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Foley (R) Formally Begins Fla. Senate Bid
The Associated Press ^ | 7/8/03 | Ken Thomas

Posted on 07/08/2003 10:44:37 PM PDT by LdSentinal

MIAMI - Rep. Mark Foley formally opened his campaign for Senate on Tuesday, filing papers to seek the seat now held by Democratic presidential hopeful Bob Graham.

Foley, a five-term Republican, filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission and paperwork establishing a fund-raising committee for his Senate campaign.

Graham has said he does not "anticipate" running for re-election but has not ruled out another Senate race next year. Five Democrats have announced plans to run if Graham declines another term, but Foley was quick to focus on the three-term senator.

"Floridians deserve a senator who will work with President Bush combating terrorism, supporting his economic growth plan and providing a prescription drug benefit for our seniors," Foley said in a statement. "Every step of the way, Bob Graham has abandoned his reputation as a bipartisan lawmaker and has established himself as an enthusiastic cheerleader for the liberal obstructionist wing of the Democratic Party."

Graham considers each issue on its merits, said spokesman Paul Anderson.

"Senator Graham doesn't see his role in Congress as that of a rubber stamp for the president, be that president a Republican or a Democrat," he said.

In the GOP primary, Foley will face former Rep. Bill McCollum, who was defeated by Democrat Bill Nelson in the 2000 Senate race. Rep. Dave Weldon and state Sen. Daniel Webster are also exploring candidacies.

Foley has aggressively lined up financial support in recent months, raising $3.1 million through the end of June. He has $2.8 million in cash on hand and his campaign said the entire balance will be transferred from his House campaign committee to his Senate account.

The Democrats exploring the race if Graham declines to run are former state Education Commissioner Betty Castor, U.S. Reps. Peter Deutsch, Alcee Hastings and Allen Boyd, and Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: 2004; allenboyd; billmccollum; bobgraham; castor; danielwebster; deutsch; florida; gay; gayagenda; hastings; homosexual; markfoley; penelas; primary; senate; weldon
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To: onyx
I'm not optimistic that we will pick up this seat.
21 posted on 07/09/2003 1:06:02 PM PDT by clintonh8r (You can have no better friend and no worse enemy than a US Marine.)
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To: clintonh8r
I gathered as much! ;-(
22 posted on 07/09/2003 1:07:05 PM PDT by onyx (Name an honest democrat? I can't either!)
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To: JohnnyZ; samantha
"The social conservatives, despite your mocking, are still damn strong in the GOP, and do not need to settle for a pro-gay, pro-abort congressman who would have significant weaknesses in a general election."


Absolutely. The only way Foley can win is if Deutsch or Hastings gets the RAT nomination and social conservatives (including conservative Democrats, who are still the majority in many parts of North Florida) actually turn out to vote AGAINST the RAT nominee, since they sure as hell wouldn't walk on broken glass to vote for a pro-abortion, pro-gay moderate such as Foley. If Penelas or Boyd get the RAT nomination, Foley would be toast.

