That's the headline from an article in the St. Petersburg Times from Friday (written pre-Charley, so there is no reference to its impact).
I found the article through gadflyer. It's got some very encouraging news and makes the case that the Kerry lead in two FL polls are not flukes. Some highlights:
- The ACT & Kerry groundgame is working -- Dems have registered 129,000 new voters compared to 75,000 new GOP voters.
- ACT already has 300 paid workers in FL and will have spent $10M in the state when all is said and done
- At this time in 2000, Gore was just beginning to spend time in FL. Kerry, OTOH, has made 13 visits since March (Bush 8 since Jan).
- FL GOP re-elect chairman admits: We underestimated the number of resources outside liberal groups would pour into Florida.
- Republicans starting to go on the record saying Bush is in trouble in FL.
A
couple of excerpts:
Barely 80 days before election day, signs abound that Democrats are outperforming Republicans in the state Bush virtually has to win to gain another term in the White House.
Republicans had vowed an unprecedented voter registration program, but Democrats are far outpacing them in registration gains.
[snip]
"Not only is Florida becoming a problem for the campaign but it could make some Southern border states that are usually safely Republican slip into competitive mode in the last two to three weeks of the campaign," said InsiderAdvantage pollster Matt Towery, a former strategist for Newt Gingrich. "If Bush loses Florida, it's lights out."
[snip]
Arguably the most crucial piece of the Kerry Florida operation, though, is not even working with the campaign.
Every day across the state, a host of independent groups legally barred from coordinating with the Kerry campaign are paying hundreds of people to register, target and mobilize anti-Bush voters. One group, Tampa-based America Coming Together, has about 300 paid staffers working in Florida. By Nov. 2, they will have spent an estimated $10-million here.
Their work has produced tangible results: Through June, Democrats added 129,423 voters to their roll, compared to 75,132 for Republicans and 122,769 registered to neither party.