Pat Caddell, the legendary pollster and pundit who died this week at the relatively young age of 68, had roots in Jacksonville.

The son of a member of the Coast Guard, Caddell moved several times as a child but was in Jacksonville when he attended high school.

As a school project, he devised a way to spot election outcomes from early returns and displayed it during the elections at the time of consolidation.

It gained him notice from politicians such as Fred Schultz of Jacksonville and led to a career in politics, most notably in helping Jimmy Carter get elected president.

He was also the one who told Carter on the eve of the 1980 election that Carter was only going to serve one term.

Caddell became soured on Democrat politicians in later life but fellow pollsters said he was always meticulous and accurate in his forecasts.