Posted on 10/17/2006 5:51:32 AM PDT by Happy Valley Dude
With three weeks until Election Day, U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris has less than $1 million in the bank, an amount that leaves her Senate campaign all but dead in the water, according to political analysts.
Unless Harris dumps millions of her own money into the campaign, there is little chance she'll dent the double-digit lead of Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.
"The outcome is all but preordained at this point," said Robert Jackson, a professor of political science at Florida State University.
University of Central Florida professor Aubrey Jewett agreed. "That is anemic," said Jewett. "She'd need a heck of a lot more money to even make it close."
As of Sept. 30, Harris had about $964,000 on hand, according to campaign-finance reports.
Nelson had about $6.8 million, or seven times as much.
Nelson had raised about $17 million, compared with Harris' $8.7 million.
About $3.25 million of her total comes from Harris' personal fortune.
Without a quick dose of cash, Harris can not afford meaningful airtime on Florida television stations.
It costs about $1 million a week to run commercials in the state's big markets.
Harris has not been on the air since the September primary.
Nelson's ads have been in running for the past few weeks.
His campaign has spent $6.3 million on TV ads. "They're very powerful, they're very positive, and they've been nonstop," said University of South Florida political analyst Susan MacManus. Harris, she said, "doesn't have a lot of options left."
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
She'd be throwing away money. I haven't seen anything to indicate she has much of a chance. That money might have been nice earlier but it won't be that useful three weeks out. She's going to lose so she might as well not throw away a small fortune to boot.
I would like to know just exacly how much the RNC has financially helped Katherine Harris. They pledged their support after her primary victory. Where are they?
This will help OTHER republicans as a Nelson landslide keeps democrats home.
We have other house races that NEED REPUBLICAN VOTES.
Harris may be near finished, but the others have a fighting chance. We need to keep the house!
GET OUT AND VOTE FOLKS!!!!!!
The lady wanted to reach the skies too prematurely. She should have stayed a congresswoman for another few years before she runs for a Senate bid. Now she almost has no chance of winning and not only that but the House seat in her district is now in jeopardy of being taken by a democrat.
My cat could beat any democrat in her district.
I am hearing and reading that the Republican hold on the House seat in her district is in great jeopardy? Is true or it is just another delusional thinking by the liberal media and their biased polls? How strong of Republican leaning is that district?
If the Demo tidal wave is as strong as they try to make us think it is, even Harris probably would be vulnerable if she ran for reelection. She won twice with about 55% as I recall. I must check again but I think the vote for GWB in that district was also not too high, in the mid 50s range. Still it ought to be securely GOP. Not sure what's gone wrong there. Hopefully a big victory by Crist for governor will help carry in other Repubs.
Plate her, put her on the pickup counter and ring for the waitress. She's done.
It's a shame.
This is a seat we should have won, and a seat we well might need.
Yes, it is a seat that should have been easily won with the right candidate. KH was not that candidate. Some really bad decisions have been made, and not just in Florida.
Tell me about it. I've got Jeanine Pirro on my ballot....
And how does one explain or justify Hillary's win of a Senate seat? Is there really a distinction here that the Republicans must recognize but that means nothing to Democrats?
Just because a person has an unstable personality and apparently lies for no good reason, that is no justification for denying her a Senate seat, is it?
I'm talking about Hillary.
Hillary was running for a vacant Senate seat. If she was running against a Republican incumbent she would have less chance of winning. Beside New York is one of the most liberal states in the country.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
We don't always have to be cheerleaders for the GOP. Sometimes it's helpful to have a discussion rooted in reality.
After all, nobody here is going to stay home on November 7th because we said Harris squandered our chance to pick up a Senate seat.
I'm sure if we think happy thoughts the disaster that has been the Harris campaign will magically fix itself and she'll win.
"Yes, it is a seat that should have been easily won with the right candidate"
A damn good point. A poor job by my own statesLibby Dole of recruiting candidates can be pointed at for one reason we will lose this winnable seat.
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