While most eyes in the Big Bend were on Tropical Storm Andrea, GOP political operatives in the region were busy defining congressional hopeful Gwen Graham as an all-out liberal Democrat, as far to the left as Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean.
Graham, in pursuit of the Democratic nomination and ultimately Republican Steve Southerland's District 2 congressional seat,continues to portray herself as a moderate Graham Democrat, like her famous father.
Democrats have high hopes for Graham, daughter of Bob Graham, who served two terms as governor and three terms in the U.S. Senate. She is already generating national attention, includinga piece over at Roll Call this week from noted pundit Stu Rothenberg.
While the blue party outnumbers the red in this North Florida district, the GOP has done well here in recent years. In 2010, Southerland defeated incumbent Democrat Allen Boyd and held off former state Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson in 2012. Lawson has opened the door to running again in 2014.
Graham came out to Wakulla this weekand attempted to play up her moderate credentials, insisting she was a Graham Democrat and a supporter of the Second Amendment.
But Republicans arent buying it -- and theyre turning up the attacks on her.
On Thursday, Lenny Curry, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF), ripped into Graham and linked her with Nancy Pelosi, who remains unpopular across the nation. Curry took to Twitter on Thursday and labeled Graham a Pelosi Democrat. Noting that national Democrats are starting to grow active in the district, Curry added, It's all about a Pelosi speakership.
Nor is Pelosi the only liberal Democrat that Republicans are linking with Graham. Last week,the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee showcased a blog from Sunshine State Newson prominent Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, best known for his work on Howard Deans presidential campaign, joining Grahams team.
Looks like Gwens past of being a Howard Dean Democrat and the fact that she brought on liberal Democrat strategist Joe Trippi to run her campaign is going to haunt her in her efforts to pretend to be a moderate running for Congress, Katie Prill of the NRCC wrote. Wonder how long until Joe Trippi gets Howard Dean to endorse his former presidential Southern regional adviser for Congress?
As Prill noted, Gwen Graham -- then Gwen Graham Logan -- was a prominent Dean backer. She joined up with the Dean campaign after her father pulled the plug on his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
At the end of November 2003, a few weeks after her father ended his presidential bid, Graham joined the Dean team and she offered warm words of praise for the liberal candidate.
"While campaigning for my father, I got the opportunity to know Governor Dean, she said. I believe in him and his message of hope and change. This campaign is not about one person, one interest or one policy; it is about empowering the American people to take back this country for themselves. I am proud to join the Dean for America team on behalf of that effort."
"I am pleased that Gwen has joined my campaign, and that she will be working on our behalf across the country, Dean said. Her good judgment and unique insights into presidential campaigns will be invaluable in the weeks and months ahead.
While Graham represents the best hope for Democrats to pick up a congressional seat in Florida, the GOP is signalling it will go all out to attack her -- and Al Lawson remains open to offering her a competitive primary.
Tallahassee political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this story exclusively for Sunshine State News.
