Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Maurice Ferre Touts 'New Economy' and Renewable Energy

Former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre, overshadowed in the Democratic primary in theU.S. Senate raceby the bitter battle between U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and billionaire financier Jeff Greene, is trying to get back into the race by focusing on renewable energy and offering a vision for a new economy.

As I watch the Gulf oil spill unfold and descend upon our beautiful Florida beaches, I think seriously about Florida's future and that of the United States, wrote Ferre in an e-mail today. We recognize that this is an opportunity for our country to embrace bold solutions and vigorously create an energy policy that provides the foundation of a new economy.

This new economy can shift us from the past to the present, from an emphasis on oil and coal to a focus on renewable energy, added Ferre. Let us implement viable solutions to safeguarding our future in a competitive international market. This new economy would solve the current problems in our nation by creating jobs, addressing climate-change issues, protecting the environment, and launching new forms of ground transportation.

Ferre, accompanied by his wife Mercedes and members of his team, took part in the Hands Across the Sand event this past Saturday in Cocoa Beach, rallying against offshore oil drilling.