Posted on 09/21/2006 1:27:19 PM PDT by churchillbuff
For months, Republican leaders tried pushing Katherine Harris out of the U.S. Senate race in hopes of finding a candidate that could win, and she responded by talking about "the party elite" with disdain at just about every campaign stop.
But now that the party is stuck with her as its candidate to face Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Republican leaders will welcome Harris as President Bush visits Tampa and Orlando Thursday to raise money to help the party maintain the governor's office, its hold on the Cabinet, and its dominance in the Legislature and U.S. House delegation.
The star of the evening will be Attorney General Charlie Crist, the Republican nominee to replace Gov. Jeb Bush, but Harris will join party leaders at the Orlando event expected to raise at least $2 million for the November election.
"The party invited her and we're glad she's able to attend," said state Republican Party spokesman Jeff Sadosky. "The governor and Chairman (Carole Jean) Jordan both immediately supported her when she won the primary."
But before she won the primary with less than half the vote in a four-way race, Jordan and the governor refused to back her. For months, Republican leaders in Tallahassee and Washington tried to find a candidate to defeat Harris. Gov. Bush openly said she couldn't win, and Jordan wrote to her saying the same.
Even after the primary, she was snubbed when Jordan, Gov. Bush, Crist and every statewide Republican candidate except Harris flew around Florida for unity rallies. The party said the events were to highlight state races, not federal campaigns.
Whether she continues to talk about the party elite, Harris welcomes the opportunity to finally join them.
"She looks forward to being with the president and Charlie Crist and Gov. Jeb Bush," said campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Marks. "We look forward to heading into November with unity."
Once the darling of Republicans when as Florida secretary of state she oversaw the 2000 recount that handed President Bush the White House, her popularity has been in a tailspin. She's been tied to a corrupt defense contractor, given embarrassing television interviews, endured former staffers detailing bizarre behavior and been caught at fibs that call her credibility into question.
But she is the nominee and the party plans to show support where it can even if she trails Nelson by more than 30 points in the polls and by millions of dollars in campaign contributions.
Jordan has offered to appear at events with Harris and the party plans to include her on get-out-the-vote mailings and fliers asking Republicans to vote for the entire ticket. She will also be among the candidates the party plans to showcase at events Friday and Saturday during its quarterly meetings.
Most of the money raised at the dinner Thursday, though, will go to state races, with the priority being to help Crist defeat Democrat Jim Davis as Bush leaves office due to term limits.
While President Bush's poll numbers have suffered, Crist said he will be proud to receive the president's support.
Congressman Davis' campaign, though, is using the visit to criticize Crist.
"Nobody more clearly illustrates the need for change in our state and our nation's leadership than George W. Bush," said Davis spokesman Josh Earnest. "He's going to need all the money that he can get to convince the people of Florida that the status quo is the best for Florida."
Exactly. They wanted her to pull out, but meanwhile, they didn't have a superstar that was without-a-doubt better than her.
"The fact he and the party poobah's couldn't recruit someone better (whatever that means) early on, the Florida GOP should have at least kept their big mouths shut about Harris' chances against Nelson. Their pre-primary behavior and comments have created such ill-will against Harris' candidacy, that it is likely doomed. Jeb should have minded his own business at least in respect for how she refused to be intimidated in 2000, did her job, obeyed the Florida election laws, and helped secure Geo. W. Bush's victory in that election."
And then they go and back up that traitor Chafee to add insult to injury. The country clubbers deserve a kick in the arse.
Horse pic?
ping
Reagan's 11th Commandment doesn't seem to apply when it comes to Katherine Harris. GOP fair-weather friends are sickening sometimes.
Ditto that! Give us some true conservatives with a SPINE, please!
I like Katherine Harris. She even sent me a thank you note back in 2000.
thank you for the photo!!!
....come on all floridians....get out and vote for her....kick nelson's ass!!!!
LOL, I saw a Nelson ad on TV last night. The man is a twerp.
You wouldn't be tellin' fibs about them mushrooms now would'ya Willie?
Welcome to FR......Nelson looks like a 'Two-Face Howdy Doody!
See the picture in post 24. Just a little bit of Nelson appears on the right edge of the picture.
She certainly has class and is very gracious. And she appreciates her supporters.
Last Easter Sunday she took time from being with her family to phone me to say thank me for my 'letter to the editor' defending her actions in 2000 as FL Secretary of State and listing her many accomplishments as my Congresswoman!
"See the picture in post 24. Just a little bit of Nelson appears on the right edge of the picture."
LOL!!
I'll gladly donate again to the Harris campaign.
Then why is Christ getting all the money? The day they throw a $2 million fund raiser for Harris is the day I'll believe she's the star. Sounds more like what they're saying is "OK, you're here because we want to fake party unity. Keep your hand out of the till, and run along like a nice little girl and lose quietly."
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