Peter SchorschThis week’s news saw a few big-wig national Democrats step in and endorse Patrick Murphy. As one name after another lines up behind Murphy, one Democratic star still, longingly, remains silent.
And we are going to take a guess why.
Gwen Graham is exactly the kind of Democrat that should be holding hands with Mr. “Not-of-the-Very-Far-Left” Murphy. After all, she has already taken some decidedly centrist (or at least not bowing down to the left wing of the left wing) votes; most notably against making Nancy Pelosi House Democratic leader and in favor of the Keystone Pipeline.
Murphy is, as they say on the Hill, her kind of Democrat. He votes like she does, bucks the party from time to time, knows how to raise money and, oh yeah, he knows how to win tough races.
Graham, by all appearances, understands the sentiments of her own rural Democrats and also quite adroitly recognizes that her reelection comes down to their continued support. She, too, is proving to be a strong independent D who also knows how to win the tough one.
The two are like peas in a congressional pod.
So why hasn’t she joined that parade of fellow Democrats in tipping her NRA-adorned ball cap to Murphy. Could she be holding out for Mr. MSNBC himself?
Nope.
Rumor has it (and for the record, we DO NOT repeat rumors in this blog, so don’t ask us to say this ever again) that Gwen’s team is patiently and quietly awaiting at least one more court ruling on reapportionment.
Why?
Because, as the storyline of this rumor goes, there is a chance the courts could throw out the congressional maps and create an east-west seat. This district would essentially squeeze Graham out of her little slice of North Florida Way paradise.
If, and I am fully aware that this is a big “if,” they do indeed throw out the current maps and redraw Graham into oblivion, then, the logic goes, why shouldn’t she take a shot at the U.S. Senate seat herself?
It kind of makes sense. She has good national contacts, there is likely to be another woman at the top of the ticket, she knows how to campaign and if Alan Grayson gets in, well, the math of two boys and one girl sure don’t hurt her chances any.
Or is she just playing coy?
Stay tuned.
Peter Schorsch is a new media publisher and political consultant based in St. Petersburg, Fla. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
