How Maurice Ferre Could Win the Florida U.S. Senate Democratic Primary

Florida U.S. Senate candidate Maurice Ferre is no stranger to the rigors of campaign elections. Ferre is the highly regarded former Mayor of Miami, where he was elected to six terms serving from 1973-1985. He led Miami through some of its most tumultuous and prosperous times. The first United States mayor born in Puerto Rico and the first Hispanic Mayor of Miami, Ferre also served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1967-68 and as the Vice-Chairman of the Dade County Board of Commissioners from 1993 to 1996.

Though it has been some time since Ferre has won a public election, he brings a wealth of experience into this race and is a very influential figure in South Florida politics. In spite of this extensive political background, Ferre's Senate campaign has been relatively overlooked. With big names on the Republican ticket like Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio and a sitting U.S. Congressman in Kendrick Meek on the Democratic side, there seems to be limited room in the spotlight for the Miami Democrat. But there may be a new glimmer of hope. Several recent developments may give Ferre an opportunity to gain needed momentum in his run for U.S. Senate.

An Ever-Changing Florida Primary
Initially, Rep. Kendrick Meek seemed like the inevitable winner in the Florida Democratic Senate primary. Meek has secured the support of the Democratic establishment, and is widely considered as a future leader in the national Democratic Party. But the recent addition of Billionaire Jeff Greene has made things interesting. First, Greene is running as a political outsider in a climate that favors non-incumbents. Second, he has his own immense financial war chest that he is willing to spend. Greene has been blanketing the state with television ads over the past two weeks, with the vast majority of his media attack machine aimed squarely at the frontrunner; Kendrick Meek.

Kendrick Meek/Jeff Greene Controversies
Rep. Meek has also come upon his greatest challenge so far. The Miami Herald recently outlined Meek's ties to a developer accused of stealing nearly $1 million from a failed Miami project supported by Meek in Congress. Meek's mother was paid $90,000 in fees from the developer, who also paid $13,000 to help one of Meek's aides get a mortgage. To fully understand the potential damage that this kind of revelation can produce, consider the ongoing scandal that permeates the Florida State Legislature where accusations of mishandling of money and influence peddling have received federal scrutiny. It's fair to say that the people of Florida are weary of any appearance of political corruption and are in no mood to support any candidate whom they perceive to be involved in politics-as-usual.

These concerns do not end at the doorstep of Congressman Meek. Jeff Greene has been linked to an excessive lifestyle that includes friendships with Mike Tyson and D.C Madam Heidi Fleiss. It has been suggested that he earned much of his billions by betting against sub-prime mortgages in Florida real estate, which ultimately helped to nearly sink the U.S. and Florida economy. The accusation against Greene is that the money that he is using to finance his campaign was earned on the misfortunes of the very people who he seeks to represent in the U.S. Senate. Neither the perception of career politician or rich political opportunist will sit well with a Florida electorate on August 24th, the day of the Democratic primary.

The Stage May Be Set for Ferre
The stage may be set for Ferre to seize momentum in the Florida Democratic Senate Primary. With Meek and Greene spending the lion's share of their energy attacking each other and with an electorate that appears desperate for a candidate who is not mired in corruption or politics-as-usual, Maurice Ferre may become a viable option. The nephew of the legendary Luis Ferre, Puerto Rican Governor and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Honor, Maurice Ferre must define himself as the only honest, untainted politician in the race.

Having been somewhat disconnected from the toxic nature of politics over the past several years, Ferre could walk the tight rope of distancing himself from the role of career politician while also underscoring his vast experience. He could offer himself as the political outsider who also happens to have a proven record of legislating effectively. If his campaign can find a way to present Ferre in that light, then you may find many disenchanted Florida voters leaning his way.

SOURCES

TampaBay.com
Mymauriceferre.com
Prnewswire.com
Orlando Sentinal
St. Petersburg Times
Florida Community Studies