If true conservatives such as Webster or Weldon run, they should be able to win the nomination and defeat all comers in the general. The one guy I'm afraid of is Penelas, who projects a moderate image and may be able to chip away at the GOP's stranglehold on the Cuban vote, but clearly Webster and Weldon would give us a better chance than would Foley.
23 posted on 07/09/2003 1:14:40 PM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: AuH2ORepublican
I agree about Penelas. He projects a moderate image and was not a raving RAT lunatic during the 2000 recount fiasco. He will peel off a lot of Cuban Republican and swing votes. He will be difficult to beat. Wexler, Deutsch and Hastings won't get many votes beyond the northern Palm Beach County line.
24 posted on 07/09/2003 1:29:04 PM PDT by clintonh8r (You can have no better friend and no worse enemy than a US Marine.)
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To: AuH2ORepublican; JohnnyZ; samantha; clintonh8r
The winner of the GOP primary will have to carry the panhandle and the I-4 corridor. I don't think Boward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties (Foley's home base) will make much of a difference in the GOP primary. I suspect most of the people in South Florida will be voting for the RAT candidates: Alex Penelas, Peter Deutsch, and Alcee Hastings. Thus draining away potential votes for Mark Foley.
25 posted on 07/09/2003 2:58:20 PM PDT by Kuksool
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To: Kuksool
Mark Foley can carry the entire state. He has the finances,the drive,the personality,the energy,and most of all he handles himself well on the talking heads programs. He does his homework and is very informed. He thinks well on his feet,and gets along great with fellow congresscritters. Hollywood also likes him. He supports President Bush 90 percent of the time.I don't care who he sleeps with as long as he is not trolling for young boys or young girls. He is catholic,and has a wonderful family. Another point for Barry Goldwater fans,he lived the last years of his life PRO GAY,and somewhat liberal thanks to the lefty young thang he married.We want a great candidate that can win. Penelas is no longer viable on the dem side, the other libs Wexler,Deutsch,Hastings,etc are too liberal for a right leaning florida. I want Graham gone for good before the anesthesia wears off.
26 posted on 07/09/2003 3:19:26 PM PDT by samantha (Don't panic, the adults are in charge.)
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To: AuH2ORepublican
I am a social conservative,but pragmatic. I worked with right to life in Broward Co,and supported the christian coalition ideals through the hate that was spewed against Dr Kennedy and Coral Ridge Church by the radically hysterical gay rights lefties in Broward. Been there,done that!!!!!Mark Foley is not the enemy,Baghdad Bob Graham is. I used to listen to Al Rantel on WFTL in Broward,he is a very conservative out of the closet gay,and he went through Hell with the radical gays in Broward. He now is on in Los Angeles and doing well because there is a need for a well read,computer geek,very intelligent,courageous,tough conservative voice. Just for your info Al Rantel told me about freerepublic right after it had come on line. I say a little thank you prayer every day for Al Rantel passing on that info to me. I have signed up for Mark Foley's campaign,and will work as hard for him as I have for George W,JEB,and all the other winners.
27 posted on 07/09/2003 3:43:43 PM PDT by samantha (Don't panic, the adults are in charge.)
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To: samantha
He can silence this whole issue by simply stating he is not a homosexual.

WFTL? boy you go back a ways...
28 posted on 07/09/2003 4:07:26 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
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To: longtermmemmory
When I moved from Broward, Al Rantel had already gotten famous in LA,but he had had much success with clear channel on 940am in FT lAUDERDALE before he kicked it up a notch. Mark Foley is also pro second amendment. A large chunk of his district is rural farms,ranches,citrus groves,and ornamentals farms. He takes care of everyone,and has an excellent staff.
29 posted on 07/09/2003 4:24:46 PM PDT by samantha (Don't panic, the adults are in charge.)
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To: samantha
"Mark Foley is not the enemy, Baghdad Bob Graham is."


Nor are Daniel Webster or Dave Weldon the enemy. I would support either of them over Foley because (i) they are more conservative than Foley, (ii) I think they would make better Senators, and (iii) I think they would have a better chance at beating the RAT nominee, whoever he may be. We can't count on the RATs nominating someone unelectable such as Alcee Hastings---and even if they did, I don't see why we should settle for a social liberal-to-moderate like Foley over a true conservative like Webster or Weldon.

As in Pennsylvania (where all conservatives should support Pat Toomey over Arlen Specter), nominating a pro-abortion Senate candidate does not make sense when there are alternatives that are (i) socially conservative and (ii) more electable. There is no trade-off here between someone closer to our views and someone who would have a better chance at winning---in PA and FL, the social conservatives have a better chance at winning statewide than do the suburban liberals because elections are decided largely by rural or blue-collar conservative Democrats.

