Kendrick Meek to run for Senate

Rumour has it that tomorrow Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-Miami) will declare his intention to run for U.S. Senate in 2010.

Meek is young (42) and sharp. He’s got probably as much name recognition as any other possible candidate on the Democratic side. This move is bold and confident; in order to run, he’ll be giving up his congressional seat, to which he would probably be reelected to for the rest of his life if he wanted.

I like Kendrick Meek very much. He’s the model of a progressive voice in Congress. I think he’d bring a fresh, younger perspective to a Senate that is the oldest it’s ever been. I worry, though, that Meek might be too far left of the average Floridian.

His strengths: His aforementioned boldness and confidence. He speaks his mind, maybe more than he should sometimes, but I think voters like that, especially in these times. He’s been a strong supporter of military issues, with three terms on the Armed Services Committee, that might help him in the north of the state. He’s got a reputation as a strong leader, serving as the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the vice-chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and as chair of John Kerry’s campaign in Florida in 2004. He led a successful campaign in 2002 for smaller class sizes in Florida schools.

His weaknesses: He may be too left-leaning to win statewide. His district, Florida’s 17th, is one of the most heavily Democratic in the nation, with a CPVI of D+35. Meek has strong liberal credentials: he’s got 100% approval ratings from NARAL Pro-Choice America and the National Education Association, an 87% approval rating from the AFL-CIO, and an 85% rating from the League of Conservation Voters (and equally poor ratings from “conservative” groups). That plays into another possible weakness: he’s not used to tough campaigns. He was elected to Congress unopposed in 2002, and has won reelection three times since without an opponent.

Links

• Wikipedia profile: Kendrick Meek