Florida Times-Union: NASCAR voters and Kendrick Meek: When politics get speedy
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., is trying to tap voters’ need for speed.
Meek has announced a contest for a pit pass at the Daytona 500. The winner will be watching the Feb. 13 NASCAR event up close with the Meek family.
Click here for contest details.
Meek said he’s long been a race fan, calling the Daytona 500 a Florida tradition, and he quipped that his career in the Florida Highway Patrol has made him no stranger to speedy cars.
Meek is campaigning for the Democratic Party’s nomination in the U.S. Senate race. In the November general election, he’s expected to compete against the winner of the Charlie Crist-Marco Rubio race for the Republican nomination.
In the effort to court the NASCAR vote, Meek’s campaign has sponsored a car. Mike Wallace will be the driver.
Campaign Manager Abe Dyk wouldn’t say what that sort of advertising cost, but word is it wasn’t cheap. Campaign finance receipts will disclose the NASCAR investment within the next couple of months.
Meek has a healthy war chest right now. Fourth quarter fundraising numbers show he raised $1.2 million for his Senate run. That’s money on top of the $2.6 million in cash the Federal Elections Commission says he already has.