Throughout the campaign, Fruit told the meeting, she had explained that the only way to end the horrors of war and economic depression is to organize a struggle to overthrow capitalist rule and replace it with a government of workers and farmers.

Campaign supporters had linked up with protests against the impending U.S.-led war against Iraq, and in actions opposing attacks on workers’ rights, she said. They had joined a January 24 action in defense of Sami Al-Arian, a professor at the University of South Florida (USF), who had been fired from his teaching position and banned from campus for his outspoken defense of the Palestinian struggle.

On February 20, Al-Arian and three others were arrested by the FBI and indicted as "terrorists." Fruit invited campaign supporters to attend a speakout in defense of Al-Arian sponsored by the Militant Labor Forum. "The U.S. government is painting the word ‘terrorist’ with a broader and broader brush every day, hoping eventually to include everyone who opposes their drive to war," she said. "In the eyes of the capitalist rulers, we are all Muslim terrorists."

Participants watched a video recording of a League of Women Voters debate involving Fruit and the other candidates, and an interview with the socialist candidate that had been screened on the local ABC Action News. They also listened to a 20-minute interview broadcast on WMNF-FM radio.

The Oracle, a USF daily, also interviewed Fruit. Its February 6 issue had reported a candidates’ debate on the campus attended by about 200 people. The candidates also faced off in a February 18 debate at the Seminole Heights Baptist Church.

During these events Fruit explained that the nearly $1 billion bond debt owed by this city of 313,600 people is a channel to transfer wealth from working people to the banks and other financial institutions.  
 
Trade with Cuba
Trade with Cuba was an issue during the campaign. Most of Fruit’s opponents favored such commerce, saying that the Port of Tampa should get in on the exchange in agricultural products that is currently allowed by the U.S. government.

For her part, Fruit called for an end to the U.S. government’s economic sanctions against Cuba. At the same time, she said, "We do not see Cuba as a business opportunity, but as an example for workers and farmers. Cuba is the only country in the world where a revolutionary government is in power, representing the interests of workers and farmers, who are guaranteed the use of their land--something that family farmers in the U.S. are interested in learning more about."

University of South Florida student John Monroe told the Militant that the socialist campaign had made a lot of sense to him. "For the first time in my life, I have been exposed to people that give me logical reasons for the world’s problems," he said. "Rachele and the other socialists aren’t afraid to stand up and speak out for what they believe."

There will be a run off election on March 25 between Pam Iorio, who until recently was the county supervisor of elections, and Frank Sanchez, a former member of the Clinton administration.

In the March 4 vote, a municipal referendum expanding the time period for petitioning to get a candidate’s name on the ballot from 53 days to 130 days was passed. The referendum did not change the required number of valid signatures, which is 3,137 for mayor and 785 for city council.  
 
 
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