EUSTIS-- Motorcycles are not the typical transportation for U.S. Senate candidates, but Willie Logan is no typical politician.  

At 3:50 p.m., the Independent running for Republican Connie Mack's open seat rode into Eustis on the back of a Yamaha Star, stopping at City Hall to speak to city commissioners and walking down the street to pass out campaign materials to shop owners and discuss issues with citizens downtown.

With two traveling aides who haven't yet earned college degrees, a polo shirt instead of a tie, and a noticeable lack of hype surrounding his visit, Logan was clearly riding into town an underdog.
Without the campaign dollars that his Republican and Democrat opponents have behind them, the glamorless image seems unlikely to change any time soon. But according to the ex-Democrat who almost became the state's Speaker of the House, his underdog status may be the only advantage he has in this, his first run for a national office.

"People admire you for taking on a big challenge," he said. "They admire that sort of courage."

Walking around downtown Eustis shaking hands with passers-by, some of that admiration shined through on passers-by.  One man gave a big thumbs-up and good luck after hearing Logan was Independent.  Another complimented him for dropping his partisanship so he no longer had to bow to a party.

"Voters are much more interested in the candidate than the party," he said.

While that may be true, Logan still has to overcome a huge detriment in the fund-raising department. With no party loyalists to turn to and no support from a local, state or national party committee, getting his name out will be difficult without the same amount of advertising some of his opponents have.

In the Republican Party, Education Commissioner Tom Gallagher and U.S. Rep. Bob McCollum are still engaged in a fierce and highly publicized primary battle. Many polls still show both of these candidates behind Insurance Commissioner Bill Nelson, the Democratic candidate for the office.

With a lack of publicity and few dollars to waste on advertisements, Logan is getting his name out the old-fashioned way. He's telling it to people himself.

So many elements of the Logan campaign are unusual- the motorcycle, the lack of party affiliation - yet he is returning to an old-style of campaigning in many ways. His current tour of the state is reminiscent of the late Gov. Lawton Chiles' successful "Walkin' Lawton" campaign, in which he walked the state on foot visiting cities to shake hands and talk with citizens about issues. Neither major party has candidates who have started a campaign tour for this election cycle yet.

"Most candidates spend most of the season raising money, then in the last 45 days they start an advertising blitz," he said. "I know this is not how people campaign anymore." 

On some levels, the grass-roots, retail campaign style is working. He is showing up fourth in polls of candidates from all parties. Though he can not yet reach the major party races, he is doing much better than the other 15 candidates running as Independents or under third parties.

This gain is partially due to Logan's own name recognition. In 1997, Logan was the House Democratic Leader-elect, but never took the position. In a controversial move, he left the party shortly afterward, complaining that the Democratic Party was no longer trying to help black
communities but was still relying on their support statewide.

Logan said he is banking on people's cynicism concerning partisan politics. He said the fact that 19 candidates are running for the U.S. Senate seat shows the difference in the political atmosphere of the state.

"When Graham ran in 1998, there were just two candidates. When Connie Mack ran in 1994, there were just two candidates then," he said. "This is the first time voters' party loyalty has ever been truly tested in this state."

Of course, this is also the first time since Connie Mack originally took office in 1988 that there has been an open U.S. Senate seat. In that race, there were four candidates, two from each major party.

Logan and other third-party candidates are taking advantage of recent changes in election laws in the state, including Amendment 11 that opens primaries to Independent voters where they can decide races and several new election statutes that require a lower percentage of voter support to be placed on the ballot in a general election.

"It wasn't until 1998 that a non-party-affiliated candidate could have access to the ballot. Then all the barriers were removed," Logan said.

With 17 percent of voters in the state currently registered as Independents and national trends all
moving toward less major party loyalty, Logan said now is the first time there has been a chance for someone to get a major office.

Many of the citizens in Eustis who Logan spoke to said they were impressed with a candidate running for such a prominent office without the support of the Democratic or Republican party.

One of his stops was at Bay Pharmacy. Pharmacy representative Robin Graham said she was surprised to see a Senate candidate visiting small towns in the state, especially one running as an Independent.

"I think he's got a lot of courage," she said.

Virginia Ritter, a registered Democrat, said she likes seeing an independent campaign and also likes seeing a black on the ballot for an office no black man in Florida has ever held. She and Logan discussed the need for more government subsidization of pharmaceutical prescriptions,
one of the major issues Logan is supporting.

"It's on the Gore campaign, and I'm really interested in that issue because it affects so many people," she said.

Ritter said after speaking to Logan, she would definitely start keeping an eye on his campaign.
Republican Clarence Reeves said he would do the same.

"I was surprised when he said he was an Independent," he said. "You have to pay attention to someone like that."

As for the entrance on a motorcycle, Reeves was less impressed. "I hope he wins something so we can get him a car," he said.