How can you not write about a new Democratic face in town who used to be a professional wrestler named “Jason the Terrible?” Kates gives good quote, and better, won two campaigns in which his candidates beat experienced politicians who outspent them by large mar-gins: Charlie Justice over Kim Berfield and Mary Mulhern over Shawn Harrison. He managed to lose his one race down in Sarasota, largely under the radar screen, leaving his reputation as a giant-killer intact. And it didn’t hurt that he gave a roof-raising election-night victory speech for Mulhern that should’ve had the theme from Rocky playing in the background — a speech which ended up, of course, on YouTube.
This article appears in Sep 12-18, 2007.