Posted on 05/09/2006 2:38:03 PM PDT by LdSentinal
TALLAHASSEE -- The man whom House Speaker Allan Bense considers a father figure believes Bense will challenge U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris in the Republican primary race for U.S. Senate, he said Monday.
The prediction by Charles Hilton, a Panama City businessman and Panhandle political force, came the same day Gov. Jeb Bush told reporters Harris cannot defeat Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in November.
Hilton said that after talking with Bense on Monday, he thinks Bense's passion for challenging battles will drive him into the race.
"I see that look in his eye -- the look of wanting to stay in public life and solve the problems of the world, which is wonderful," Hilton said. "So, I think he will."
Bense, whose parents died before he graduated from Rutherford High School in Panama City, has credited Hilton for helping him begin a career that resulted in Bense's multimillion-dollar interests in various Panhandle businesses, including construction and real estate.
"He's the type of young man that every parent in America would like to see their son grow up to be," Hilton said.
Still, Bense has not made up his mind, despite Hilton's prediction, Bense said Monday afternoon, calling Hilton "my good friend and mentor."
Bush, continuing his escalating pessimism about Harris' odds of defeating Nelson, told reporters on Monday that Harris is "a good person; I just don't believe she can win."
He cited polls that show her trailing Nelson by 30 percentage points or more, as well as a litany of media reports, some fueled by her former campaign staff, that have delved into her relationships with a man convicted of bribing a U.S. congressman.
"There's no complicated reason," Bush said of his judgment of Harris' odds as futile. "She's not been able to gain any traction.
"With all due respect to the governor, because I think he's done an extraordinary job," Harris responded, "we can win and we have a strategy to do so."
Bense said he was exercising his "due diligence" with back-to-back phone calls to supporters and strategists Monday to determine the costs of a successful campaign before making a decision.
"I'm not implying I'm not worried so much about Katherine," Bense added, "but you've got Bill Nelson with a lot of money. So we're looking at how much money it takes. It's the root of all campaigns."
Nelson has more than $10 million unspent in his campaign account, compared to $3.7 million for Harris, a figure that includes her own contribution of $3 million.
Bense is feeling intense pressure from state and national Republican leaders to challenge Harris. Friday is the deadline to enter the race.
Harris officially filed her paperwork Monday with the Florida Division of Elections in Tallahassee, vowing to overcome dismal fund-raising and poll numbers.
Asked about facing Bense in a primary, Harris, accompanied by two campaign workers and a handful of supporters, said, "He's a really nice man. I would hate to run against him only because I really like him a lot. But I'm ready for the challenge."
Harris declined to specifically discuss a side effect of her decision to fund her campaign with millions of dollars of her own money.
By doing so, Harris invoked the "millionaire's amendment" established by Congress. Designed to prevent wealthy candidates from virtually purchasing an election victory with their own money, the rule would allow Bense to accept more than the usual campaign limit from individual donors.
Bush called Bense on Monday to discuss the just-ended legislative session and the looming deadline for the U.S. Senate race.
And Bush dismissed the idea that Republicans fear that Harris' presence on the ballot in November would only energize voting among Democrats still angered by Harris' role in the 2000 presidential election as Florida's secretary of state.
"I don't think that's true," he said. "Florida voters are pretty sophisticated. They discern the difference" between candidates "pretty well," he said.
"We're a purple state. Democrats can win, Republicans can win, I don't think anybody can take anything for granted
Good. Glad to hear it.
At the very least, Bense's candidacy may force Harris to campaign smarter and try harder to avoid the stumbles she's made so far.
What! No Katherine Harris torso profile picture?
Somebody's slipping
Hearing he has met with major donors 'recently' and will be in the race before the deadline on Friday. Announcement scheduled for early this week was moved back for a reason but it will happen.
Kick arse.
Maybe some real competition to Harris will emerge by mid-November.
I'm not a close observer of Florida Republican politics, but is it common for them to stab each other in the back?
Isn't friday the last day?
Like shit.
I will not respond to this until someone posts that picture of Ms. Harris on the horse ...
Harris'campaign is toast. It's the classoc case of being dead but not buried, that will come on election day. She is the worst candidate I've ever seen or heard. It's like watching a quasi-intelligent Paris Hilton speak the words ''tripingly on the tongue'' that someone else put down on paper but about the substance of which Ms. Harris hasn't a clue. She hapless, hopeless and out gunned in the brain and articulation departments.
There is no need for that. We can treat Harris with the respect she deserves. She is out front helping her party to victory in most cases, and should not be slimed over not being the best available candidate. In the future, if she stays in the House and becomes more seasoned and experienced, she will continue to help her party. We can be thankful and appreciative of her contributions and not run her down.
No back-stabbing at all. Just like a coach, Jeb wants to see someone who can win, go for it.
No politician in this stated is "owed" this nomination.
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