Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kendrick Meek began barnstorming the state Wednesday, launching a 10-day bus tour he dubbed the “Real Dem Express” in a swipe at his primary opponent Jeff Greene.
Meek, who has fallen behind Greene in polls despite arguing the wealthy real estate investor was not a “real Democrat” because he ran for Congress in 1982 as a Republican, planned a full day of campaign events today with stops in Sanford, Daytona Beach, and Jacksonville.
The bus tour will take Meek to the Panhandle later this week and South Florida early next week. Meek will return to Central Florida Tuesday for a scheduled debate with Greene.
“I’m excited to get the dust under our wheels and get our campaign out on the road,” Meek said in a statement about the tour. “There couldn’t be a better place to start our tour. It’s in Orlando where I announced our campaign’s history-making petition drive and started the year long effort to build a top-notch grassroots campaign. The Real Dem Express is sending a clear message — there is just one Democrat in this race and only one candidate who will fight for middle-class Florida families.”
Greene’s campaign scoffed at Meek’s “Real Dem” bus tour, pointing out again that Meek has not pledged to support Greene if he loses the Aug. 24 primary.
“Meek continues to serve himself first and Florida last by refusing to support the Democratic nominee for Senate,” Greene campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino said in a statement. “Sen. Nelson and Sen. Menendez are showing Kendrick Meek what a real Democrat does — support the Democratic nominee over Marco Rubio or Governor Crist.”
The News Service of Florida
