Last night the Hillsborough County Democratic party hosted a Get Out the Vote rally in Ybor City, that, until the arrival of Rod Smith, Alex Sink's running mate, felt like a regular Democratic Executive Committee meeting held in the summer, not an important rally to fire up Democrats just days away from the midterm election.
The crowd consisted nearly exclusively of Democratic candidates and hardcore supporters who appear monthly at such meetings, socializing and, leading Hillsborough County Commission John Dingfelder to say at one point, "I'm preaching to the choir."
However, when state Senator Arthenia Joyner got to the mic and demanded that the audience quiet down, only then did the urgency of the moment appear apparent.
"I'm a poll watcher, and I've been to polls all day long. And our numbers are terrible. We have got to go out and get people to the polls, "she said. Although others who spoke after Joyner disagreed about Democratic turnout, early voting and absentee voting number through the first week and a half have been strong in favor of registered Republicans, and though the top of the ticket may survive the Democratic backlash, the down ballot races may become casualties to the so called enthusiasm gap.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner said he was at the Supervisor of Elections office on Thursday. "They have record numbers of early voters. 47,000 people have voted so far. The question is: Who has voted? Is it the D's, is it the R's?"
Dan Gelber's wife, Joan Silverstein, a federal prosecutor out of Miami, appeared on her husband's behalf (Gelber was in a debate with Pam Bondi in Miami) but CFO candidate Loranne Ausley and Agriculture Secretary candidate Scott Maddox, who were scheduled to appear, were no shows.
This article appears in Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2010.