Palm Beach Post - Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween eve campaigning in Lake Worth

By Willie Howard (reporter/Palm Beach Post)

LAKE WORTH - Honking horns and cheering drivers greeted supporters of city commission candidates in front of city hall Friday afternoon as both the election season and Halloween were in full swing.

Sam Goodstein wore a joker’s cap for Halloween while holding signs for District 4 city commission candidate Rene Varela and presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Varela was standing nearby at the corner of Lake Avenue and Dixie, holding the same pair of signs against a blustery wind.

“I’m running, but this is the one I’m excited about,” Varela said, pointing to the Obama sign.

Less than a minute later, the sound of a group of young ladies chanting “Obama, Obama” wafted from the window of a passing car.

Dave Simms showed his Cara Jennings sign to passing cars in front of city hall and said he also supports Suzanne Mulvehill in the District 4 race.

A member of the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition, Simms said he likes Jennings for her pro-environment, anti-development posture.

“I want someone who will control development,” he said. “She’s a grass-roots candidate.”

The scene at 10th Avenue North and Dixie included a campaign volunteer in a bear suit and a woman walking a small dog that seemed to be dressed as a hotdog, all of which drew lots of honks from passing motorists.

Final campaign contribution reports were due at 5 p.m. on Halloween, but most probably were sent by mail as only two commission candidates, Varela and John Jordan, had delivered theirs to the city clerk’s office Friday.

As of Oct. 17, Jennings, the District 2 incumbent, had raised the most money in the city commission race: $16,002.

District 2 challenger Mary Lindsey was not far behind, with $14,938. Jordan reported $25.

In District 4, incumbent Dave Vespo had raised the most, with $12,200. That’s nearly twice as much Varela ($6,903) and Mulvehill ($6952) as of the Oct. 17 filing.