General Wesley Clark campaigns for Tim Mahoney in Charlotte County
Wesley Clark, Mahoney call for 'diplomacy' in Iraq
October 17, 2006
By Nicole Oliverio | Wink TV News
CLARK: “I'm here for Tim Mahoney, and he's going to be your next congressman.
A four-star general visited Charlotte County Tuesday to campaign for Democratic congressional hopeful, Tim Mahoney.
Mahoney faces Joe Negron, the Republicans’ replacement candidate for Mark Foley, for a seat in congress, representing Florida's 16th district.
Mahoney focused on national security, the need for diplomacy, and the importance for democrats to regain control in the house.
Mahoney says Foley is not a factor in this election, but Charlotte Democratic voters say they think otherwise.
“Over the past several weeks, this campaign has taken on a completely different dimension. It's national,” said Mahoney, a businessman who now finds himself in the national spotlight.
Now, a Democratic candidate who several weeks ago wasn't considered a threat is now leading in polls.
Mahoney was up against former Congressman Mark Foley, but says the recent scandal has no place in his campaign.
“We were never focused on that,” said Mahoney. “We're not focusing on it because the people in the district don't care.”
But some Charlotte County residents do care.
Members of the county's Democratic committee say the Washington page scandal is the exact reason why there's been a recent surge of volunteers.
“Once that was announced, we starting to have people just knock on the door,” explained Valerie Guenther of the Charlotte County Democratic Committee.
Both sides are using all the resources they have.
Joe Negron and the Republicans used Governor Jeb Bush.
Tuesday, General Wesley Clark told the crowd, “I'm here for Tim Mahoney, and he's going to be your next congressman.”
Mahoney stood beside General Clark, and said that Clark’s appearance was not as a last-minute sidekick. But Charlotte residents see it as something big.
“We in Charlotte County are not used to high-powered Democrats coming in and paying attention to us,” explained Gunther.
Democrats are paying attention to residents in the 16th congressional district, while all eyes focus on a possible shift in power at the national level after November's election.
Recently, the Democratic party filed a lawsuit to stop elections supervisors from posting signs that say "a vote for Mark Foley is a vote for Joe Negron."
Mahoney said it's not his lawsuit, but given Florida's history in conducting elections, he wants to make sure it's a fair, uncontested election.
