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September 2, 1999 |
CONTACT: |
Sean Pittman |
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LOGAN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE TO BE ADVISED BY NORTH WOODS ADVERTISING AND SWINGTREE ASSOCIATES
MIAMI -- At a news conference today, the Willie Logan for United States Senate Exploratory Committee announced that North Woods Advertising of Minneapolis, MN and Swingtree Associates of Woodstock, VA will advise Representative Logan and his Exploratory Committee. Representative Logan is presently considering entering the election to replace U.S. Senator Connie Mack, who is retiring. North Woods Advertising was the media firm behind Minnesota Democrat Paul Wellstone's upset election in 1990-- the only challenger in the U.S. that year to upset an incumbent U.S. Senator. Wellstone won despite a spending disadvantage of less than $1 million versus the incumbent, Rudy Boschwitz, who spent over $8 million on the election. North Woods was also the media and strategy firm behind Jesse Ventura's stunning victory in last fall's Minnesota gubernatorial election, making Governor Ventura the first Reform Party candidate in U.S. history to be elected to high office. Similar to Wellstone, Ventura won with less than $500,000 despite being outspent by his two opponents by more than $12 million. His election has been called the biggest political upset of the last 50 years. In recent weeks, North Woods President Bill Hillsman traveled to Los Angeles to consult with actor Warren Beatty about possibly entering the 2000 Presidential race. He commented that Mr. Logan and Mr. Beatty are in similar situations. "Both Warren Beatty and Willie Logan are giving very careful consideration to very big decisions. They are interested in our opinions and our experience with multi-candidate elections, running nontraditional campaigns, and attracting back into the democratic process what we call `unlikely voters'-- that 40%-60% of the electorate, mostly young people, who feel alienated by the current political system and who show their distaste for the current state of politics by staying home." Swingtree Associates' principal Billy Sublett has been involved in Florida politics for years, having served as Project Director in 1986 for the Florida Democratic Party and U.S. Senator Bob Graham coordinating GOTV statewide efforts as well as election day efforts for South Florida. In 1990, Sublett served as strategist for the Florida State Senate's Democratic "Victory Campaign," overseeing the execution of targeted races and resulting in Democrats retaining control of the Florida Senate, despite press accounts that had conceded Senate control to the Republicans prior to election day. He has worked in a variety of capacities providing strategic consulting as political director, campaign manager, field director, and finance director over the past twenty years in Florida, Virginia, Alabama, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Nebraska. Mike Abrams, Campaign Chair of the Logan Exploratory Committee, said "We are excited that these two organizations have agreed to lend their counsel to Willie Logan as he deliberates whether Floridians would benefit by having him in the race. Both Mr. Sublett and Mr. Hillsman bring a creative and distinctly non-Washington perspective to our discussions. With their help, Mr. Logan can concentrate on what Florida's looking for in its next U.S. Senator, not inside-the-Beltway handicapping of who's raised the most money this month or who's ahead in this week's poll. Willie Logan knows that simply doesn't count when it comes time to vote. If Willie runs, he wants to be prepared to meet the challenge of changing Florida for the better. That's what this election should be about." Willie Logan has served in the Florida House of Representatives since 1982, representing the city of Opa-locka and Northwest Miami-Dade county. Prior to his election to the Florida House at the age of 23, he was elected Mayor of Opa-locka, at the time the youngest mayor in the United States. In the Florida legislature, Representative Logan has consistently ranked as one of the Florida House's most effective members. Following both the 1998 and 1999 sessions, Logan was ranked "most effective Democrat in the Legislature" and has been commended on his ability to work on a bipartisan basis to secure support for constituents and issues across the state. In 1980, the same year he ran for mayor of Opa-locka, Logan formed the Opa-locka Community Development Corporation and has served as its president and chief executive since its founding. Since 1980, the Opa-locka CDC has built over 1,000 new units of affordable housing, rehabbed numerous residential and commercial units, and revitalized the business district of Northwest Miami-Dade. Logan has repeatedly stated that his mission is always to advance the interests of the community he has represented, both residentially and commercially. Campaign Chair Mike Abrams said there is no definitive timetable for Mr. Logan to make his final decision. "The one piece of advice Willie has received from everyone is that he should take as much time as he needs to make such an important decision," said Abrams. "The November 2000 vote is a long way off. Florida needs a candidate that has thought through the process, not someone rushing into the race to make a name and raise money for themselves without regard to what they would do if elected." |
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