I would rather throw Obama out with the "sink"
Mad Hatter| 9.27.10 @ 6:47PM
Kendrick vies for Florida’s Senate berth,
But of pro-Dem voters, there’s a dearth.
Gore, told “He’s not viable!”
Said, “But I read the Bible,
Which says the Meek shall inherit the Earth!”
albert constantine jr.| 9.27.10 @ 8:52PM
To Make up a Proper Lim’Rick
Can Really Prove to be a Trick
I don’t write to flatter
But I tell you Mad Hatter
As the kids say, that last line was SICK
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