Gore cites oil spill in fundraising for Fla. gov hopeful Sink

Former Vice President Al Gore is highlighting the need to further respond to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and stimulate a still-lagging economy in a fundraising e-mail sent Monday for Democrat Alex Sink’s gubernatorial effort in Florida.
 
Gore's e-mail — sent on the first day early voting starts in the Florida governor’s race — asks for $10 contributions to Sink’s campaign against Republican Rick Scott to succeed Gov. Charlie Crist.
 
“To get the economy back on track and recover from the oil spill, Florida needs a leader with Alex’s business experience,” Gore states in the e-mail. “The stakes in this race are too high for anyone to stay on the sidelines.
 
“With Early Voting starting today, the reality is that this week could decide the election — which is why Alex needs your help to expand her outreach efforts now,” Gore adds. “This election will go down to the wire, and the $10 contribution you make today — which allows Alex’s campaign to knock on a few more doors or run one more TV ad — could be what decides this election.”

The race continues to be one of the closest gubernatorial contests in the nation, with a recent Rasmussen Report poll showing Scott ahead by three points, 50 percent to 47.
 
In September, Gore campaigned for Florida Democratic Senate hopeful Rep. Kendrick Meek. The Nobel Prize-winning climate crusader also has helped Ohio Senate Democratic candidate Lee Fisher and is sending a video out to supporters of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) attacking the global-warming views of his Republican challenger, Charles Baker.