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Former Sen. Bob Smith weighs a run … in Florida
TheHill.Com ^ | 01/29/09 | Aaron Blake

Posted on 02/04/2009 10:12:15 AM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla

Former Sen. Bob Smith (R-N.H.) is thinking about running for the Senate again in 2010, but not in the state that sent him to Washington the first time.
Smith, who moved to Florida since losing to John Sununu in the 2002 GOP primary, is now looking at running for the open seat left by retiring Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.).
According to the New Hampshire Union-Leader, Smith has sent an e-mail to supporters seeking their input on the race.
“The purpose of this letter is to simply ask for your opinion as to whether I should be a candidate,” Smith said, according to the paper. “If I were to become the next senator from Florida, the 18 years of seniority from my service in New Hampshire would make me one of the most senior Republicans in the U.S. Senate.”
Smith served two terms in the Senate and three in the House. His defeat came after he repudiated the Republican Party during an ill-fated run for president in 2000.
Soon after losing reelection, he moved to the Sunshine State to sell real estate.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Florida; US: New Hampshire
KEYWORDS: bobsmith; election; fl2010; florida; newhampshire; senate; smith
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Smith is certainly conservative enough, is rather old, and not a matinee idol. Florida is friendlier than other states to carpetbaggers, since most Floridians are carpetbaggers. What do you think?
1 posted on 02/04/2009 10:12:16 AM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Soon after losing reelection, he moved to the Sunshine State to sell real estate.

I imagine that didn't work out too well.

2 posted on 02/04/2009 10:27:08 AM PST by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius, (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla

Bob Smith knows the RINO’s of the Republican party. He really isn’t one of them. I think he could be a good representative for the conservatives for the state but not necessarily the Republicans of the state.


3 posted on 02/04/2009 10:29:14 AM PST by A_Tradition_Continues (formerly known as Politicalwit ...05/28/98...Ain't no Newbie!)
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To: Menehune56

Actually, Bob has due very well in the Florida real estate market.


4 posted on 02/04/2009 10:33:17 AM PST by A_Tradition_Continues (formerly known as Politicalwit ...05/28/98...Ain't no Newbie!)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Bob Smith endorsed John Kerry in 2004.

He's no conservative.

5 posted on 02/04/2009 10:35:29 AM PST by LdSentinal
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla

Smith seems like an OK guy, but Jeb will hand him his head in the primary.


6 posted on 02/04/2009 10:46:57 AM PST by rfp1234 (Phodopus campbelli: household ruler since July 2007.)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla

Good, Senator Smith was an ally of Senator (”NO”) Helms when he was there. I hope he does run”: does anyone have the link to Senator Smith’s preliminary campaign: I would like to encourage him to run again?..


7 posted on 02/04/2009 12:06:24 PM PST by JSDude1 (R(epublicans) In Name Only SUCK; D(emocrats) In Name Only are worth their weight..)
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To: LdSentinal

I’d like to know his reasoning (in 2004) becuase GWB was no conservative earlier..Sen. Smith may have merely recognized this fact earlier than most of us (heck I am a Constitutionalist/Conservative/Libertarian and if I COULD go back I’d vote against GWB too [(with the hope we get a real conservative on teh Rep. Ticket if he’s kicked out)]!


8 posted on 02/04/2009 12:09:39 PM PST by JSDude1 (R(epublicans) In Name Only SUCK; D(emocrats) In Name Only are worth their weight..)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla

HELL NO!


9 posted on 02/04/2009 12:15:16 PM PST by MassachusettsGOP (May the West and Republicans Always Win...)
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To: JSDude1
His reasoning is because of sour grapes. He lost the 2002 NH Senate primary to Sununnu.

And now he's become another Bob Barr.

10 posted on 02/04/2009 12:36:09 PM PST by LdSentinal
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To: LdSentinal
And now he's become another Bob Barr.

Bob Barr did not run in the GOP primary, apparently Smith would.

11 posted on 02/04/2009 12:43:37 PM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla ("men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." -- Edmund Burke)
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To: rfp1234
Jeb will hand him his head in the primary.

That would be good, bur Jeb announced last month that he isn't a candidate.

12 posted on 02/04/2009 12:45:18 PM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla ("men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." -- Edmund Burke)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Bob Barr did not run in the GOP primary, apparently Smith would.

After stabbing Republicans in the back a second time, best of luck to this turncoat.

13 posted on 02/04/2009 12:51:28 PM PST by LdSentinal
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To: LdSentinal
After stabbing Republicans in the back a second time, best of luck to this turncoat.

According to wiki 'In 2004, Smith endorsed John Kerry for president, citing the growing federal deficit and Kerry's plan to balance the federal budget.' While Smith is not a conventional politician by any means, his stated reason is something most Freepers have sympathised with. In addition he supported Duncan Hunter for President last year.

14 posted on 02/04/2009 1:38:37 PM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla ("men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." -- Edmund Burke)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Kerry's plan was to raise taxes and not cut spending.

No conservative would endorse that.

Smith's endorsement of Kerry was not due to Kerry's plan; it was due to sour grapes of losing.

Smith has no principles.

15 posted on 02/04/2009 1:45:25 PM PST by LdSentinal
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To: LdSentinal

I am sorry, I did not realize that you were such an intimate friend of Senator Smith that you know his private thoughts on that occasion.


16 posted on 02/04/2009 2:02:54 PM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla ("men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." -- Edmund Burke)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla

Senate set is Crist’s if he wants it.
NOt my choice I assure ya.


17 posted on 02/04/2009 2:36:32 PM PST by Joe Boucher (An enemy of Islam)
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To: Joe Boucher
Senate set is Crist’s if he wants it.

Anybody know how hard it is to run independently for Senator in Florida?

18 posted on 02/04/2009 2:52:29 PM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla ("men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." -- Edmund Burke)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla

I could be wrong but I thought only Strom Thurmand won a senate seat as an independent?


19 posted on 02/04/2009 3:34:14 PM PST by Joe Boucher (An enemy of Islam)
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To: Joe Boucher

Actually there have been a fair number of independent and third party Senate victors, two of them (Leiberman and Sanders) are serving right now. Thurmond is the only Senator ever elected as a write in candidate.


20 posted on 02/04/2009 5:38:53 PM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla ("men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." -- Edmund Burke)
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