First off their votes probably won't count anyway, but they are very fearful of offending Republicans by endorsing one or the other.
Actually they say it is the rural voters they might offend. Those "rural voters"...whatever the heck group they are realy referring to...are becoming God Almighty important now.
You have to remember that Florida is rife with Blue Dog Democrats. It is what makes us so different than other states. They have switched parties so often, they are a blend of both parties with loyalty to neither.
In fact the Blue Dogs here supported and helped
elect Jeb Bush as governor.City voters don't count anymore...even though there are more of us. Just the rural white voters. Well, I am an urban white voter, and I count. I am sure black voters in cities think they count, too.
Read some of the comments from the St. Pete Times.
Blue Dog superdelegates hope to dodge the Clinton-or-Obama questionAbout half of the Blue Dog Coalition, a cadre of moderate to conservative Democrats in the U.S. House, have yet to endorse anybody. If they have their way, the contest will end before they must.
..."It's hard to justify racing out early to support a candidate for president who probably won't win a majority of votes in your district.
"Most of us represent districts that are in large part independent, moderate districts," said Rep. Allen Boyd, a Blue Dog co-chairman from Monticello, near Tallahassee, who remains uncommitted. Some of them have a real good, heavy Republican bent. A lot of them are districts that President Bush won. And in an election, there's no mandate to make a decision until the election comes about."
And, he pointed out, that election won't come about until the Democratic National Convention — in late August.
Boyd, the bluest of the Blue Dogs.
Many are like Rep. Tim Mahoney, a freshman Blue Dog from Palm Beach Gardens whose district runs from the Atlantic Ocean through the conservative, rural interior to Port Charlotte on the Gulf Coast. Mahoney won with just 49.5 percent of the vote in 2006, even though his Republican predecessor, Rep. Mark Foley, resigned in disgrace just weeks before the election. Bush won the district by 10 percentage points in 2004, and Republicans have high hopes for retaking the seat this year. Clinton and Obama each have sought Mahoney's support, but he's not hitching his wagon to either.
"Hillary is very popular in places like Palm Beach, but when you get out to Okeechobee, it's a different story," Mahoney explained
Geez, Tim. No Democrat will win president in the Okeechobee area.
Mahoney said something really disturbing.
"You don't want to do anything that's just not natural, whether it's taking a shot or going bowling," Mahoney said. "There's one group of people you can't kid, and that's rural America. People out in Okeechobee and Highland counties, they see phony a mile away. You either play there or you don't."
I am not from Okeechobee, but I once lived in Highland County. They often fall for phonies they can have a beer with. I know, I have seen it happen.
Me, I can spot all kinds of phonies lately in my own party. Pandering to the ones who are more than likely going to vote for the Republican anyway because it is the tough guy thing to do.
One more thing from Mahoney, who was a Republican recruited by Rahm...only turned Democrat to run in this party. No sooner.
Instead, the candidates should do a better job of applying their platforms for improving education, jobs and health care to rural areas, Mahoney advised. Then they'll get more support from Blue Dogs and the people they represent. He said he has had that conversation with Obama and Clinton, as well as their surrogates.
"I have told their supporters there's a big chunk of uncommitted Blue Dog delegates, and we're waiting to see what they're going to do for rural America. What's their agenda? What are they going to do for our constituents? And we're still waiting."
Good Lord, Tim Mahoney, where HAVE you been, fellow?
We had a good Democratic candidate in that race until Rahm Emanuel and Karen Thurman paid a visit to Mahoney. The Democrats running were forced out of the race so a Republican could run against the vacant seat of Mark Foley. Mahoney just barely barely won.
I often wonder how things would have been if the party had not forced
Dave Lutrin out 
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