ANOTHER HOT DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY SHAPING UP IN SARASOTA

Currently, the 13th Congressional District seat is held by former Secretary of State and now U.S. Senate wannabe Katherine Harris. Who will follow the "Queen of Darkness" into that seat promised to be another hot Democratic primary between Sarasota attorney/author Jan Schneider and retired banker Christine Jennings...but I don't know about that now.

It's still early, but already Jennings has a serious lead when it comes to fundraising. In the first six months of campaigning, Jennings has a war chest of over $130,000 --- including contributions from last year's Democratic president candidate Senator John Kerry (D - MA) and House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D - CA) --- while Schneider says she has not really begun raising funds yet, with a campaign fund of $145. Ms. Schneider tells the Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Jeremy Wallace that she has been concentrating on meeting with groups such as seniors and veterans to learn more about their issues, and last Friday providing free legal advise to residents of a public housing complex.

Wallace's headline "Schneider: No Time For Politics" seems to question her seriousness of seeking the office, and her lack of work to raise money to this point, quite frankly, makes me wonder as well. In politics, for better or worse, you've got to get the financial support to insure that your message gets out to those whose support you need to get elected. I have to wonder how much longer Ms. Schneider will remain in this race.