"It seems to me that you should be fixing your roof when the sun is shining," Bradley said. "Now is the time for us to strengthen our social fabric which will be the basic foundation for all future economic growth."

The $1,000-a-plate dinner held at the home of Miami developer Jeff Berkowitz raised about $200,000, Bradley's campaign said.

The former senator from New Jersey said he wants to protect the environment and "be the steward of a good economy that takes people to a higher economic level."

He said that as president, he would maintain a prudent fiscal policy, open more markets abroad and push for the lowest possible tax rate for the largest number of Americans.

"Clearly Florida is going to be an important state," said Tony Wyche, Bradley's campaign spokesman. "It's one where we can do very well focusing on the issues on which he is talking -- health care, gun control, environmental issues."

Vice President Al Gore is the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination and was about 20 points ahead of Bradley in a recent Florida poll.

But some Florida supporters of President Clinton have signed on with the Bradley campaign, which has heated up in the state within the past two or three months and has shown surprising strength in fund raising.

Democrats and political analysts in Florida say Bradley has moved quickly to build an organization and has an appeal with Northeasterners who have settled in southern Florida and with other Democrats across the state.