According to polls, Kendrick Meek is trailing Jeff Greene in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Florida. He deserves better. It is understandable why Republicans are not Meek supporters but the Democratic establishment, the White House and Democratic voters have left him to twist in the wind.
Unlike his opponent who is dropping millions into a television campaign, Meek went across the state and qualified to run by petition. He has moved from community to community attempting to actually interact with voters. He is a former state trooper and longtime activist in the Democratic Party. He had the political guts to challenge Jeb Bush during his time as Governor over education reform and affirmative action when no one else in the state (Republican or Democrat)would take on the powerful former Governor. While he has had some serious accusations concerning relations with certain donors, he is not the first politician who has been accused of favoring donors.
What has he received for his work for the Democratic Party? Not much The White House will not actively support him; Voters have been disengaged with his campaign and his challenger with an unlimited bankroll is now a front-runner. Yet voters may tire of the negative tone of Greene's ads and come home to Meek during the last weeks of the campaign. However if the campaign does not change, Democrats may nominate a billionaire who made his money betting against working class homeowners and has only lived in the state for the past 2 years. Meanwhile, an African-American leader from Miami who has given most of his life to the Democratic Party will be shut out. This outcome is not very democratic (small d).
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