State: Senate Democrats quiz McBride, test his electability

"Please leave," said the organizer, Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale Beach, insisting no legislative business was on the agenda. Little wonder the gathering was secret: It was yet another sign that Democrats are worried that Janet Reno may not be their strongest candidate against Gov. Jeb Bush.

The senators' guest was Bill McBride, a Democratic candidate for governor still unknown to most likely voters but who is emerging as the alternative to Democrats who doubt that Reno can beat Bush in November.

For 2 1/2 hours Tuesday night, senators took the full measure of the square-jawed Tampa lawyer, quizzing him about the economy, schools, the death penalty, gun control and the bottom-line issue to some senators: whether he can defeat Reno to win the nomination, setting up a Bush-McBride battle in November.

"We wanted to give McBride his best shot at convincing us of his electability," said Geller, D-Hallandale Beach. "He was persuasive."

Senators, who also have to run for re-election this fall, worry that Reno's record as U.S. attorney general, her health and dismal poll numbers against Bush cause them to think twice about whether she should head the party's ticket. But some also see McBride as a longshot to defeat Reno.

"I think Bill has the best chance right now of anybody," said Sen. Skip Campbell of Coral Springs. Of Reno, he said: "I don't think she plays well in North Florida, and I don't think she plays well with males in South Florida. There's going to come a point in time when Democrats are going to have to make decisions."

Sen. Richard Mitchell of rural Jasper said he has not seen very much support for Reno in North Florida. "I've been told by people that they're looking for a candidate," he said. "They don't know the candidates in the race yet. It's early."

Also at the table were Senate Democratic Leader Tom Rossin of Royal Palm Beach, Rod Smith of Gainesville, Ron Klein of Delray Beach, Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Pembroke Pines, and a former Senate Democratic leader, Ken Jenne, now the Broward sheriff.

McBride, 57, resigned as managing partner at the Tampa-based Holland and Knight law firm last year to seek the nomination. Making his first bid for public office, McBride has collected a string of labor union endorsements in recent weeks, and the dinner Tuesday offered fresh evidence that he's trying to build momentum.

On Wednesday, 49 party activists in Palm Beach County, another crucial area for Democrats, endorsed McBride. And in Tallahassee, the Florida Council of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers also endorsed him.

But in two recent surveys for Florida newspapers, McBride won support from 13 percent of likely voters in a trial primary heat against Reno and two other Democrats, Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami and Rep. Lois Frankel of West Palm Beach.

Political observers generally agree that endorsements are vastly overrated. More significant is that the senators are open to the idea of backing McBride, even though many of their constituents favor Reno.

Reno's campaign manager, Mo Elleithee, discounted any significance to the McBride meeting. He said polls show Reno is the only Democrat capable of beating Bush. She also is attracting more Republicans and independents than her Democratic rivals, he said.

"Janet Reno blows away all the competition in a Democratic primary," Elleithee said.

Not all senators accepted Geller's invitation.

"Geller was trying to bring some people on board to endorse McBride. I am not ready to endorse anyone," said Sen. Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, who was invited but didn't go to the dinner.

-- Times political editor Adam Smith contributed to this report.

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