TAMPA TRIBUNE VIA PLANT CITY COURIER
Plant City always rolls out red carpet for big-name politicians -
Sarah Palin’s visit to the Florida Strawberry Festival in support of Donald Trump is just the latest example of political heavyweights making campaign swings through the winter berry growing capital.
Candidates for office and their key supporters are drawn to Plant City by many factors, including the confidence they’ll receive a warm welcome, said Art Wood, a local resident and longtime supporter of Republican candidates.
“People here are very nice,” said Wood, a retired credit union president. “They make you feel right at home. The candidates know people will be friendly toward them.”
Palin spent nearly an hour on March 13 mingling with visitors – and presumably voters – at the festival grounds. Her visit brought national attention to Plant City, including by TV networks and People magazine.
The former Alaska governor followed in the footsteps of both President George H.W. Bush and his son, President George W. Bush, in visiting Plant City during the annual celebration of the strawberry harvest.
During the 2008 race for the White House, both Democrat Barack Obama and the GOP’s John McCain made campaign stops at Parkesdale Farm Market, a short distance from the festival. Palin was McCain’s running mate.
Wood, who served as GOP county chairman when Tampa hosted the 2012 Republican National Convention, said while it doesn’t have a large population, Plant City has proven itself a political barometer.
“Plant City is a good reflection (of the political climate) of Florida, and Florida is a good reflection of the nation,” he said. “It’s almost like a little lab where they can test their ideas.”
And Plant City rolls out the red carpet, Wood added. When Palin stopped by the festival, she arrived to cheers and applause from festival visitors, and festival General Manager Paul Davis, President Dan Walden and other officials were on hand to welcome and escort her as she stopped by the Parkesdale fruit stand and the St. Clement Catholic Church make-your-own shortcake booth.
Chris Ingram, a Tampa-based political consultant, said Plant City is particularly popular with Republicans.
“It’s a conservative bastion,” he said. “It’s a matter of demographics.”
The senior member of the city commission, Mike Sparkman, said President George H.W. Bush was probably the first major politician to visit festival in 1984, while he served as Ronald Regan’s vice president. Sparkman credits the late Roy Parke, a longtime strawberry farmer, with helping Plant City and the festival get an occasional piece of the national political stage.
“Roy was very good at promoting strawberries, the festival and Plant City. He knew what it would take to raise our profile and he did it,” Sparkman said.
One of Parke’s grandchildren, Kristen Hitchcock, recalls as a youngster interacting with President Bush during his visit to the strawberry festival.
Hitchcock’s children, 12-year-old Hunter, 8-year-old twins Hailey and Hannah and their 9-year-old cousin, Halle Johnson, had the same opportunity with Palin.
Hitchcock said she was glad her children and nephew will have a similar story to share as they grow up.
“I was about the same age as my twins. It was quite the experience,” she said.
Twitter: @dnicholsonTBO
dnicholson@tampatrib.com
