Posted on Wed, Jul. 28, 2004
FLORIDA VOTERS
Kerry to court Cubans unhappy with president
BY LESLEY CLARK
lclark@herald.com
BOSTON - John Kerry's campaign pledged Wednesday an all-out effort to woo Cuban-American voters to its side, hoping to exploit an emerging division in the once reliably Republican voting bloc.The outreach effort includes making South Florida one of the first post-convention stops for vice presidential candidate John Edwards, who is scheduled to meet with Cuban-American leaders Monday at a private reception in Miami, according to sources close to the campaign.
Campaign officials would not confirm the Edwards visit, but said they have hired a Miami field organizer and plan advertising and other means of courting Cuban Americans -- some of whom have assailed President Bush's recent crackdown on Fidel Castro as harmful to Cuban families.
''They gave us an unbelievable opportunity and we have a policy that gives us an opportunity to take advantage of that,'' said Tom Shea, Kerry's Florida campaign manager.
Several polls have suggested some softening of support for Bush, mostly among younger Cuban Americans, presumably those with family still on the island.
''We plan on going after that vote aggressively,'' Shea said. ``They've left themselves very vulnerable.''
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