Florida’s 2010 Senate race has been generating headlines since Gov. Charlie Crist announced his candidacy last spring.
And as Crist’s primary race against Marco Rubio soaks in the media spotlight, a democratic candidate running for Senate is also vying for his position on the political stage: Miami Rep. Kendrick Meek.
Although Meek is expected to win his primary race against former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre, he isn’t speculating on which Republican would be easier to beat.
“I’m more focused on reaching voters and getting voters to vote in the November election,” Meek said in an interview Thursday. “Whoever comes out of the Republican primary, we will be prepared because of hard work and leadership on the issues.“
Meek was raised by a single mother, Carrie Meek, and said she was the reason he became involved in politics.
“My mother is a person of great commitment,” Meek said. “She’s the reason why I’m in this race today — the reason why I’m in public service.”
When Meek was 11 years old, his mother was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. She later became a state Senator and then a congresswoman — a trail her son has followed.
After graduating from Florida A&M University, Meek became the first black Florida Highway Patrol captain.
While in the state Senate, he staged a sit-in in Governor Jeb Bush’s office to protest the governor’s One Florida plan to end affirmative action in the state.
Meek said he found the courage to protest in the governor’s office for 25 hours because Bush was trying to change public policy by an executive order without public input. He said that kind of courage is needed in the Senate now, where they killed a public health care option he supported in the House.
A main goal for the Meek campaign is to win the highly coveted youth vote, a challenge that brought the Congressman to UF last Thursday.
“We are really working hard to make sure that we have as many young leaders engaged, especially here at the University of Florida, as possible,” Meek said.
And he’s treating the youth vote as a two-way street. If college students vote for him, he’ll have to vote for their interests.
He voted to lower interest rates for student loans and said he wants young people to leave college without bearing a mountain of debt.
“I will be very much indebted to a number of the young people that are involved in this campaign,” Meek said.
