Pubdate: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 Source: Florida Today (FL) Copyright: 2002 Florida Today Contact: http://www.floridatoday.com/forms/services/letters.htm Website: http://www.flatoday.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/532 Author: Anthony Lorenzo NEEDELMAN HAD AN UNFAIR BATTLE Congratulations to State Rep. Mitch Needelman for his re-election victory. I guess he deserves our praise for outspending Jodi James by $110,500. I bet it is hard to beat an opponent who is a convicted drug dealer, only raised $4,500 to campaign with, and who is a single mother living below the poverty level. The voters in Brevard County seem very uninformed indeed. Needelman took money from Enron in 2000. People like Jodi James may not have the poster-child past we like to see in our politicians. However, how can you deny that James is working to better our communities whether you agree with her on drug issues or not? We all agree the drug war is not working. Do we really need more voices on that side? Who will get a debate going in Tallahassee to challenge this war on us that keeps more than two million people imprisoned nationwide? When the people of Brevard County are ready, James will be there to give them a real choice. And to her, way to go: $4,500 for 33 percent of the vote. Not bad. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens