Senate candidates keep their friends close...
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek of Miami, who is planning to announce his U.S. Senate bid tomorrow, had breakfast over the weekend with a potential opponent: state Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach.
The two could potentially split the South Florida vote in a Democratic primary, thereby boosting a third candidate from another part of the state.
Gelber has also been in touch with Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, another possible contender and the only statewide officeholder on the Democratic shortlist. 
"If Alex had announced that she wasn't running, Dan would already be in the race,'' said Steve Schale, a political consultant who ran Barack Obama's campaign in Florida and would manage Gelber's bid for the Senate.
Sink is being nudged by the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and Emily's List, a nationwide fundraising organization. She's not expected to make a decision until after Obama's inauguration.
"We feel strongly that she is the best potential candidate in this race,'' said Emily's List political director Jonathan Parker. "Part of what makes her a fabulous candidate is that she's a proven statewide vote-getter who has gotten support from from the northern, southern and central parts of the state."
True. But Emily's List said the same thing about its last favorite Senate candidate in Florida before pouring money into the race. That was Betty Castor, who lost to Republican Mel Martinez in 2004. Who knew he would be such a short-timer?
Alex needs to not listen to the sycophants running her office who thinks she's a rock star (none of them have ever dealt with a rock star, so how would they know?).
As the only state-wide Democrat (Bill Nelson is worthless when it comes to party-building activities) she needs to focus on building the party's infrastructure all of whom would support her during her next race...
...for Governor in 2014.
Posted by: Cynical Idealist | January 13, 2009 at 07:35 AM