Graham's presidential bid has hurt him in Florida

SunSentinel ^ | 10/04/03 | Buddy Nevins

[Pikamax]

Graham's presidential bid has hurt him in Florida Buddy Nevins

October 4, 2003

It's all over for Bob Graham.

Democrats say it's time for Graham to end his presidential race, return to Florida and start running for re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Graham hasn't committed himself to running for re-election. He may just quit politics. But if he does run, the question now is whether he can win.

Unbeaten through three decades in politics, Graham took a dizzying fall in the cornfields of Iowa. His presidential campaign never really got off the ground. He remains in the basement of the Democratic pack, with such also-rans as U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun.

Graham, the former governor and a senator since 1986, has harmed his re-election chances with his presidential bid. He is no longer the invincible giant of the Florida Democratic Party. Voters see he can be beaten.

"Any time you are unsuccessful in politics, it hurts. By running for president, Bob Graham has only made himself more vulnerable in Florida," says Jim Kane, a political pollster.

What might prove a worse problem is the stands he took during his presidential race. They could come back to haunt him.

Graham, previously known as a moderate, has not had a tough opponent since 1986. His views have not gotten wide publicity during the heat of a campaign since then, but the presidential race changed that.

Seeking to appeal to Democrats in states more liberal than Florida, Graham has been outspoken. He has been on television -- a lot. And, as a favorite son, his presidential campaign has been given more airtime and newspaper space in Florida than in other places.

Florida voters know that Graham opposed the war in Iraq and President Bush's tax cuts. They know Graham supports universal government-sponsored health care and backs a 10 percent set-aside for minorities in government contracts.

These positions might prove too liberal for moderate Florida. And, if voters don't remember Graham's stands in the presidential race, his Republican opponent next year will refresh their memories.

Graham's fate is vitally important to the national Democratic Party. The balance of power in the U.S. Senate is at stake and Democrats cannot afford to lose Graham's seat.

[dfwgator]

Actually maybe he should audition to be Seigfield's new partner.

[perfect stranger]

bump

[browardchad]

Chiles was a Democrat, but much more of a Zell Miller-type than an anti-American leftist ideologue like the current Rat leaders in the Senate (of whom Graham, as I have pointed out, is a faithful tool).

Sorry, I can't agree with that, having had the unfortunate experience of working for one of Chiles corrupt cronies.

Once Graham started letting people here in Florida know what he was REALLY like by pandering to the Treason wing of the Rat Party, hsi support started plummetting.

Exactly -- he hid behind his so-called "moderate" views, which were never more than complete goose-stepping for the Dems.

He'll still carry South Florida, of course

Anyone with a "D" after their name carries S. Florida.