Businessman Craig Miller, who last week entered the Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, announced Thursday that he is taking a page out of the old Bob Graham playbook and will be holding Miller on Main Street events.
The first one is scheduled at a pizza parlor in Winter Park next week -- a fitting location for Miller, who once served as CEO of the Uno Restaurant chain best known for its Chicago-style pizza.
While he isknown mainly as CEO of Ruths Chris Steakhouse, during his fledgling Senate campaign as well as his unsuccessful congressional bid in 2010, Miller has not been averse to playing up his humble roots, noting that he washed dishes as a teen and volunteered for service in Vietnam during his years in the U.S. Air Force.
Miller plans to hold two events a month joining Floridians at their workplaces, helping them out at their jobs and learning about their daily experiences. Graham, a former governor and U.S. senator, did much the same thing throughout his decades of public service. Miller said on Thursday that he plans to continue holding the events twice a month if he defeats Nelson next November.
Over three decades ago, Bob Graham launched his Workdays program that afforded him the ability to stay in touch with hard-working Floridians -- a program that, in my opinion, is needed now more than ever, Miller said. So, as Floridians struggle to make ends meet in the face of record unemployment, reckless and wasteful government spending, mounting national debt and the threat of job-killing tax increases from career politicians, Im driven to unveil the Miller on Main Street program. This program will allow me to continue what I've done throughout my career -- work alongside hard-working Floridians, listen to their concerns and suggestions and do everything in my power to make a difference for them and their families.
Miller added that his background in the private sector could help inspire members of the political class.
In the process, its also my intent to lead by example and inspire as many career politicians in Washington as I can to follow my initiative, said Miller. Pennsylvania Avenue should be a lot more like Main Street, and if other senators devoted a portion of their time toward working alongside folks back home, that transformation can be accomplished.
With his Miller on Main Street" campaign, the new candidate is taking part in the populistic tradition which candidates have embraced for more than a century in the Sunshine State.
While Graham might be a well-known practitioner of populist politics here, he is not the only one. During his decades on the Florida political stage, Lawton Chiles won applause and attention for walking across the state during his various U.S. Senate and gubernatorial campaigns. During Sidney Catts' campaigns for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and later in the general election as the Prohibition Party candidate back in 1916,Catts reached out to rural Florida residents by stumping across the state in his Model T Ford.
During Napoleon B. Broward's gubernatorial bid in 1904, he played up his roots as a tugboat captain and reached out to voters in the most isolated parts of the state. Broward played up his populist roots against Congressman Robert Davis, who was backed by Henry Flagler and railroad interests. Reaching out to rural voters, Broward insisted his uncouth appearance would not scare off voters. They won't mind mistakes in grammar if they find I'm talking horse sense, insisted Broward. He went on to beat Davis in the Democratic primary and become governor.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
