Panhandling Jim Davis

Mark Lane linked to a St. Petersburg Times to prove a point that the Jim Davis campaign is alienating volunteers. What I find interesting about the Times piece is a claim made by Todd McWaters. He has worked on several campaigns from Democrats and was working the Panhandle region for Davis.

But McWaters told the Times he grew frustrated with lack of support from Davis' campaign. He said he could not get yard signs or bumper stickers to distribute to Democrats. He said the campaign refused to allow him, a businessman and local activist, to give speeches on Davis' behalf, as he had done during the Smith campaign.

"Basically, they had me sit at home for four or five hours a day calling independent voters, and I just said enough," McWaters said.

A good sign of when a campaign is in trouble is when they pull money out of the other party's strong regions. The Panhandle has leaned Red. This tells me that the Davis campaign doesn't have the money to compete with Charlie Crist in the Panhandle.

The opposite is true for a strong campaign. A candidate, leading in the polls, will go to the opponent's strong regions to pull away votes and make his opponent burn money fighting to keep his turf. The Davis campaign is in retreat mode and praying for a strong Democratic turnout.

Davis had the gifts of Katherine Harris, Mark Foley, and an unpopular President. Other Democrats are getting noticed in Congressional races. In no state is the political climate set as well for a Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Davis is performing the political equivalent of Bill Buckner's 1986 World Series blunder.