So support Foley's candidacy if you wish, but I don't believe he is the right choice for the GOP in Florida. And once Webster or Weldon get into the race, I have a feeling that the Florida Republican electorate will agree with me and vote for a true conservative.
30 posted on 07/09/2003 4:44:33 PM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: samantha
If you worked for the Broward County Right to Life, then you would know that there are pro-life people would find Mark Foley's voting record on abortion to be unsatisfactory. Foley has adopted a "don't ask, don't tell" policy in regards to his personal life. I think the media should honor his policy. Foley's personal life is not the problem, it is his pro-abortion stand that is the big deal. I doubt that the Florida Right to Life will give its endorsement to Mark Foley. It is very difficult for a pro-abortion candidate to make it through the GOP primary.
31 posted on 07/09/2003 4:47:19 PM PDT by Kuksool
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To: onyx; cardinal4
Wexler is my congresscritter. I DO NOT like the guy as he is a #1 clinton butt boy. BUT, give the devil his due. I recently wrote to him, expressing my total displeasure with the US involvement in the UN. He came back with a very reasoned response and in fact actually agreed with me on a couple of points. I'd NEVER vote for him except maybe as guy who would get out and clean up some of the canals in Palm Beach County, but that letter erased SOME of his sins.
32 posted on 07/09/2003 4:47:19 PM PDT by Ax
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To: Ax
Wexler is too mean, too mad and too damn left-wing democrat. A lawyer by profession, the senate already has way too many of them. I despise him, (in case you hadn't noticed)!
33 posted on 07/09/2003 4:50:59 PM PDT by onyx (Name an honest democrat? I can't either!)
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To: onyx; Ax
"Wexler is too mean, too mad and too damn left-wing democrat"


Relax, Wexler ain't running. Peter Deutsch jumped out early, and Wexler would be competing for the same base as Deutsch. So we'll have to listen to Wexler whine from the House floor for at least two more years.
34 posted on 07/09/2003 4:58:31 PM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: LdSentinal
Better Foley than McCollum. Not real excited about either of them, but McCollum lost once, and pushed for a major Freedom Grab with secret searches awhile back with Butcher Reno during the Klinton years.
35 posted on 07/09/2003 5:01:44 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan (Liberals - "The suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked")
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To: longtermmemmory
It's none of my business or anyone elses.
36 posted on 07/09/2003 5:02:54 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan (Liberals - "The suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked")
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To: Dan from Michigan
It is absolutly everyone's business. These are elected representatives.

He just needs to say "I am not a homosexual" and its over.
This coy crap over direct questions is garbage.

The sun sentinal carried an article written by a homosexual writer about the whole foley sex issue. The homosexuals are drooling over the prospect of outing foley. As long as he does nothing on this issue he will be vulnerable. Vulnerability in a US senator is not acceptable.
37 posted on 07/09/2003 5:13:15 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
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To: AuH2ORepublican
Everyone os better off with Wexler confined to the House where he's 1/435. Look at the damage Schumer has done since he left the House for the Senate!
38 posted on 07/09/2003 5:30:38 PM PDT by onyx (Name an honest democrat? I can't either!)
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To: Ax
I saw a letter that a buddy of mine received from Dick Durbin. What the Senator did for this guy goes beyond what most pols will do once elected. After reading the letter, I could no longer hate the guy for the (D) after his name. I just transferred it to Hillary, Daschle, Pelosi, Waters, Boxer, Levin, Leahy........
39 posted on 07/09/2003 5:36:18 PM PDT by cardinal4 (The Senate Armed Services Comm; the Chinese pipeline into US secrets)
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To: AuH2ORepublican
I guess you want the entire loaf instead of 90 percent. Keep standing rigid refusing to bend at all,and not only will your back hurt,but you might just break. Tom Feeney was a disaster for Jeb against Chiles in 1994 because he is too far right. It is fine for his district as in the case of Webster and Weldon,but not statewide. Foley is already way ahead in donations,and will scare off the competition,and if that does not work,the RPOF will talk about party unity,and the need for there to be no GOP primary. We have to be smart about this,and united we stand,divided we lose.
40 posted on 07/09/2003 7:13:06 PM PDT by samantha (Don't panic, the adults are in charge.)
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