Political Junkie: Hopeful wonders where his party is

Democrat Michael Steinberg knew he was on his own in the House District 47 primary. But after winning that close race he expected the state Democratic Party to help finance his battle against Republican opponent Kevin Ambler.

That hasn't happened. A disappointed Steinberg, who has put up more than $38,000 of his own money, says the Democratic Party appears to be focusing on select races, including House 57 candidate Scott Farrell's contest with Republican Faye Culp.

Campaign finance reports show Farrell has received $2,543 in money and in-kind services from the Democratic Party, as well as $4,325 in similar services from county Democrats. Steinberg has received nothing from either group, although individual members have donated, he said.

Steinberg is glad for Farrell but thinks his chances of winning are just as good or better. Culp, a former legislator, is a well-connected South Tampa Republican.

"I'm not getting a lot of help from the party," Steinberg said. "What they are providing me is with literature on how to run a campaign ... how to walk a district, how to target most likely voters. And that's about it."

House Democratic Leader Doug Wiles, of St. Augustine, refused to discuss party strategy, including whether Farrell is receiving extra attention. But he praised both candidates.

Farrell says the party hasn't "promised me anything."

Struggling to raise money, Steinberg downplays its importance.

"You don't need to raise a fortune," he said. "I think going door-to-door is more important than blanketing the district with signs or sending out thousands of brochures."

What do you do when your campaign has little money to purchase yard signs and television commercials?

If you're Susan Valdes, Democratic candidate for the at-large District 5 seat on the county commission (running against the well-funded Jim Norman), you use human billboards.

Valdes has enlisted several of her supporters to wear hand-drawn signs. She's shipping them off to campaign events and major intersections in an effort to build her name recognition.

"I'm not a candidate of wealth," she said. "I'm a candidate of consciousness."

The appeals for votes among absentee voters is a study in contrasts for the candidates seeking the at-large District 7 seat on the Hillsborough Commission.

Incumbent Pat Frank, a Democrat, has sent out a photocopied handwritten note on campaign stationary. "I would be honored to have your support in the November general election."

She tells the voters that she kept her promises from when she first ran for the commission in 1998, doing her best to contain urban sprawl, maintain the county health plan for the poor and prioritize spending. She also has fought for free speech, sought to respect diversity and opposed the use of public dollars for private interests.

In his appeal, Republican Brian Blair starts with Frank, describing her as a liberal and 30-year career politician. He takes her to task for trying to cut funding for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, favoring a gas tax, fighting the privatization of money-losing Tampa General Hospital and her opposition to cutting funding of public access television.

He calls himself a conservative and "self-made businessman." He says he will focus on quality of life issues and protecting "the traditional values of our communities and families."

If you've caught any of the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County commission debates on the county's government access channel, you may have noticed that neither Norman nor Tom Scott showed.

It's not uncommon for incumbents to blow off debates with poorly funded opponents in an effort to diminish their ability to gain steam (or to avoid saying something stupid). In this instance, neither Scott nor Norman says that was the case.

Scott said he was out of the state during the week his debate with Republican Jacqui Knight was scheduled. Norman said he attended a going-away ceremony for county parks director Ed Radice, a friend. He said he tried to reschedule but didn't get a return phone call from the League.

John Dingfelder has jumped into the race to represent south Tampa on the City Council.

Last month, Dingfelder lost a tough Democratic primary fight against Kathy Castor for the County Commission. But he impressed many Democrats with his well-designed campaign signs, clever television ads and hard work.

Dingfelder won't have an easy time in the city elections, which are in March. He will face Clay Phillips, a Democratic Party strategist who has been campaigning for months, and another candidate, Bill Wall.

-- Political Junkie is an occasional column on this year's election season. Got a tip? Bill Varian can be reached at 226-3387 or varian@sptimes.com and David Karp can be reached at 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com.

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