By Kim Wilmath, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 28, 2010
TAMPA — Six Democratic candidates held a "unity rally" at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Saturday, chock full of sound bites and thumbs-ups, but without many specifics.
About 300 supporters cheered as the candidates took to the stage in the second of three such events. The first was in St. Petersburg a couple hours earlier, and the last one was Saturday night in Orlando. Attendees were asked to sign up to make calls and help register new voters.
Before the afternoon rally at the fairgrounds began, people holding political signs talked about health care and jobs and how "we cannot go back."
"That'd be like sending a captain out to war without his soldiers," said Lydia Hudson, 38, of Tampa, explaining that President Barack Obama needs support. "We've got an extremely great slate of possibilities."
One by one, the candidates took turns rallying the crowd. First up: Scott Maddox, candidate for commissioner for agriculture and consumer services.
"Are you fired up?" Maddox growled into the microphone. "Are you fired up and ready to go?"
He was followed by Loranne Ausley, chief financial officer candidate; Dan Gelber, attorney general candidate; and Rod Smith, candidate for lieutenant governor.
Then it was the heavyweights, gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink and Kendrick Meek, running for the Senate.
Meek talked about representing working folks, standing up for a woman's right to choose and his opposition to offshore oil drilling. He said he looked forward to debating his "two Republican candidates," though "I don't know if those guys want to stand next to me, because I'm gonna look like Shaq next to them."
Wild applause.
Sink promised to "put Florida back to work," make it the No. 1 state in solar-energy use and strengthen public education.
"We've heard a lot of talk," she said. "But you know what my record is? I'm a doer."
At the end, all the candidates climbed onstage and joined hands, beaming into the flashing cameras.
Kim Wilmath can be reached at kwilmath@sptimes.com or (813) 661-2442.