62-year-old woman attends first political rally

TAMPA -- Marching from the Raymond James Stadium parking lot to George M. Steinbrenner Field late Monday morning in a Barak Obama T-shirt, Dawn Valenti said it was a first.

The 62-year-old St. Petersburg woman said she never had attended a political rally. She said she never wanted to. She hasn't been excited about a candidate since John F. Kennedy.

But it's different with Obama, Valenti said. In fact, this year she volunteered for the campaign, and she said she's planning to vote early right after the event.

"I want to see the next president," Valenti said. "Because he will be the next president."

Kim Wilmath, Times staff writer

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