How Frontrunners Stumble.

The Miami Herald provides a cautionary tale on a sure bet for governor of Florida who has fallen behind a wealthy insurgent Republican.  Attorney General Bill McCollum was headed for the Republican nomination for governor when he ran into rich rookie Rick Scott.

Here’s the essence of the story.  It’ll sound familiar to anyone who watched the Simmons-McMahon contest unfold.

In an interview, McCollum acknowledged “angst” among his supporters but predicted he would triumph as the only “battle-tested” Republican running for governor.

“The person who has a record for everybody to see is going to be there,” McCollum said. “On the other hand, there’s a fellow [Scott] that people don’t know who he is, and when they find out who he is, it’s not going to be a pretty picture.”

But McCollum has some convincing to do in his own camp.

“To put it in marketing terms, McCollum’s brand is not well-identified despite a long career of service to Florida,” said Greg Truax, a Tampa grass-roots volunteer who has donated to McCollum’s campaign. “Gen. McCollum needs to communicate the fundamental points of difference with Rick Scott.”