Opinion: This Florida Democrat simply wants to ignore the presidential race

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Rep. Tim Mahoney of Florida knows his election to the House in 2006 was a fluke. He’s the Democrat who happened to be on the ballot when a late-breaking sex scandal sunk the career of the seemingly entrenched Republican incumbent, Mark Foley. And even with that, Mahoney barely won his seat.

So as Mahoney seeks reelection in a Palm Beach-area district where Republicans are in the majority, what’s his attitude toward his party’s presidential race? About as hands off as he can get away with.

Mahoney, a superdelegate to the Democratic convention by virtue of his office, didn’t make a pick when Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were battling each other. Now that Obama has triumphed, Mahoney still plans to remain uncommitted. And, he told the Palm Beach Post, he may just skip the party confab in Denver this summer.

‘I wasn’t elected to be a role model as to how people should vote,’ Mahoney told his hometown newspaper. ‘People in my district are smart enough to decide.’

And probably smart enough to recognize a politician ducking for cover.

-- Don Frederick