Democratic Presidential Candidates Ready To Battle In Florida
Posted: 6:46 am EDT May 21, 2008Updated: 9:10 am EDT May 21, 2008
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- Senator Barack Obama is making his first trip to Central Florida since the primary season started. It comes just as his campaign reached a new milestone in the race for the nomination Tuesday night.Obama beat Senator Hillary Clinton in Oregon's primary Tuesday night which gives him a majority of pledged delegates. But Clinton soundly defeated Obama in Kentucky and is vowing to stay in the race.Both candidates are eyeing Florida and Senator Obama has two stops scheduled in Central Florida on Wednesday.Obama is focused on lots of strategy in Central Florida. Wednesday night he's looking for money at a pricey, sold-out Maitland fundraiser. Before the Maitland event, though, he's hosting the invitation only event for Puerto Rican leaders at the Kissimmee Civic Center, looking to poach Hispanic support from Hillary Clinton.Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is heading to South Florida, bolstered by the Tuesday night win in Kentucky. She insists her nomination is still possible."Neither Senator Obama nor I will have reached that magic number when the voting ends on June third and so our party will have a tough choice to make," said Clinton.But in the all important delegate count, Barack Obama is still on top after taking Oregon. Wednesday night he'll drum up support with influential Hispanics in Kissimmee and fundraise in Maitland after spending the morning in Tampa.He's telling supporters they're close to wrapping it up."You have put us within reach of the democratic nomination for President of the United States of America," Obama said.Obama hasn't campaigned in Florida for months. Clinton dominated the democratic primary in the state, but the votes don't officially count. With the Orlando-area stops Wednesday, Obama seems to acknowledge that in a race this tight, Florida's democratic voters will likely end up impacting the nomination somehow.Obama's Maitland fundraiser will be pricey, like many campaign events often are. It is sold out.Tickets were being sold for $250, which just gets you in the door. If you wanted a picture with the candidate it would cost you a $2,300 donation to his campaign. If you wanted your name to among the host committee it would cost $10,000.Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain just left Florida. McCain was in Miami Tuesday to talk about U.S. policy in Cuba.He voiced his opposition to the Castro regime and blasted Senator Obama for wanting to meet with the dictator."He also wants to sit down unconditionally for a presidential meeting with Raul Castro. Unconditional meeting with Raul Castro," McCain said of Obama at a support rally.Senator McCain said he looks forward to the day when Cubans will not have to live under tyranny.
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