Allen Bense Won't Challenge Katherine Harris In GOP Senate Primary

The Orlando Sun-Sentinel ^ | August 4, 2005 | Jason Garcia

[MinuteGal]

I can't wait to sink my Florida teeth into this campaign.

At last, after 6 years, we may elect a Republican lady cowboy!

Yippee Ki Ay!!!!!

Leni

[PGalt]

BUMP!

[fieldmarshaldj]

Assuming if Jeb doesn't want to be President, it would be the perfect way to cap off his career (a la Bob Graham).

[PhilDragoo]

[potlatch]

She certainly looks good there! Hey, you are finally putting your name on your graphics, good for you!

[Smartass]

Beautiful pic of Katherine Harris. She'd make a great U.S. Senator.

[JulieRNR21]

I've been a volunteer in her two Congressional races.

Congresswoman Harris is a tough campaigner and I know she'll work very hard to beat Nelson.

I've attended her debates with her Dem opponent and was impressed by her verbal skills and commmand of facts. After four years in the House she has a record of accomplishments and I believe she'll trounce Nelson in the debates.

As we observed in 2000, our 'Katherine the Great' is a steel magnolia who is blessed with brains, beauty, integrity and dedication to fulfilling the duties of her elected office.

She'll be a great Senator who will look out for the interests of Floridians!

[devolve]

Happy Trails!

[Lori675]

Only Rudy could beat Hillary in senate race in NY.
I think Rudy will run for governor or against Hillary.
I think he's gonna run against Hillary.
Being governor is one thing, but beating Hillary that would be the ultimate.

[zbigreddogz]

Even if he does, he certainly isn't going to get to be President by just doing nothing for the next 6-10 years.

The 'Senators Can't Get Elected' crap is a myth. The last 3 that have tried have been total yutzes, didn't have anything to do with being a Senator IMHO.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I would agree that being a Senator automatically doesn't mean one is disqualified, but for some reason, in the last 40 years or so, it seems to have become a higher hill to climb. The reason I would surmise, is that as a Senator, you have so many votes you cast (procedural or otherwise) that can give the opposition a mountain of evidence that can be used against you in a very negative light. Merely the fact that Bob Dole, for instance, was even in Congress serving in the leadership opposite Newt was enough to mortally wound his candidacy (even though it need not have). You end up carrying the burden of every other member of Congress with your party label. As a Governor, you tend to be judged more as an individual.

[floriduh voter]

bttt. www.electharris.org

[floriduh voter]

Jeb would lose and Gallagher will be the next Gov of Florida so he won't need to run for Senate.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Harris has nearly 100% name I.D., yet consistantly [sic] polls no better than 40% and trails by double digits. There is very little potential for growth."

---

Even if Harris has nearly 100% name ID (which I doubt, since not everyone watches cable news 24-7 and since probably 10% of 2006 Florida voters didn't even live in Florida in 2000), that does not mean that the *current impression* that Florida voters have of Harris will be the one they have *15 months from now* (which is several lifetimes in American politics). Arnold Schwarzenegger had nearly 100% name ID in 1987, 1995, 2003 and 2005, but the impression of Arnold that voters had in each of those moments was very different.

Katherine Harris and the GOP have 15 months to get the message out that Harris merely executed the law as written in the 2000 election, and thus prevented the Democrats from illegally winning Florida's (then) 25 electoral votes. They can also let voters know about her charity work, her principled stances on the issues, her congressional votes supporting the George W. Bush administration, and all of her other qualities that make her an ideal U.S. Senator from Florida. I am not worried at all about the ability of Harris and the GOP to change independent voters' impressions of her (if just a few independents switch from undecided to Harris, she should win, since her candidacy would bring increased conservative turnout), although I *am* somewhat concerned that the longer that poll-induced-alarmist Republicans gripe about her candidacy and publicly say that "she can't win" that it will become a self-fullfilling prophecy.

[BOBTHENAILER]

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH Baby. She might supplant Ann Coulter as my Conservo-babe, after your graphic.

[longtermmemmory]

what is done is done.

Has she come out in support of the Federal Marriage Amendment.

I think Nelson is vulnerable there.

[SierraWasp]

Is'er horse named "Buttermilk?"

[zbigreddogz]

although I *am* somewhat concerned that the longer that poll-induced-alarmist Republicans gripe about her candidacy and publicly say that "she can't win" that it will become a self-fullfilling prophecy.

Nail, meet head.

As I said before, I would probably perfer another candidate to run against Nelson, but since it doesn't look likely that any of them could win the primary, (since Jeb and Gallhager don't want in), I say gather round Harris and go for it.

[BOBTHENAILER]

I dunno, but I wanna be the saddle.

[floriduh voter]

bttt