Too divisive Our position: Harris is not who Republicans need. McBride is

orlando sentinel ^ | August 27, 2006 | EDITORIAL

[FloridianBushFan]

Snip...

Of the three Republican candidates who belatedly jumped into the race to challenge Ms. Harris, Windermere lawyer Will McBride is the best choice to represent his party.

Mr. McBride also takes conservative positions on most issues. But he has shown admirable independence in calling for a more balanced approach to immigration reform than the security-only plan that Ms. Harris voted for in the U.S. House. He is proudly touting his Hispanic heritage in his campaign.

Mr. McBride's declared commitment to ethics and lobbying reform also is welcome, given the ethical questions swirling around Ms. Harris. And he recognizes the practice in Congress of secretly steering federal dollars to pet projects is a corrupting process, and needs to be eliminated.

The other two candidates in the GOP race are Peter Monroe of Safety Harbor and LeRoy Collins Jr. of Tampa. Mr. Monroe is a businessman, lawyer, a former federal agency chief and a one-time White House aide. Mr. Collins is the son of a former Democratic governor of Florida and a retired Navy admiral and business executive. Both are thoughtful conservatives who have had distinguished careers.

But Mr. McBride could be a rising star among Florida Republicans. He is a better standard bearer for the party in taking on an incumbent Democratic senator.

The Orlando Sentinel endorses Will McBride in Florida's Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

[FloridianBushFan]

On Saturday Will McBride was also endorsed by the Bradenton Herald.

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/opinion/15363709.htm

[FloridianBushFan]

From the Bradenton Hearld Endorsement:

And then there is Will McBride. Here is a young man with promise, a conservative Republican who grew up poor and worked his way to affluence on his own. Head of an Orlando-area law firm with branches in Tampa and Kissimmee, McBride leads in the polls among the non-Harris candidates with his major media campaign just getting started. Personable and sincere, he comes to this race with a passion to win, well-thought-out positions and evangelical Christian credentials. The son of a migrant worker and minister, he himself is a licensed lay minister who got his start as a public school teacher before entering law school.

Conservative values

He had planned to begin a political career with a try for a seat in the Florida House in 2008 but jumped into this statewide race to save the Senate seat when no prominent Republican would do so. His positions on abortion, stem cell research and gay marriage would please President Bush and the GOP right-wing.

So would his views on immigration reform. First seal the borders, McBride says, then enforce the rule of law. He would not insist on mass deportation, but neither would he offer amnesty to illegal immigrants. Instead he would permit illegals here to return home and apply for guest worker status; those caught without documents would be deported. To stay here they would be asked to pay a $5,000 fine and $500 for a work permit, with no jumping to the head of the line for citizenship. The estimated $50 billion raised from the fees and fines would be plowed into the Immigration Service to beef up border security and hire more workers to shorten the current five-to-seven-year wait to get a green card.

McBride is a fiscal conservative who deplores the pork-barrel earmarks that cause spending to soar even as revenue dries up with tax cuts. He would work to draft a new Contract with America similar to that offered by Republicans in 1994 to restore fiscal accountability in Congress.

Republican voters should pay attention to Will McBride in this primary. He is the best hope the party has to credibly challenge Bill Nelson in the general election. Katherine Harris can't do it, and neither can LeRoy Collins Jr. or Peter Monroe.

[dirtboy]

But he has shown admirable independence in calling for a more balanced approach to immigration reform than the security-only plan that Ms. Harris voted for in the U.S. House.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bigh4u2]

"given the ethical questions swirling around Ms. Harris."

Oh, bullcrap.

How many 'ethical' questions(by the dims) were 'swirling' around President Bush?

And he was elected TWICE!

[dirtboy]

He would not insist on mass deportation, but neither would he offer amnesty to illegal immigrants. Instead he would permit illegals here to return home and apply for guest worker status; those caught without documents would be deported. To stay here they would be asked to pay a $5,000 fine and $500 for a work permit, with no jumping to the head of the line for citizenship.

Sorry, but that sales pitch has been tried for some time. Folks ain't buying.

[MineralMan]

"Folks ain't buying."

Perhaps not. They don't seem to be buying Harris, either, though.

[dirtboy]

Perhaps not. They don't seem to be buying Harris, either, though.

Hey, I didn't say they were. Just don't pretend the Senate approach (or similar ones) are amnesty when they are not. Illegals get what they really want - the ability to be in this country legally.

[Non-Sequitur]

I don't suppose there is any chance at all that McBride will win is there?

[Rawlings]

Harris is looking nuttier and nuttier as her imminent political death grows nearer. She is pandering to the far right to get elected. It won't work. I used to like her and her chances at election but the polls show what most people believe: she's absolutely unelectable. Her campaign staff quit on her. That seat should be Republican, and if it's not, I blame Harris.

[FloridianBushFan]

Actually there is a chance of him winning. More and more Republicans are tired of Harris. McBride has done pretty well though out the state in straw poles which does give some feeling how people are leaning. He started airing TV ads today statewide.

[davidosborne]

the ability to be in this country legally is FAR different that a so called "path to citizenship"...

[FloridianBushFan]

Here is the link again for the Bradenton endorsement.

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/opinion/15363709.htm

[capt. norm]

I think the Dems will try to do this same thing to Newt, should he run. The spent a fortune demonizing him back when he was Speaker of the House and I'm sure they would love to regurgitate all that stuff to do it again.

We're having to watch this election unfold through the eyes of the liberal media so we already know to take it with a grain of salt.

[Non-Sequitur]

Actually there is a chance of him winning. More and more Republicans are tired of Harris. McBride has done pretty well though out the state in straw poles which does give some feeling how people are leaning. He started airing TV ads today statewide.

How does he stack up against Nelson in the polls?

[Bigh4u2]

Unfortunately, Harris is backtracking too.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-harris2706aug27,0,6016837.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state

[FloridianBushFan]

In the last couple of polls he has been equal to Harris going against Nelson. IN one poll he did better by a couple of points against Nelson then What Harris did.

McBride does not have high name recognition like Harris does so is not well known yet, but is still polling even with Harris when going against Nelson. Harris should be performing much better and she is not. It will be a tough race but McBride can build and move up and does not have any of the negative baggage that Harris does.

[DustyMoment]

I don't suppose there is any chance at all that McBride will win is there?

I sincerely hope not. Between Harris, McBride and Nelson, I think it is pretty likely that Nelson will still (ugh) be our senator. McBride is a RINO and Harris appears to be unstable.

[JohnnyZ]

McBride is clearly the best choice in this primary. Harris' behavior has been unstable, almost McCain-like, and she's sure to be massacred in the general election. At least with McBride you've got a fresh face and a shot at winning.

[Non-Sequitur]

I sincerely hope not. Between Harris, McBride and Nelson, I think it is pretty likely that Nelson will still (ugh) be our senator. McBride is a RINO and Harris appears to be unstable.

With all due respect I would still take a Rino like McBride over a Democrat like Nelson and a boob like Harris.

[DustyMoment]

With all due respect I would still take a Rino like McBride over a Democrat like Nelson and a boob like Harris.

Thank God it's a free country!