Confident in Kerry; Most delegates are behind him as the Democratic convention revs up.(A SECTION)

Byline: LLOYD DUNKELBERGER CAPITAL BUREAU

BOSTON -- Sue Bentley is one of Florida's 201 delegates who will be at the Democratic National Convention this week.

Like the overwhelming majority of the delegates, the Lakeland resident is enthusiastic about her party's presidential nominee, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, and his vice presidential running mate, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.

"I think Kerry is a man for our times," she said. "He's presidential. I don't think he would take us to war without hard evidence."

In addition to concerns over the war in Iraq, Bentley said, she would like to see a stronger economic recovery, producing higher paying jobs.

"You have to talk about meaningful jobs," she said. "Jobs that people can actually raise a family on and pay their rent and buy food."

A survey of 51 members of the Florida delegation by The New York Times/CBS News Poll shows that Bentley's concerns are shared by a majority of the respondents.

It's a …