WTSP-TV 10 / St. Petersburg

HE'S NOT JUST ANOTHER RADICAL, BUT IN THIS RACE HE IS A
LONG SHOT

Joe Viscusi is attempting to oust incumbant Republican congressman Adam Putnam in what has to be considered a long-shot effort. But he's having fun at it, as today's Lakeland Ledger story notes.

The educator and two year veteran of the Florida House of Representatives (1990-92) carries along a "Howdy Doody" puppet (left edge of the table in the picture above) to occasional campaign appearances in an effort to highlight Putnam's willingness to tow the GOP line, even when it is potentially detrimental to his constitutents.

From the Ledger piece:

"Howdy Doody? Well, yeah there is a resemblance (with the puppet), but he (the puppet) won't run without oil," he said, taking a shot at Putnam's compromise offshore drilling bill, which was created at the request of Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. Some members of the Florida congressional delegation have said the propoosal is too potentially detrimental to the coastline.

Viscusi has bounced around the political spectrum a bit. After being defeated for reelection to his state house seat in 1992, Viscusi said it was a case of being punished for not supporting all of then-governor Lawton Chiles' programmes. Hurt, he left the Democratic Party and joined the GOP. He ran on the Republican ticket in 1996 for Polk County school superintendent in a losing effort. Two years ago, he left the Republicans and has not been affiliated with any political party since. He is running this campaign as an independent.