Katherine Harris Planning US Senate Run

Drudge ^

[Bush Cheney]

Watch your makeup compact, Hillary, Florida's Katherine Harris may have her eyes on the United States Senate, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

MORE

Against the apparent wishes of senior Bush strategists, Harris has decided in her heart and mind that she will seek the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat, sources close to Harris tell DRUDGE.

"She wants it, wants it badly!" a top source said Thursday. "She'll make her decision public within the next week."

The source, who has daily contact with Harris, cautions the congresswoman still could hold back and not make the run, in deference to the president and his brother's wishes.

Sarasota County's GOP chairman, Tramm Hudson, said he spoke to Harris Tuesday night and that she seemed ready to run, according to reports. Harris continues to be one of the party's top fund-raisers.

Elsewhere, Texas Senator Kay Hutchison has reportedly advised her republican counterpart to "Go for it!"

If elected Harris would join a select group of women ever to serve in the United States Senate.

MORE Harris advisers dispel any notion that bad blood still runs in Florida over Harris's role in the 2000 election drama.

"Look, Governor Bush handily won re-election last year, after 2000, and the state's voters did not punish him," notes one top Harris strategist who asked not to be named.

"And they will not punish Katherine. The senate campaign will be on the issues, and electing the best person to represent Florida in the senate!"

Developing...

[MindBender26]

Those numbers are two months old, before Mel was even talking about running. besides

Is all moot. KH is not running. Story is bogus!

[deport]

From yesterday evening.........

U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris of Florida to announce Senate election plans next week		Wednesday, January 7, 2004
(01-07) 16:43 PST TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris has decided whether she will run for retiring Sen. Bob Graham's seat and plans to reveal her plans next week, associates said Wednesday. Harris did not return calls for comment, but supporters said she is leaning toward entering the race. She would become the instant front-runner in a crowded field of Republicans while also stirring up memories of the 2000 presidential election recount. As secretary of state, Harris oversaw the disputed count that gave George W. Bush a crucial 537-vote victory in Florida. A spokesman for Harris said she was still considering the race and an announcement might come next week. But others close to her said she has already made up her mind. "She knows what she's going to do," said Margaret Wise, a friend and campaign finance chairwoman. Sarasota County's GOP chairman, Tramm Hudson, said he spoke to Harris Tuesday night and that she seemed ready to run. Graham, a Democrat, announced his retirement in November. Several Democrats have expressed interested in the seat.

[Always Right]

I disagree. The Democratic leadership wanting to defeat Governor Bush to humiliate his big brother isn't the same as it being political consensus that Bush was going down to defeat.

Terry McAuliffe (Oct 25, 2002): "Jeb is gone!". Believe me they thought Jeb was toast.

[BushisTheMan]

Until I hear it directly from K. Harris herself, I don't believe Drudge in the least. She's been on Hannity many times and has said many times that she will not run for the Senate in the next election. Unlike the lying Clintons, I believe Ms. Harris when she says she won't run.

[hchutch]

I don't see how Harris does nuch worse. She's definitely able to win three of the five (she loses the Condo Commandos the way Martinez would, and also the South Florida). Three out of five is also possible to win, unless she is blown out big-time in the South Florida AND the Condo Commandos.

[Republican Wildcat]

I think so too. She's in very good shape and unless she has a twin sister, that's her face.

[krb]

When that picture first came out, there was tremendous controversy over that and I thought the final concensus was that it wasn't her. Something about Katherine not being as, um, curvey, as that person.

[Always Right]

In the political sense, she's the equivalent of Hillary on the right as far as being polarizing

Not really, Katherine has a higher positive rating than negative rating. Actually at 27%, her negatives aren't all that high. Katherine Harris is only gonna motivate the hard-left, who hate Bush so much they are gonna vote anyways.

[Always Right]

Is all moot. KH is not running. Story is bogus!

Which orifice did you pull this factoid out of....

[Republican Wildcat]

Really? Is that statewide? Where are you getting these numbers?

[MindBender26]

You and your comments are offensive to the audlts here. Check my earlier posts.

Deal with facts.

[ClintonBeGone]

Sorry, but that is not a statistic you use to predict a statewide race. In Realpolitic, one of the first things you look at is their Q rating. That is the percentage of people who know them who like them, minus two and a half times the number of people who know them and dislike them. Katherine does very poorly here STATEWIDE. Another viable test is the Dollar Driver Scale. You get a percentage of voters who would GIVE MONEY to see her elected, vs those who would GIVE MONEY to see her opponent elected. (You are not actually looking for money here, just the depth of commitment.) Again, she fairs very poorly in this STATEWIDE. Finally, you poll voters and ask if they are in favor/opposed to her "slightly or an average amount or a huge amount?" Again, she does poorly here, with those who oppose her doing so with great vigor.

You sound like a radio advertising salesman. In real life you use voter history, not polls to suggest how voters will vote in the future. It is very much an accepted statistic in elections to compare how different candidates have done in the same districts and then factor for things that are not equal. In her case, she did better than Bush in her own congressional district AFTER becoming this terrible lightening rod you claim she is. In that case, the adjustments work in her favor and it's more than likely she'll help, not hurt him.

[deport]

You maybe correct but there are several hints she may be fixing to enter the race..... Why go to DC to tell the White House she isn't running......

Published Wednesday, January 7, 2004

Harris Decides, but Won't Say Yet

By Cory Reiss
Ledger Washington Bureau
reissc@nytimes.com

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Katherine Harris travels to Washington today to meet with White House officials and other political leaders over the next two days to tell them whether she will run for a Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Bob Graham, a Democrat.

The Sarasota Republican said Tuesday she has made her decision but feels obliged to inform others privately before announcing it, which she said she will do next week. Harris also said she would meet with political consultants while in Washington.

"I have my heart and mind set and am very much looking forward to making a decision public and focusing on that, because I think it's the right decision, and I'm excited about it," Harris said in a telephone interview from Florida.
end snip

[Republican Wildcat]

the party chairman wouldn't have exactly made comments saying the Republicans were going to have a victory. He also said the Democrats were going to pick up a Senate seat in Texas.

[ClintonBeGone]

Which orifice did you pull this factoid out of....

He's got a serious case of ESP. :)

[1Old Pro]

Whoever it turns out to be, the GOP must make every effort to take this Senate seat from the Demlibs. The magic number is 60!

I agree, we need the 60 seats....at least.

[ClintonBeGone]

Why go to DC to tell the White House she isn't running......

Lets use this as a test of Mindbender's credibility. Bookmark and save for a week.

[not-alone]

unless she is blown out big-time in the South Florida AND the Condo Commandos For her good looks alone they would rally against her and then they get everyone in the nursing homes, that's why they had all the "wrong votes"last times . They tell the maid to go nursing home and tell Auntie to vote 2, she has no idea who she is voting for. Someone should check the record against all the seniors that have been declared incompetent so their kids control the money.