Florida Democrats can be heartened as a president gets ready to hit the stump in the Sunshine State — but it’s not the man currently sitting in the White House.
This week, two Democratic congressional candidates announced that former President Bill Clinton will be campaigning with them on Sunday. In the morning, Clinton will rally with U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy in Palm Beach Gardens. Murphy is facing a challenge from former state Rep. Carl Domino. In the afternoon, the former president will be in Tallahassee, at Gwen Graham’s side. Graham is challenging U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland in one of the closest races in the nation.
“Honored to have President Bill Clinton join our Get Out the Vote Rally this Sunday at the FAMU Quad during early vote!” Graham posted on Facebook late on Wednesday.
But even as Clinton prepares to hit Florida, there are no signs that President Barack Obama will hit the Sunshine State for any Democratic candidates, including former Gov. Charlie Crist who is challenging Gov. Rick Scott. Polls show Scott and Crist are running in a dead heat. Clinton will be at a fundraiser for Crist this coming weekend in Tampa.
Even as White House surrogates like Vice President Joe Biden and first lady Michelle Obama hit the campaign trail for Crist, Obama is nowhere to be seen — a fact Republicans are more than eager to point out.
Campaigning alongside Scott in South Florida on Wednesday, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani asked if Obama was going to hit the stump for Crist. Giuliani also labeled Crist as Obama’s “biggest supporter.”
“If he’s his big supporter, then how come he doesn’t bring Barack Obama here to campaign for him?” Giuliani demanded. “Where are you, Mr. President?”
Despite carrying Florida in 2008 and 2012, polls across the board have shown Obama underwater in the Sunshine State. On Wednesday, St. Leo University released a poll of likely voters which found a slight majority — 51 percent — disapprove of Obama while 48 percent of those surveyed approve of him. The poll shows Obama generates more heat than support with 42 percent of those surveyed strongly disapproving of him while 27 percent strongly approve of him.
The poll of 500 likely voters was taken from Oct. 16-19 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent.
For his part, Crist told reporters this week that he did not expect Obama to campaign with him. On Wednesday, visiting a campaign office in Jacksonville, Crist told reporters that Obama was very busy with the Ebola threat and other matters.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
