November 4, 2003
...on the College Crowd.
Admittedly, it’s a small sample. But I’ve been on two college campuses over the past six weeks, one on north-central North Carolina and one in central Pennsylvania, and I have seen only two fliers for Democratic Presidential hopefuls.
Both of them were promoting organizational meetings for former Vermont Governor Howard Dean.
Now I’m not assuming that these two small, private, liberal arts colleges – in states that are not early in the primary process – reflect the broader student population or the country as a whole. But I must admit that I was struck by the lack of campaign literature on both campuses, as well as the lack of any sign of support for any candidate other than Dean.
Wouldn’t you think that someone, maybe youngish looking John Edwards, Vietnam Vet/critic John Kerry or idealist Dennis Kucinich would have found an audience on college campuses? Maybe they have, but not at the two campuses I visited.
The apparent lack of interest among younger potential voters isn’t surprising. Younger voters don’t participate in elections in great numbers, and that isn’t likely to change in 2004 either.
...on Florida Senate.
Florida Sen. Bob Graham (D), who dropped out of the Presidential race a few weeks ago, let the other shoe drop this week. He’s out of the Senate race, as well.
Graham would have been reelected had he sought another term, and his decision creates another toss-up in a seat currently held by the Democrats. That can’t be good for the party, which is trying to retake the Senate.
Florida is often referred to as the fourth Southern state with an open Senate seat next year, but it isn’t entirely accurate to lump the state along with Georgia and both Carolinas as part of the South.
North Florida certainly resembles other states in the region, but two populous counties in South Florida (Dade and Broward) have a lot in common with the Northeast than they do with voters in the state’s Panhandle.
Parts of the state are booming, and that means new voters who are concerned about the economy, quality of life/growth issues, taxes and other topics of concern to the Sunbelt.
For now, it’s best to see the Senate race as a toss-up. But if the Democrats get a nominee from South Florida, they could have a tough time selling him in other parts of the state.