I think Rod Smith would have made it a much closer race

[Herman Munster]

He had more appeal to Northern Florida voters. The only democrats that seem to get elected for governor in Florida are those old time Lawton Chiles type "crackers."

The formula to win a statewide election in Florida as a democrat is to run up the score in South Florida, break even in the I-4 corridor, and not get absolutely creamed in north Florida. Lose by 15% or 20% there instead of 30% or more.

[iamjoy]

1. Yeah, Except For Big Sugar

I think they poisoned our primary.
Some people say it wouldn't have been as close as it was between Davis and Smith if not for sugar's attack ads, I'm not sure I agree. I think the ads turned off more voters than it won - once people found out who was behind the so-called "working families" group. The media didn't help either. A lot of the editorial boards along the I-4 corridor blasted Smith for his connections to Big Sugar, but didn't have a lot of positive things to say about Davis, only bad things about Smith.

As for your "crackers" winning - well Bill McBride didn't do so hot in 2002 and he was a good ol' boy if I ever saw one. So, that's not a guarantee of victory, but it seems not having it is a ticket to a loss. Not always, Alex Sink didn't strike me as the cracker type - but she was so much more qualified than Tom Lee that if she'd had any appeal with the crackers it would have been a double digit victory margin.

Overall, I think you are right about the "formula."