Rep. Corrine Brown: Took the money, but quit Senate race

In last week’s Al’s Loupe column I reported that Kendrick Meek would most likely drop out of the U.S. Senate race to fill the seat vacated by Mel Martinez last month. This week across the state, newspapers reported that Congressman Meek had conducted an inside poll showing him doing better than most public polls demonstrate. Meek pointed to numbers showing him beating Crist among people who know them both. (The problem here, by the way, is that a great majority of people in Florida still don’t know Meek while almost everyone in Florida knows who the governor is…)

News sources also reported this week that Crist had dropped below the 50% level among people who feel the Florida governor is doing a good job. To all of this I say, “interesting…” But I still believe at some point in 2010, Congressman Meek will take his millions raised for the U.S. Senate try and continue to serve as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives where he is as close to a “sure thing” of winning as you might have…

And regarding that same senate race… U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, who had raised about $445,000 while posturing for a U.S. Senate run, has opted to seek re-election to the House instead. David Hunt, of Jacksonville’s Florida Times Union, reported: “The possible Senate run did build some fundraising momentum. Spokesman David Heller said Brown generated about $445,000 in the last quarter. The money was split between her congressional and Senate exploratory funds, but can all be used to finance the House campaign.”

I strongly believe that Meek will do the same next year… but with a coffer full of millions of dollars.

Alvaro F. Fernandez