Tallahassee lobbyist and longtime campaign adviser John ‘Mac’ Stipanovich dismisses those underfunded candidates who emerge and promise a mostly grass-roots campaign, built on glad-handing Florida voters.

Stipanovich is a campaign realist who served as chief of staff to ex-Gov. Bob Martinez and adviser to such political stars as Jeb Bush, Katherine Harris and Charlie Crist. He evokes a simple standard for statewide candidates:

The barbecue rule.