Klein zeroes in on topics crucial to voters
Published November 19, 2005

Sun Sentinel, by Anthony Mann

During an 18-minute speech this week, congressional candidate Ron Klein showed a sharper edge as he focused on a handful of issues that could resonate with voters.

His issues reflect average peoples' priorities: gasoline prices and the continuing dependence on imported oil; the electric system, including pricing and the reliability of the grid in hurricane-prone Florida; and the high cost of insurance.

He's hoping such everyday concerns help him unseat U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale. The Boca Raton state senator said his congressional bid is considered one of the three top races in the country.

Klein's been into insurance for years, even before it became the high-profile topic it is in the wake of two years of hurricanes.

Klein has long called for a national catastrophic insurance fund, which would offer cheaper reinsurance to companies. Reinsurance is coverage that insurance companies buy to cover part of their risk.

As Klein was raising the issue again before the Democratic Professionals Forum in West Palm Beach, a Shaw press release came out reporting that he and U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brookville, were introducing legislation to establish a federal reinsurance catastrophic fund.

In many ways the 100 or so who gathered to hear Klein at lunch were as interesting as the candidate.

Among them was Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent Art Johnson. Asked if he supports Klein, Johnson said, "I'm a Democrat and he's a Democrat," then added that he tries in his professional life to work with everyone, regardless of party. When pressed, he said he'd never before been to a Democratic Professionals Forum gathering, and the only reason he attended was because of Klein.

Also present was former Palm Beach Gardens Councilwoman Annie Marie Delgado. Though a Republican, Delgado said she's always had a great relationship with Klein.