Political Rally & Barbeque

It was billed as "Red, White & Barbeque" and held in a large aircraft hanger at Sarasota International Airport. It was to be the last Sarasota event for the U.S. Senate candidate, the candidate for Governor, and several other "down ticket" offices. I had yet to hear any of these candidates speak, with the exception of the female Attorney General candidate. So often, one has to plunk down big bucks for such an opportunity to get up close, but this day I did not.

Best of all, this event was FREE, and they threw in good food and a band too. Ya gotta love that! So, I arrived in time to park close enough, and managed to eat my fill before the buses started rolling in. Campaign buses are amazing these days, with the fancy graphics and all of the technology inside. Candidates arrive fresh, make their now well rehearsed speech, press the flesh until their handlers spirit them away, and they're off. At the event today, the candidate for Governor arrived first, introduced his family (Republicans are very family oriented) and his mother, then stepped away to shake hands. Enter the bus for the Senate candidate, who also brought his family along (and of course his mother - his father had died during the campaign). His speech was dynamic, but he's clearly a rising star in the party. During the speech, another bus rolled in, this time with the Agriculture Commission and the Chief Financial Officer candidate. The polls say these guys are well ahead of their Democrat competition.

The race for Governor is uncertain as to who wins. The assumed candidate, the present Attorney General and past Congressman Bill McCullom was defeated by a conservative business man in the primary - McCullom figured it was "his turn" and didn't take his competitor seriously. This is a year in Florida, as it is across the nation, where "expected winners" find themselves on the outside looking in. The conventional wisdom says the Democrat probably will win in a close race. We'll all know in 72 hours.

The race for the Senate is also interesting, with the current Republican candidate pictured above expected to win - after chasing the current Republican Governor out of the party and into a battle with the Democrat to see who could capture enough votes on the left and center to win. Watch this Marco Rubio guy - he's going places, and I expect him to start as the next Senator from Florida.

Oh, the Attorney General candidate - well, it's allegedly a closer race than the others "down the ticket" but I expect Pam Bondi to prevail. She is a really great person and has been one of the talking heads on CNN and Fox News when discussing the immigration issues we see across this land. I voted for her in the primary, after meeting her at a small soiree and being impressed by her intellect (OK, I admit, she's also a babe).

So, it was a great party - a good band, great speeches to fire up the troops, and two kinds of ice tea. I took my tea sweet, as is the Southern tradition. Republicans now serve tea at all functions, we're just a veritable tea party and are riding the wave to recapture the Republic in 2010.