Campaigning on a budget

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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Carol Castagnero's campaign is on her T-shirt and her headquarters in her trunk.

Charlie Crist, Tom Gallagher, Jim Davis and even Rod Smith are getting lots of publicity in the race for governor.

But there are 19 candidates who want to lead the state. And some of them that you may not know about live in the Bay area.

"Right now I've been to every single county in the whole state of Florida," Democrat Carol Castagnero said. "I have a motion to roll the window down and keep showing them the little square I have."

It's not your average strategy to lure voters. Castagnero's T-shirt is her campaign slogan - to do away with state-wide FCAT testing - and her headquarters is the trunk of her station wagon.

"This is a method you don't have to spend that much money," Castagnero said.

And the retired Lakeland educator doesn't have much money to spend. But she thinks she can win the race.

"Oh yes, I'm going to win," Castagnero said. "It isn't do I think, I am."

Just miles away from Castagnero, another Bay area candidate is setting up shop and plotting his own strategy.

Max Linn said his first priority would be getting big interests out of Tallahassee. As a member of the Reform party, he's trying to keep the governor's mansion away from Democrats and Republicans.

Florida, more than any other state in the country, is ready for a third-

Max Linn is running as a Reform Party candidate.

party candidate. But USF government professor Judithanne McLauchlan said it's not that easy.

"It's extremely difficult for a third party to win a seat," McLauchlan said.

Unless you're rich like Ross Perot or famous like Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura.

"Jesse Ventura, who I had lunch with two days ago, didn't raise the money and he split the two parties in half," Linn said.

Linn is vowing to invest a million dollars of his own money into the campaign. And he said Ventura will come out to help him, rubbing off some star power.

Linn may have the name recognition along Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, but he's still considered a long shot in the governor's race. He is safe for the primary, however, and has until November to win over voters.

As for Castagnero, the September primary will determine whether her button campaign and road trips will keep her in the race.

A third-party candidate has only held a statewide office in Florida once. Almost a century ago in the 1920s, voters elected a member of the Prohibition party to be the governor of Florida. Sidney Johnston Catts was Florida's 22nd governor.

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