On CNN on Sunday morning, John King said the U.S. House Democratic leadership is urging Sink to run again, arguing that November will offer a better political climate for her in the Pinellas County district. King pointed to the strong likelihood that former Gov. Charlie Crist will do well in his Tampa Bay base and help lift Sink over Jolly.
Im told the House Democratic leadership reached out to her, convinced her to leave the door open, King said on air on Sunday. Now they are lobbying her publicly and privately very aggressively to get her into the race.
They think still she is the strongest candidate in November, King added. Not so much because of her strengths and weaknesses but theyve run an analysis and they think this. With Charlie Crist as the Democratic nominee for governor -- used to be a Republican, but hes a Democrat now -- in that particular area, Crist is very popular. Theyve run a new voter model that says even though she lost the special election by 2 points, they think she would win in November by about a point and a half. Well see if they can talk her into taking that risk.
Immediately after Sink lost, Democrats in the Beltway urged her to run again in November. U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), told the media on the day after the special election that he hoped Sink would run again in November.
Sink has stayed active since losing to Jolly last month, attending civic events, going to Opening Day for the Tampa Bay Rays and keeping her bridges intact with Democrats in the area including U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla.
Even as Sink ponders running again, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) launched a pre-emptive strike against the Democrat on Monday, looking to link her to U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Pinellas families rejected Alex Sink already once this year for being Nancy Pelosis handpicked candidate, said Katie Prill, a spokeswoman for the NRCC. If Sink, the Pelosi-Obamacare supporting candidate, decides to run again this November, it will truly be the definition of insanity.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com.
