Mitch Kates, former pro wrestler and current giant killer, stood atop a black wrought-iron chair at Mad Dog's and Englishman restaurant and declared that tonight's victory by Mary Mulhern represented a new day for Democratic politics in Tampa Bay.
All nonpartisan pretenses were dropped. For those Democrats looking to make a stand in the city of Tampa against both the creeping GOP tide in eastern Hillsborough and the northern 'burbs and against the intrusion of out-of-town political consultants and special interests, Tuesday was a watershed moment.
Less than a year ago, Mulhern was unknown in politics, a Democratic grassroots organizer who was better known as the Weekly Planet's arts critics than as a viable political alternative for progressives dying for some good news. On Tuesday, she knocked off a two-term councilman, Shawn Harrison, who raised a record $211,000. Mulhern raised just $46,000.
In the end, Mulhern spent her money wisely, targeted the right neighborhoods and had strong grassroots support in South Tampa, where early voting was heaviest. (Detailed precinct returns were not available late Tuesday night as I write this.) Harrison had $70K left in the bank as of his last report on Friday and opted against direct mail, which carried Mulhern to the win. Instead, his largest expenditure was broadcast television, a decision that doomed his campaign in a low turnout race.
That left Mulhern the celebrity of the night. As TV cameras shined in her eyes, she took a cell phone from consultant Ana Cruz: "It's Karen Thurman for you, Mary." And Mulhern savored the win via long distance with the head of the Florida Democratic Party. Not to mention progressives like Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena and School Board member April Griffin, who were there in person.
Democrats carried the night in Tampa. Democrat John Dingfelder beat a partisan effort by Republican Julie Brown, who may have actually suffered because of a series of four attack brochures mailed against Dingfelder by a shadow group run by Clearwater GOP consultant Jack Hebert and his Mallard Group. In addition, powerful South Florida GOP consultant Randy Nielsen and his Public Concepts group took it in the shorts, too. The firm represented Harrison.
This article appears in Mar 7-13, 2007.
