Posted on 07/10/2005 9:00:30 AM PDT by arnoldpalmerfan
Frustrated with the White House and a key Republican, supporters of Rep. Katherine Harris' (R-Fla.) 2006 Senate campaign lashed out at the administration yesterday for seeking to convince another prominent GOP official to enter the race.
"It's unimaginable that the White House folks and the National Republican Senatorial Committee would be so disloyal to Katherine Harris, especially after all she has done for the Bush family and the Republican Party," a Florida political operative who supports Harris said. "It's unconscionable and a stab in the back."
Harris backers are irritated that State House Speaker Allan Bense met with White House chief of staff Karl Rove and NRSC Chairwoman Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) this week to discuss challenging Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) next year.
The operative added, "If it is true, they should be ashamed and embarrassed, considering she stepped aside at their request for the president and Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) in 2004. It's her turn."
People loyal to Harris claim her move not to run last year demonstrated her loyalty, noting that the president has already won his reelection bid. Some in the White House were concerned that a Harris run in 2004 would have hurt Bush's chances in the Sunshine State.
Sources said Harris has hired several political heavyweights, including Edward Rollins, who has served in three Republican presidential administrations and was President Ronald Reagan's campaign director for his 1984 re-election campaign. Rollins also served as campaign manager for Ross Perot's presidential bid in 1992.
Others who are on Harris's team include Ed Goeas of the Tarrance Group, a highly regarded pollster, and Adam Goodman of the Victory Group, a media consultant who has worked with many Republicans.
Jim Foster of James Foster and Associates will be in charge of Harris' direct mail campaign. Harris is also being advised by two lobbyists -- Ben McKay of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America and Dan Berger with America's Community Bankers.
Some GOP officials fear that Harris, who became a household name during the prolonged 2000 presidential election, is too polarizing a figure to defeat Nelson.
Others Republicans disagree, with one saying that Democrats and pundits "said the exact same thing about Bush's re-election in 2004…The polarization is a made-up word by people who fear her."
Another GOP official said, "Polarizing can be a plus," explaining that she has strong support from many Republicans and hope to enhance her negative numbers over the next 16 months.
Florida strategists who back Harris stress that the congresswoman is not frustrated, adding that she knows what she was getting into.
They also point out that Harris is used to being an underdog, with one commenting, "The Party establishment primaried when she ran for State Senate. She won. The Party establishment supported her primary opponent when she ran statewide for Secretary of State. She won….Don't bet against Katherine, she will win again in '06."
Bense has not yet decided to enter the race. But if he does, a Bense-Harris showdown could lead to a bitter GOP primary race that could damage Republican hopes to unseat Nelson.
Brian Nick An NRSC spokesman confirmed its meeting with Bense, which was reported by Roll Call yesterday. Nick added " it is common" and "a normal occurrence" for the NRSC to meet with prospective candidates
A GOP poll released in February showed Harris as a favorite to grab the GOP nomination in Florida , but also indicated she would lose to Nelson by 7 percent. Harris supporters note that Martinez was trailing in his race last year before surging in the last several weeks.
In March, Rove twice met with Harris, triggering speculation that he was urging her not to run. While Harris disputed that account at the time, Republicans in Washington and Florida maintained that the White House wanted her to remain in the House.
Taylor Gross, a White House spokesman, said: "At this time, the president has not taken a position on the upcoming primary. The White House has met with numerous candidates who have shown interest in the primary."
The White House also indicated that Harris is one of those candidates.
Yes, thank goodness.
She does seem to have an A-List set of advisors.
"Thank goodness" is right! Maybe we can get a senator elected in Fla who has the same conservative credentials of White House favorite, Arlen Specter!
No -- no one is guaranteed that they will be the only candidate in the race and for them to assume that is ludicrous. Tired of the whine! You can bet their internal polling shows she is not the strongest candidate -- don't think she is and with her staff lashing out, you can bet that they will be looking for other candidates. I know I would.
This is the second story from her campaign staff about this subject -- they would be better to get out and get grassroots behind her and win that way -- it would make her a better candidate in the general election instead of having it handed to her on a silver platter.
She has a lot of baggage and it is not just the 2000 race -- she did the right thing there. The problem is that some Freepers on here think with their eyes and feelings and not political reality. Welcome to the real world of hardball politics that wins races. Her staff obviously does not live in the real world.
Just what did she do?
She did her job.
Thank you!
After all, you are a member of Congress.
Paid in full.
I recall reading almost exactly this same piece about 2 or 4 weeks ago.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1433477/posts <-- Yep. June 29
This isn't above her duties as SOS during the 2000 recount. This is about her not running for Senate in 2004 at the request of the White House, and their promise to support her for Senate in 2006.
Some of us think the White House should not be "running" anyone for the Senate anywhere.
Remember Pennsylvania? Thanks to Bush's favoritism, Specter narrowly defeated Pat Toomey. Aren't we all glad about that? (/sarcasm)
It has nothing to do with her views -- which are on the moderate side, by the way -- and everything to do with the impossibility of her beating Bill Nelson in a year when someone could actually beat him.
Actually, this is about cashing in on what happened in 2000. Perhaps I missed her incredible following that was launching her super political career in 1998 where it was assumed that she'd be secretary of state for a time then launch into a senate seat.
But I'd be most grateful to be shown the error of my ways - was Katherine Harris a major player in Florida politics prior to her becoming secretary of state? Were it not for the fiasco created by Democrat polling boards, would she have a shot in hell of picking up a senate spot?
Isn't Arlen wonderful?
What has Katherine Harris done to distinguish herself as a Congressman?
Since I'm not from FL, this is not a cynical question. I really do want to know.
I mean, it seems like you need to demonstrate that you have done an exceptional job in your current position before you assume that you can jump to the next one. Maybe she has, so help me out here, folks.
Is it? I wonder if The Minutemen would be so incredulous.
Take a Midol, Katie and drive on
That rationale worked sooooo well well with President Bob Dole in 1996.
I have yet to see evidence that the answer to either is yes. The most reliable polls, Mason Dixon, have her down by more than 15 points. And the reason given for her getting the nomination is that she graciously stepped aside in 2004. Well, I didn't run in 2004 either, but that doesn't make me qualified to be a Senator.
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