Stuck in third place in the polls and confronting whispers he will pull out of the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Kendrick Meek increased the pace of his campaign Friday, a clear effort to dampen talk that he will pull the plug on his campaign.
Stephen Moore at the Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday that Florida Republicans are worried Meek, a U.S. congressman, will pull out -- leaving the Democrats backing him to support Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist, who is running with no party affiliation, is trying to woo Democrats fearful of the front-runner in the race, Republican Marco Rubio.
Meek vehemently insisted Thursday night that he is in the race to the end.
"I'm taking a stand against the radical right, said Meek, repeating points he made in a debate with Rubio and Crist Wednesday. Marco Rubio has always been the tea party candidate and yesterday Charlie Crist says he wants to crash the tea party, too. I'm the only candidate who's fighting for the middle class and I'm not going anywhere except the United States Senate.
"If you want to stop the privatization of Social Security and Medicare, stop more tax cuts for the wealthy, stop more special-interest tax breaks, stop more environmental destruction and stop more jobs being shipped overseas, I'm asking you to take a stand with me, added Meek. "Because if they want to go back to the Bush years, they're going to have to go through this 6-foot-3-inch former state trooper."
The Meek team continued pounding that message Friday, launching a new website attacking Rubio for being out of the mainstream.
"Marco Rubio is just too extreme for Florida, insisted Adam Sharon, a spokesman for Meek, when the campaign unveiled its website. From pledging to preserve tax loopholes for big businesses that send jobs overseas to borrowing $700 billion from China to give tax cuts to the rich, Rubio has proven he won't stand up for Florida's middle class. And Floridians can't trust Charlie Crist to stand for anything. Kendrick Meek is the only candidate who will stand up to Marco Rubio, the tea party, and the corporate special interests on behalf of everyday Floridians."
The Meek campaign announced that its candidate has a busy weekend schedule on the campaign trail as he makes 15 appearances in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Miami Gardens, Miami, Sunrise, Pahokee and Belle Glade.
In another sign that Meek intends to stay in the race, it was revealed that former President Bill Clinton, who backed Meek in the Democratic primary against billionaire Jeff Greene, will hit the campaign trail in Florida. Clinton will stump for Meek in St. Petersburg on Oct. 19 and Orlando on Oct. 20.
"I am honored to have President Clinton rally Floridians behind my campaign for U.S. Senate once again, said Meek. It's time to take a stand and I am proud to stand with President Clinton. Together, we'll show Floridians I'm the only candidate in this race who can stand up to the tea party and the far right on behalf of everyday people."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
