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Letter to the editor

Summer walking hard for politicos

Candidates find door-to-door campaigning an exhausting effort.

By CRISTINA SILVA, Times Staff Writer
Published September 9, 2007

City council District 3 candidate Cathy Harrelson goes door-to-door along 60th Ave. NE as she campaigns with her son Dylan (right).
	[James Borchuck | Times]

Cathy Harrelson became so exhausted she got into the habit of taking afternoon catnaps, and one of her opponents, Ed Montanari, had to check into a hospital with kidney stones because he wasn't drinking enough water.

Oh, the joys of politicking in the thick of a Florida summer.

Not only do voters seem apathetic about the ongoing City Council race, but candidates say they also have to deal with the side effects of campaigning in the summertime, including heat exhaustion, drowsiness and dehydration.

It's a lot to put up with just for a chance to sit on the City Council, but candidates said their willingness to stand out in the burning sun and wave campaign signs or canvass neighborhoods while most of their peers are hiding out in air-conditioned homes illustrates just how serious they are about running for office.

"You just have to keep at it," District 3 candidate Bill Dudley said. "This is old-fashioned politicking. It's easy to sit on your can and mail stuff, but I am not sure how effective that is."

Without getting into too many specifics, candidates conceded that looking like City Council material while soliciting voters in 90-degree weather is a delicate process.

Dealing with the sweat that comes with walking from home to home on a August afternoon can be tough.

Formal business suits are reserved strictly for indoor events. Instead, cotton reigns as the favorite textile. Good deodorant is vital and for female candidates, makeup is a definite no-no.

Harrelson, who is also running for the District 3 seat in Tuesday's primary, said she recently tried to wear a suit outdoors while being interviewed for a television news story and couldn't stand it.

"It was brutal," said Harrelson, who prefers big hats, shorts and sandals. "I won't be doing that again."

Dudley wears campaign T-shirts when he is out door knocking and brings a cooler filled with water for his volunteers.

"People really appreciate when you are out there and they understand when you are sweaty," he said. "Most of them will just say 'oh, can I get you something to drink? You look really hot.'"

Candidates point out they are not whining and will gladly continue to canvass neighborhoods every day if that's what it takes to be elected. But the race has started to take its toll, both physically and mentally.

Montanari, who is also running in the District 3 race, said he tries to go door knocking several times a week, which often leaves him tired and feeling limp.

In August, he was hospitalized twice for kidney stones, which can be triggered by not drinking enough fluids.

"Walking door to door if the weather is beautiful is not a fun thing to do," Montanari said. "Trying to do it in late August just compounds the misery."

Since he threw his name in the race, Kelly, a candidate for the District 5 seat, has gone from 225 pounds to 196. His wife, a nurse, has had to remind him to eat and stay hydrated.

"You are physically being run down as part of this process," he said.

"I have had one or two folks ask, 'Are you all right?'... It has gotten to the point where every morning I wake up and I say, 'Wow, what I am going to look like in November.'"

Cristina Silva can be reached at 727 893-8846 or csilva@sptimes.com.

District 3 candidates

To learn about the St. Petersburg City Council primary election on Sept. 11 and the November general election or to look up polling places, visit www.votepinellas.com.

[Last modified September 8, 2007, 22:00:39]