If the number one objective among Florida Democrats is to get Barack Obama elected this November, their second biggest is to get one of their own elected to the governor's mansion two years from now.
That's why Saturday night's Kennedy-King dinner for the Hillsborough County Democratic Party at the Tampa Convention Center was more than just a get-together of the local party faithful to raise funds and spirits before the general election.
The star attraction was one of the up and coming stars of the party from the Northeast. Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker, who gave a dynamic speech to end the evening (see CL reporter Michael Newberger's story).
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2012.