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...

[Republican Wildcat]

It sounds like she is running...I don't know why she'd be meeting with people privately if she wasn't.

Oh well...let the games begin.

[deport]

I dont' know that she is...... but she's in DC for some reason.... here's a couple more para. from the article....

Harris said she has done her own polling and was "exceedingly pleased" with the results. She wouldn't release the poll results or other details of her decisionmaking and Washington schedule this week.

J.M. "Mac" Stipanovich, a Florida lawyer and Republican strategist who said he hasn't advised Harris on the Senate race, said Harris' statements struck him as evidence she is poised to run. "I don't go home very often and feel obligated to tell my wife I'm not going to go out to play poker tonight," Stipanovich said.

Others who reacted the same way nevertheless said there could be other reasons for the trip. For example, they say, Harris could be negotiating for political rewards for staying out of the race, such as a committee assignment or help running against Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, in 2006.

[Theodore R.]

If Katherine Harris runs, she had better not try to "be nice" and court "moderates." That would be a recipe for disaster, for all the "moderates" there see "red" when they see her. The liberal-moderate base in FL, at least 48 percent, are already committed against Harris. She can woo none of those voters. And the Bush people do not really appreciate what she and Rep. Tom Feeney did for them in the 2000 recount episode.

[bootless]

Thanks for your assessment. I'm happy to hear that. I like KH a lot, and respect her for doing her job in a hurricane of Dem attacks. But 2004 is not her year ....

[BJClinton]

He also said the Democrats were going to pick up a Senate seat in Texas.

McAwful said that? ROTFLMAO!!!! I worked on the Cornyn campaign, it was a cake walk. At no point did any polls have us at less than a 10-point lead.

[NewLand]

"We do have Craig Benson in the 2008 pipe line."

As previously prognosticated by NewLand Political Landscape Consulting Services...

Republican Presidential Nominees for 2008 Thread

[bootless]

Why is the relevant. She executed the law as she interpreted it. Nothing wrong with that.

Of course there's nothing wrong with that - she stood her ground and followed the law.

That's why the Dims hate her so much. She would be a lightning rod in 04, an added incentive to for the Bring Out Your Dead crowd. Timing is everything...

[McGruff]

I don't know, she looks pretty "curvey" to me.

[Moose4]

Interesting. So she might be shrewd enough to negotiate the White House's support in her 2006 race (during Bush's probable second term) in return for being a good soldier and backing the Pubbie nominee in the 2004 race. Now that would make good sense. Two more years to let the 2000 election furor die down would benefit her greatly.

That'd make more sense than her running right now.

}:-)4

[ClintonBeGone]

For example, they say, Harris could be negotiating for political rewards for staying out of the race, such as a committee assignment or help running against Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, in 2006.

That's quite possible, but does it really put Bush in a very good light that she's extorting him so publically? I think the odds are on her running. If I'm wrong I'll send Mindbender some flowers.

[george wythe]

Harris could be negotiating for political rewards for staying out of the race, such as a committee assignment or help running against Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, in 2006.

I hope she does not run. She is a freshman in Congress, and this looks like she's an opportunist.

I want to have a Republican Senator, not another McCollum. She might be popular in Sarasota, but she's despised in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

The statewide election will be decided by the swing voters, and I doubt that swing voters have forgotten her 2000 demonization. The media have not, and they are ready to attack her 24/7.

[BJClinton]

Two more years to let the 2000 election furor die down would benefit her greatly.

Plus Bush getting a majority of the popular vote in 2004 would make the 2000 debacle fade away.

[Republican Wildcat]

Of course she's that curvey.

[krb]

I agree...I guess it really is her. Nice looking lady...

[JohnnyZ]

Why doesn't the White House want her to run?

Because she's definitely a weaker candidate than Mel Martinez. Because she has poor approval ratings. Because polls show her losing to Betty Castor in the general election. Because her candidacy will take the focus off the Bush campaign agenda and make it impossible for Florida voters to get any Bush message besides "Katherine Harris selected Bush president." Hello, we moved on a long time ago, why give the Democrats and the press a chance to obscure the GOP message?

[Republican Wildcat]

right--that's why your initial comment puzzled me. There's no need to falsify such a picture when that's exactly what she looks like in face and body.