Despite warning to stay away, Democratic candidates will come to Florida

January 15, 2008

UPDATED 1/22/08.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination will start to show up in Florida before the state’s Jan. 29 primary, despite being told by national party leaders not to campaign here, a University of Florida professor predicts.

“I expect we will begin seeing the candidates in Florida quite soon,” said political science professor Daniel A. Smith, who will be available for comment the evening of the primary.

The Democratic National Committee told the candidates to avoid the state because the Legislature moved up the presidential primary election date to a week before Super Tuesday Feb. 5. But the race between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama has become tighter.

“This is Hillary’s to lose, and Florida is her firewall,” Smith said. Floridians might also see John Edwards, who is trailing the top two.

Florida is even more important to GOP contender Rudy Giuliani.

“For Rudy, it’s the make or break state because he’s basically foregone all the other early primaries,” Smith said. “It’s even more crucial that he does well.”

Smith is available for interviews about the Florida primary and the presidential race by calling 352-273-2346. His e-mail address is dasmith@polisci.ufl.edu.

Also available for comment are UF political science professors:

Rich Conley, 352-273-2385, 352-317-1860 (cell), rconley@polisci.ufl.edu.

Michael Martinez, 352-273-2363, martinez@ufl.edu.

For perspective on the economy’s impact on the election, UF economist Chris McCarty is available for media interviews. McCarty is director of UF’s Survey Research Center at the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. His office number is 352-392-2908, ext. 101, or 352-359-0974 (cell). His e-mail address is ufchris@ufl.edu.