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Posted on 06/27/2006 8:33:24 PM PDT by JulieRNR21
EAST PALATKA -- U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris said she is getting support in strange places in her fall bid for the U.S. Senate.
Harris, the Republican who represents Florida’s 13th District, spoke at a Lincoln Day dinner held by the Putnam County Republican Executive Committee on Saturday night, saying House Democrats have told her they want her to beat incumbent Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson in their race for the U.S. Senate this November.
“I’ve had Democrats in the House of Representatives come to me and say ‘You know, we’d really like to take the majority in the U.S. Senate’ — these are Florida Democrats in the U.S. Congress — ‘but you’ll do so much more for us if you’re there. We hope you win,’” Harris told a crowd gathered at the Putnam County Shrine Club.
Harris said one Florida representative suggested a slogan for her campaign against Nelson.
“I had one of the most liberal house members from Florida say to me, ‘I’ve got a great slogan for you for Nelson.’ I said ‘What is it?’ He said, ’All about nothing for far too long.’”
Harris said she replied she did not think she could use the slogan.
“I said ‘Well, it’s kind of mean. I don’t think I could really use it, but can I quote you?’ And he’s like ‘No, no, no.’”
The Shrine Club was awash in red, white and blue for the buffet dinner. On long tables were white gift bags with paper flowers and little American flags. Around them were red, white and blue mints.
On a table against a wall were several pictures of President Ronald Reagan, one of New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle and a photograph of President Abraham Lincoln over a plaque reading “The Party of Lincoln.”
State Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka was master of ceremonies.
Mica: Harris helped put Bush in office
U.S. Rep. John Mica also spoke at the dinner, introducing Harris and telling the crowd she has the ability to beat Nelson in November, just as she won her seat in Congress in 2002.
“She was not favored,” Mica said. “She wasn’t on the radar screen. She didn’t hold any high position. And she wiped out her opponent and no one predicted that.”
Mica told the crowd Harris is a “human dynamo” who showed strength after the 2000 presidential election in her capacity as Florida’s Secretary of State.
“You saw what happened in the 2000 elections,” Mica said. “Others would have had a faint heart and walked away. Katherine Harris helped us put in office, and rightfully so, George Bush as president of the United States.”
During her speech, Harris said she followed “the letter of the law” in certifying a George W. Bush victory in Florida.
Harris said beating Nelson and Florida electing a Republican governor in 2006 would help shape the political future of the country.
“I won’t say it’s just about the future of our state — it’s about the future of America, because whomever wins this seat and whomever wins the governor’s seat is likely going to determine the presidency in 2008,” Harris said. “Florida will become the third most populous state in the nation. And whoever wins Florida, wins.”
Harris attributed growth in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product to tax relief passed by Congress under Bush.
Harris supports fair tax
“If we had the fair tax, if we take a look at real tax reform, then you cannot imagine the growth in our economy,” Harris said. “People would start saving instead of spending. And people like Teresa Heinz that have $7 million in income when her husband was running for the presidency and didn’t pay a dime in taxes because of tax shelters all of a sudden pay taxes on all those homes and all those cars.”
Harris said the fair tax would ensure that those at or below the poverty level “would never pay a dime.”
She said under a fair tax plan, federal taxes on Social Security, cable, telephone and gas would be eliminated.
Harris also said it is important that the Iraq war be fought and won on the battlefields, not in Washington, D.C.
“We’ve been to Iraq,” Harris said. “It’s debatable why we got in. We can continue that argument ad nausea if you like. I think more and more things are going to be discussed and discovered.”
According to Harris, Florida is a state on the right track.
“We are the envy of every state in the nation,” Harris said. “We have the lowest unemployment rate and the highest job creation.”
Putnam County Republican Executive Committee Chairwoman Linda Wells said she thought the dinner went well.
“We were thrilled with the turnout tonight and the enthusiasm everyone showed,” Wells said. “And we hope it will translate into Republican victories in November.”
Perhaps agentle reminder would help.
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who errs, and comes short again and again (but)....who knows the great enthusiasms, the great emotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt (1910)
I actually don't think all Republicans need to support her just because she has thrown her hat into the ring, She now has primary opponents. That's good for the party and it will give her more visibiity, too. I support her and have donated to her campaign, btw.
My objection to Nelson is that he votes the DNC line, and I think that is reflected in the comments Harris cites from other Florida reps. He does not represent Florida imho.
I'll take the laryngitis over active attempts to sabotage her campaign.
Dubya welcomed her aboard Air Force One. But if he becomes too involved in her campaign, it could potentially backfire. If she can close the gap and make this race competitive, I think you'll see Dubya campaign for her in some manner after Labor Day.
As Claire accurately points out, KH hasn't even won the primary yet. My above comment should have addressed that.
Amen, Bigun, KH and anybody else with the FairTax message.
One presidential candidate, republican John Cox, supports the fairtax. He's also pro-life and supports penalties for illegal immigrants. He's campaigned in all 99 Iowa counties and 40 of 46 South Carolina counties. If you want to read more about him, please check his site, www.cox2008.com.
" She now has primary opponents."
I know that she has at least one Primary opponent but, forgive my ignorance, I don't know who it is. Can you help me out here?
Yeah. He won't let anybody quote his words because they describe him quite approproiately. He, along with most other creepy Yank liberals, have been in the much ado about nothing arena for far too long. They're just a bunch of slimey little Carpetbaggers...
"Harris, the Republican who represents Florida’s 13th District, spoke at a Lincoln Day dinner held by the Putnam County Republican Executive Committee on Saturday night, saying House Democrats have told her they want her to beat incumbent Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson in their race for the U.S. Senate this November."
He must be a real piece a work for the Dems. to want him outta there. When his own party carps about him, it's because he's deliberately, such a reckless little thing...
That alone should be enough to get her elected if she hammers on it enough.Funny, I don't see her on the list of current FairTax cosponsors. You don't think she would claim to support the FairTax just to rustle up a few more votes, do you?
I think some Reps are having a little fun at Harris' expense. Kind of mean, really.
McBride (not the one in 2002) is her main opponent. The other two are Democrats running as Republicans.
Yes. It is mean. However, many a truth were said in jest. And I'm sure Harris knows how to weed out the meanness...
You know, for once you have made a legitimate point and I thank you. Perhaps someone close to her campaign ought to point that discrepancy out to her.
Hold your horses - it beter to do that AFTER you're elected rather than before.
But I thought you knew that.
Hold your horses - it beter to do that AFTER you're elected rather than before.She's currently in the House.
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