A run for Congress:
an uphill race

By Tamara Lytle
Washington Bureau

Published in The Orlando Sentinel, February 15, 1998

WASHINGTON -- Like a band of warriors wielding squirt guns against a column of tanks, a few brave souls in Florida are running for Congress as challengers this year.

A quick look at the candidates' bankrolls shows how one-sided this fight is shaping up to be.

In Central Florida, the five incumbent House members have banked almost $2 million in campaign funds. Three challengers so far will fight back with a combined $2,885.55.

During the last election, the odds were so lopsided that Florida had even fewer competitive races than the lowly national average. Of 23 congressional districts in the state, only one had a race where the loser came within 10 percentage points of the incumbent. Nationally, one of every five or six House seats was competitive.

Some political observers say the lack of competition is bad for Democracy and a sad reflection on how important money is for gaining entree to representative government. The cost to mount a serious challenge seems to increase every year.

``It's a $500,000 entry fee to hold an office that belongs to the public,'' said Democrat Dick Batchelor, an Orlando lobbyist.

Terri Fine, associate professor of political science at the University of Central Florida, said the quality and competitiveness of House challengers has declined. ``The more choices we have, the better the product will be,'' she said. ``If you don't have competitive elections, you reduce the accountability (of officeholders).''

Years ago, political aspirants would work their way up to a run for Congress by serving in local and state governments. No longer, said Fine. Now, candidates are drawn into races either by love or hate of the system.

David Golding and Linda Chapin are two examples of the end of the earlier system.

Golding has no elective office background. Angered by a lack of help on an immigration problem from Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Palm Bay, Golding ran against Weldon in 1996 as an independent. He drew 6 percent of the vote in a three-way race. This year, he plans to be the Democratic standard-bearer against Weldon.

While someone with little political experience like Golding is willing to run, Chapin is not. Chapin is Orange County chairman and well known in the congressional district of Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Longwood. Because of term limits, she is out of a job after November. Yet neither the power and prestige of Congress nor the cajoling of Democratic officials can induce her to run against McCollum.

``Congress itself is in a fair amount of disrepute,'' Chapin said. ``The view of a lot of people if they get into public life is they do it to make a difference. And they don't think they can make a difference in Washington. It's too entrenched, dominated by special interests and out of touch.''

Chapin and others also see running against a popular incumbent as tilting at windmills.

Batchelor, who ran unsuccessfully against McCollum in 1982, said the vitriolic nature of political debate also drives away good potential candidates.

Incumbents have name recognition and resources of office. And they wield their fund-raising edge like a club. McCollum has $725,830 in cash, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission report. His only competitor so far, Democrat Al Krulick, has $136.70.

Fine called McCollum's war chest a scare tactic to deter people from challenging him.

McCollum conceded he is hoping for no serious opposition. He needs the war chest, he said, in case someone does step forward.

Supporters of term limits say they are the answer to making elections more competitive. At least every 12 years, a congressional seat would be up for grabs.

McCollum supports term limits -- but only if they become law. He has been in office more than 17 years and won't voluntarily abide by the term limits he espouses because he says his seniority brings his district advantage under the current system.

Though McCollum again has an underfunded opponent, two of his Republican colleagues from the area have an even easier road to re-election. Rep. Cliff Stearns of Ocala and Rep. John Mica of Winter Park have no opposition so far.

Rep. Corrine Brown, a Democrat who represents the I-4 corridor from Orlando to Jacksonville, has one of the closest-watched races in the state. But even her opponent, Republican Bill Randall, a past president of the NAACP, has less than $3,000 in his campaign kitty.

A spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said Florida is not where Democrats are targeting their hopes for races against Republican incumbents.

Florida Republicans have only eight incumbent Democrats to aim for and yet only have candidates in three of those races so far, including Randall.

``It's a good feeling time,'' said state GOP spokesman Bob Sparks of the public's view of Congress. ``It would be a challenge to knock some of these people off.''

[Posted 02/14/98 7:45 PM EST]