Posted on 05/22/2006 1:12:21 PM PDT by waterloofan
May 22, 2006--Senator Bill Nelson (D) from Florida has hit the 60% level of support in his bid for re-election. The latest Rasmussen Reports election poll shows Nelson leading likely GOP challenger Katherine Harris (R) by twenty-seven percentage points, 60% to 33%.
This Senate seat was once considered a a pick-up opportunity for the GOP. However, as the Harris campaign imploded earlier this year, Florida Republicans were unable to recruit a top-tier candidate to challenge Harris in the primary. As a result, Nelson is now one of the nation's safest incumbents.
Senator Nelson is viewed favorably by 66% of the state's voters and unfavorably by just 23%.
For Harris, the numbers are just 42% favorable and 50% unfavorable. This includes 41% who have a very unfavorable opinion of their former Secretary of State.
Non-sequitur. This has nothing to do with political ideology but whether or not you support Harris than letting Nelson win.
The problem with Alan Keyes is that he couldn't make a speech without saying something profoundly dumb.
Harris had a campaign staff of professionals at the beginning, but they ALL bailed when they got to know their candidate better.
That just tells you that the FL GOP is nothing more than a good-old boy network that wants to continue supporting hapless Rockefellers.
The question is, do you pour resources into Florida so that Harris loses by only 20%, and in the process lose 3-4 other GOP seats that could have been won with a few more ad buys?
The reality is that the FL GOP wasn't man enough to challenge Harris in the primary, so they've decided to undercut her instead.
Every penny spent on Harris is a penny flushed directly down the toilet.
Harris has strong grassroots support. She doesn't need the RNC's money anyway, which probably consists of those Gringo De Mexico bills anyway.
I will say this, the '06 and '08 elections are going to be very interesting. This is the time for 3PCs to get in.
Methinks that the Florida GOP better get its act together or else the Sunshine State will be in the "D" column come 2008.
Interesting too, a 3PC can run, then change their affiliation to GOP afterwards. Wouldn't that be interesting. I suppose that knife cuts both ways too, but it's fun to consider.
Very well said. Freeper Myopia is one of the worst afflictions around these parts. The average voter is nowhere near as liberal as the average DUer, nor nearly as conservative as the average Freeper.
She might have had a chance if the party did not turn it's back on her.
Why would the RNC concede this race and not even give her a chance?
Harris makes Nelson look very good in comparison. Just the truth.
I get the same kind of letters from Barbara Boxer. Har! I've never understood Florida politics, so perhaps I should stay off these threads, but this Senate race fiasco is an across-the-board Republican Party fiasco. We've had weak Sen. GOP candidates in Calif., but nobody in the Party stabbed them in the back five months before the general election. The Florida GOP bears the full responsibility for the loss of this race.
IOW The republicans will devote all their energies to other races.
How is the governor race shapping up?
I'm sorry. Nobody but Jeb could have won this seat from Nelson.
On many levels. Smarter...and a schweet package.
This bears repeating, and has repeatedly proven to be true.
Well Harris' face would be on the 5 Peso note. She co-sponsored an illegal amnesty bill of her very own in Congress.
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