Meek shakes hands, collects signatures in Panhandle

By Bill Cotterell, Florida Capital Bureau Political Editor

CHATTAHOOCHEE - Miami Congressman Kendrick Meek wound up a holiday weekend Panhandle tour Monday with a reminder that, even in a long-distance U.S. Senate race, all politics is local.

Meek spoke at a flagpole dedication for the local library, visited employees of Florida State Hospital and checked out the Jim Woodruff Dam - the sort of grip-and-grin politics that all candidates will slog through for the next 15 months. Then, at a Rotary Club luncheon attended by only 18 people, he was shown a 1999 newspaper front page about how, as a state senator, he helped stop conversion of a prison into a sexual-predator institution across U.S. 90 from the local elementary school.

"You stepped up for us back then when we needed support," said city manager Lee Garner. "We appreciated that and we haven't forgotten about it."

Meek said he had almost forgotten the controversy.

With his seventh-grader son, Kendrick Jr., at his side, Meek kept up a steady stream of Twitter and Facebook messages to voters across Florida as he worked his way from Destin to Tallahassee during the weekend. A clipboard-toting campaign aide distributed petition forms to voters, boosting Meek toward his goal of 112,476 names by March. That would make him the first candidate to gain ballot position via grassroots signatures in a statewide race.

The only major Democrat seeking the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., Meek said he took in about $1.2 million in contributions during the just-concluded quarter "on top of about $1.5 million in the previous period." He declined to estimate how many signatures his statewide tour has netted, but said the drive "is in real good shape."

He started in Destin late last week and rode in Independence Day parades, went to church services, spoke at picnics and shook hands with voters in places like Lynn Haven and Sopchoppy. His tour was scheduled to end with a "meet and greet" barbecue in Tallahassee on Monday evening.

Gov. Charlie Crist and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, are engaged in a heated GOP primary for the Senate, while Meek has no serious opposition for the Democratic nomination.

A poll last week showed Crist dominating the field. While Meek was ahead among potential Democratic nominees, he was unknown to about three-fourths of voters.

Gadsden County Commissioner Brenda Holt said the economy, health care and availability of insurance for hurricanes will be major issues next year in the Panhandle. She said candidates will need to show the common touch, but added that Crist has been uncommonly good at that.

Florida has never elected a black senator or governor but Holt, who is black, said Meek's race should not be an issue.

"The main thing, I think, is how much you care about people," she said. "I don't think race is an issue because money is green. We can talk about race all we want to, but can we keep our jobs? That's what President Obama did - he talked to people."