Posted on 01/21/2006 3:29:05 PM PST by JulieRNR21
Florida Republicans rally around Katherine Harris
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -
If there was any remaining doubt that Florida's top Republican leaders weren't behind Katherine Harris's run for U.S. Senate, those leaders did their best Saturday to cast it aside.
Gov. Jeb Bush said he would campaign for Harris and encouraged a crowded room of Republican activists to do the same. At a separate rally following his speech, Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings gave strong praise to Harris and told her, "Go, run and win."
And supporters scoffed at the nay-sayers who think she can't win and the polls showing Harris far behind incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson.
"People say to me 'How can she win, she's 20 points behind in the polls?' and I say, 'Polls mean nothing at this point in the campaign,'" said Ed Rollins, who was President Reagan's political director. "The way she's going to win is the same way Jeb won (and) President Bush won. It's you Floridians who turn out and vote."
During her speech, which took place as the Republican Party of Florida wrapped up its quarterly meeting, Harris said she would dedicate the rest of her campaign to her father's memory. George Harris, 71, died unexpectedly eight days earlier.
"He was the kindest, most humble man I've ever known. He always looked at the best in people and he believed that life should always be about helping everyone else," Harris said. "Like my father, I'm making this campaign all about people."
Her remarks were missing the politically charged attacks on Nelson that she unfurled when announcing her candidacy last August. Instead, she gave a positive message of achieving dreams and an expression of thanks to supporters.
"We need your help, I'm going to ask so very much of you, but I promise you that I'll give you so very, very much in return when we get to the United States Senate," she said.
After the speech, she said, "I just don't have it in me to be political right now."
Many waited for autographs and photos with Harris when she finished speaking. Once the crowd left, she reflected more on her father, at times becoming choked up.
"He's my best friend and now he's with me all the time," said Harris, who then laughed fondly as she described him standing on a street corner in an Uncle Sam outfit while helping her campaign.
She also talked about how as a banker, he helped many poor people who otherwise wouldn't have qualified for loans meet their needs.
"When they came back to try to pay a little bit back, he would talk to them and explain to them that the way to pay him back was they had to make certain in the future that they did this for somebody else, and he wouldn't let them pay him back," she said. "I want to make sure that every day in my life that I help people in their individual lives."
The campaign to this point hasn't been easy for Harris. GOP leaders in Washington searched for another candidate, convinced that voters were polarized by her role as Florida's secretary of state in the 2000 presidential election recount and that she could not win.
Fundraising has also gone slower than she expected and she acknowledged Saturday that she gave her campaign $250,000 during the final quarter of last year. She said, however, that she raised more than $1 million in other cash contributions - double the amount she raised in her first quarter of fundraising.
That compares to more than $6 million Nelson had in the bank by the end of September.
Harris shrugged off the numbers.
"We know that when we turn out the Republicans, we'll be victorious," she said.
As long as Katherine Harris uses Bill Nelson's partisn antics and his voting record as the main election issue, any Republican has a shot at winning the Senate race.
Look, I'm so sick of the country-club GOP hacks trying to shove their candidate down the grassroots throat. These people said Harris couldn't win a Congressional seat. Now they don't want her to win a Senate seat. Give the woman a chance!
I don't live in Florida. If I did I would be voting for her in a heartbeat. We need her in the senate.
I recently called Nelson's office to say I want him to support Alito. I asked his staffer if she knew his plan. She said he would wait till after all hearings were completed. Yesterday, I heard him say he wasn't happy with what he heard from Alito re 'land grab'(my words)issue. Nelson is sooo slick. He knows eminent domain is a hot button issue. I'm not sure what Alito said about this but, it's probably something Katherine's people should look into.
I heard Katherine speak at a Pinellas Co Rep Club mtg. She was terrific... knowledgeable, confident, personable. I've just written my second $50 ck for her campaign. We need to help her defeat Nelson!
I've never been anywhere near a country club.
Nominating a carnival sideshow clown for the Senate isn't going to win this race.
Anything is possible. She just might beat Nelson. And I will donate to her campaign to see that it happens.
5.56mm
>>As long as Katherine Harris uses Bill Nelson's partisn antics and his voting record as the main election issue, any Republican has a shot at winning the Senate race.<<
Unfortunately, it is not that simple !
A mere negative campaign against Nelson will not work !
It might even backfire !
Nelson's voting record in Congress is mostly centrist and populist, not Liberal !
It all boils down to the grass-roots.
If the establishment hacks force Harris to withdraw, they'll stay home in droves.
And calling Harris a "carnival sideshow clown" is going too far. This is verbatim talking points from Dems from the 2000 election. Are you going to say she looks like Cruella de Ville next?
I just made a donation. Go Katherine Go!!!
>>Nominating a carnival sideshow clown for the Senate isn't going to win this race.<<
Where do you get you perceptions from ?
That partisan A$$H@LE Begala, latenight comdedians, or the smear mechants/opportunists at SNL .
You reveal yourself more and more to be a Puke Yorker !
More and more, I wish that vile megalopolis would get nuked off this planet, and I don't care by whom !
Are you assuming Nelson is centrist or have you actually looked up his record?
I heard his voting record was left of Schumer and Clinton...now, that would not quite be centrist.
ooooo, Cost......can you please be more wish specific ...something like, wish "some parts or some people in the vile megalopolis would be nuked off the planet".
I have wonderful Republican/conservative family members in that megalopolis.... LOL.
>>Are you assuming Nelson is centrist or have you actually looked up his record? <<
Yes I have !
You can Google it youself; Bill Nelson: voting record .
He is Liberal on some issues like abortion, but centrist on most others . .
I'm saying that too many people view her that way. Stuff like that make it difficult to win. Just remember, "I told you so."
Voting to allow 3rd term abortions is a BIG 'no-no' in this state. His vote and position on the Estate Tax is a negative also.
I don't live in NY, Einstein.
...and actually NY is a wonderful City..it's just that a lot of lib people have given it a bad rep...maybe we can give them all an incentive to move to Venezuela and elect ole Harry Belafonte Pres.
>>ooooo, Cost......can you please be more wish specific ...something like, wish "some parts or some people in the vile megalopolis would be nuked off the planet".
I have wonderful Republican/conservative family members in that megalopolis.... LOL.<<
Okay, Manhatten :-)
But really, NYC has alot of 'bad karma' comming its' way .
I would tell your friends to move from The Big Apple .
It is rotten to its' core, despite the reforms of Giuliani .
I personally see NYC as doing much evil to American values .
I say the same about Hollywood . . .
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