Kerry will bring his message to Tampa

TAMPA - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry will return to the Tampa Bay area Wednesday to talk up his national security priorities and drive home the point that he's fighting hard for Florida.

Details of Kerry's latest Florida swing, which includes a stop in West Palm Beach on Tuesday, are still being worked out. The visits are part of an 11-day tour focusing on Kerry's intent to make America safer.

In Tampa on Wednesday the Massachusetts senator and presumptive Democratic nominee will meet with emergency workers and public health officials and stress the need for the president to work closely with local governments. The event is not open to the public.

At the Port of West Palm Beach on Tuesday, Kerry will talk about weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.

The four-term senator has been campaigning heavily in Florida since all but securing the nomination in early March. Wednesday will mark his ninth day of campaigning in Florida since March 3 and his fourth trip to the state.

President Bush also has been a frequent visitor to the state, visiting 21 times since becoming president. Since January, he has made three swings into Florida and spent four days campaigning in the state.

"Sen. Kerry's got a lot of catching up to do," Bush-Cheney spokesman Reed Dickens said, citing the president's 21 trips to Florida since becoming president and his formidable grass roots Florida campaign organization. "And the more people learn about Sen. Kerry, the more people don't like him."

The most recent statewide polls, however, show Kerry and Bush essentially tied in Florida. A Zogby International poll released Tuesday showed 49 percent of likely voters in Florida supported Kerry, 48 percent backed Bush and 1 percent supported independent candidate Ralph Nader.

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