Sunday, March 12, 2006

RedState calls for Katherine Harris to Drop Out

Here.

Harris statement reported yesterday: "Unfortunately, I am unable to join you this weekend [at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Memphis], as I prayerfully prepare with my family, friends and advisers to finalize the strategy for a major announcement next week concerning my candidacy for the U.S. Senate."

8 comments:

flenser said...

What a crap site Redstate is.

If the GOP had spent as much time and effort supporting Harris as it has attacking her, maybe her prospects would be better.

Rick Ballard said...

Harris has been told that the money necessary to run a substantive campaign against Nelson will not be forthcoming. That has been rather obvious for some time. Nelson has a nice kitty of $8.M on hand while Harris has $1.67M - enough for a House run but not for a Senate run.

Nelson can be beaten but it will take someone with the ability to raise a substantial war chest very quickly. A self financed candidacy would probably be the best bet.

Nelson is one of the centrists who undoubtedly wish that the earth would open under Dean's feet.

cf said...

She's very popular in her home district and can have that seat as long as she chooses to have it.

flenser said...

"The Florida GOP rightfully sensed that it will take a long time to rehabilitate Katharine Harris’ image."

Well, they would know. They certainly have done their part, along with the WH, to damage her image in the first place. I've heard nothing but bad mouthing of her for the past several months on supposedly Republican sites.

If you ever wonder how the GOP ends up with people like Hagel and Specter as senators, this is how its done. "Controversial" people, meaning those the Democrats dislike, are tossed over the side. In their place we get squishy centerists who are loyal only to their own egos. But hey, they are self-financing!

Unknown said...

flenser:

Harris is a lightning rod in large part because of the 2000 election and there is not much that anyone can do about that. Unfair as it is.

Rick Ballard said...

Flenser,

How in the world can you 'know' that Harris wouldn't be as big a prima donna as Hagel? Specter is in a class by himself. The fact Harris has attempted an early move to the Senate doesn't mean that she deserves it. She had to woo and win specific interests support and she failed to do so. Florida is not an easy or cheap state for a statewide campaign and its going to take significant money to boot Nelson - if it's possible at all. Harris could not raise the money to mount an effective challenge and will hold an absolutely safe House seat. If Nelson holds on she can take another swing at him in six years - if she can garner the support necessary.

flenser said...

Rick

I was under the naive impression that the GOP candidates for senate seats in a particular state were chosen by the primary voters in those states.

If that practice is to be rescinded, and replaced by a system in which candidates are selected in smoke-filled rooms by party leaders, then fine. Make that the rule. But at present we seem to stuck between the two positions. The voters can chose who they like, but the party will refuse to back them if it does not like them. The end result being the seat goes by default to the Dem's.

Specter has an ACU rating of 44, Harris of 92. I think I am on solid ground in predicting that she will not be another RINO in the Senate.

Rick Ballard said...

What are you talking about? Harris made a test run and found out what she needed to know to make a correct decision. She's choosing to keep a safe seat in the House rather than roll the dice on a Senate run. It's not the first time that it has happened and a pol 'wanting' something doesn't mean they get it.

RedState played no part in her decision and I doubt that Ken Mehlman did either.