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Primary Boycott Spurs Backlash

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By WILLIAM MARCH, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 3, 2007

Updated: 09/03/2007 12:11 am

TAMPA - Dissension and bitterness surfaced among Florida Democrats on Sunday in the wake of pledges to boycott the state's primary campaign by the leading presidential candidates.

Several leading Florida Democrats said the boycott, stemming from Florida moving up the date of its presidential primary, is likely to hurt Democrats' chances in Florida during the 2008 election.

At least two - both South Florida state senators - announced they are withdrawing their support for presidential candidates because of the boycott.

'I do not intend to support any candidate in Florida that won't campaign here in Florida,' said Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller of Hallandale Beach, who said he's canceling plans to endorse John Edwards next week.

The candidates 'slapped the voters of the state in Florida in the face,' Geller said.

Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Parkland, said he's withdrawing his support for Barack Obama.

'When you're coming for our money, not our votes, I resent that, and I think the voters resent that,' he said.

Florida fundraisers and campaign staffers for Edwards, Obama, Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson, however, said their candidates expect to continue raising money in Florida, even as they halt campaigning.

They disagreed with those who say the boycott will hurt Florida fundraising and offered mixed opinions on whether it will hurt the party's nominee in 2008.

Don't-Miss Event To Be Skipped

It appears virtually certain all the candidates will avoid the state Democratic Party convention, to be held in Orlando in October.

For state Democrats, the convention is the top event leading into the presidential campaign. In past years, it has been a don't-miss event for leading Democratic candidates, providing party activists a chance to see, hear and meet them and giving candidates a chance to recruit supporters.

Some Democrats suggested the candidates may find loopholes in their boycott pledge, which doesn't ban fundraising.

Obama fundraiser Kirk Wagar of Miami said Obama has held three Florida fundraisers and charged $10 or $20, so hundreds could attend - in effect, campaign rallies.

The brouhaha stems from Florida's decision to move its presidential primary to Jan. 29, violating rules of both major parties that say primaries, or any events that choose national convention delegates, must be no earlier than Feb. 5. Democrats provide exceptions for Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

Both Florida parties say they will choose their delegates according to the primary results, thereby breaking the rules.

Florida Republicans may lose half their delegation as a result. The national Democratic Party, which has stricter rules, said a week ago it intends to eliminate Florida's delegation entirely.

Late last week, the situation got worse.

The four 'early states' asked the Democratic candidates to pledge not to campaign in any state primary that violates the guidelines. As of Saturday, all the leading candidates had agreed, including Joe Biden, Clinton, Chris Dodd, Edwards, Obama and Bill Richardson.

In a statement agreeing to the pledge, Edwards said the small, early states 'need to be first because ... these are places where voters get to look the candidate in the eye and measure their policies, ideas, and integrity.'

Clinton said the party rules provide 'the necessary structure' to honor the early states' 'unique and special role in the nominating process.'

She previously had suggested she would refuse to honor a boycott of Florida imposed by the party.

Obama said the schedule laid out by the party is 'in the best interests of our party and our nation.'

Legal Action Possible

Democrats in Florida's congressional delegation, led by Sen. Bill Nelson, had been seeking a resolution to the crisis, saying they'll investigate legal action if that fails.

A Tampa Democratic political consultant, Vic DiMaio, and a lawyer active in the party, Mike Steinberg, already have filed a federal lawsuit alleging the national party's actions violate Floridians' voting rights.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, said Sunday that the boycott probably will cause her to remain neutral in the primary but won't change the delegation's attempts to resolve the situation.

'If they're not going to come and campaign in the near term, I'll just stay focused on being the best member of Congress I can' and helping elect Democrats to Congress, she said.

Castor said she thinks a Democrat will win Florida, but the boycott could still have consequences.

'What this could do is make the election a lot closer,' she said.

Florida normally is a major fundraising source for parties and candidates. But the primary battle appears likely to impede that.

'Folks will be less likely to contribute to the campaigns if they're just going to come here for fundraisers,' Castor said.

Geller said unless the dispute is resolved, he intends to advise Florida Democrats to stop giving money to the national party and 'redirect our giving' to congressional or local candidates.

'If they think they can use Florida as an ATM, come here for money and nothing else, they should stop taking whatever illegal pharmaceuticals they're taking,' Geller said.

At least one major donor, Wayne Hogan of Jacksonville, already has announced that he plans to cancel a planned party fundraiser.

Nonetheless, campaign fundraisers expressed a positive view of their chances, and most said the fight won't hurt the Democratic nominee.

'I think their supporters will understand the candidates didn't have much of a choice - they were put under tremendous pressure by the four early states,' said Miami businessman Chris Korge, Clinton's top Florida fundraiser.

Korge said he expects no problems with fundraisers featuring Bill Clinton on Wednesday and Hillary Clinton on Sept. 10.

Mitchell Berger of Fort Lauderdale, who's planning events with John and Elizabeth Edwards next month, noted that Republicans 'are punishing their party as well. By the time we get to the general election, it won't have any effect on people's views.'

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761 or wmarch@tampatrib.com.

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