 When Katherine Harris told Memphis delegates by dispatch last week that she had a surprise announcement, most pundit types thought it meant she was dropping out of the race to unseat Fla. Senator Bill Nelson.
Not ... so ... fast. ... From the in-box this morning, from the good folks at Securing America PAC:
... On Hannity & Colmes on Wednesday night, Katherine Harris told Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview I saw that she is staying in the Florida Senate race and is putting "everything on the line" by putting up $10 Million of her own money (which she says is everything that she is worth).
She also said that she is dedicating the Florida Senate race to her father who recently passed away. ... And now, the rest of the story. From Fox News:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris plans to spend $10 million of her inheritance in her race to unseat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, she announced Wednesday night.
She ended speculation that she would quit the race on Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes" political talk show. Rumors swirled that she would withdraw after her name was associated with a defense contractor who bribed another congressman.
"I'm staying. I'm in this race. I'm going to win," she said. "I'm going to put everything on the line."
Harris, a citrus and cattle heiress, has been under mounting pressure from Republicans to get out of the race because of concerns that she cannot win and that her role as Florida's secretary of state during the 2000 presidential recount could drive Democrats and independents to the polls in droves.
A University of North Florida poll released hours before her television appearance showed Harris 20 points percentage points behind opponent Bill Nelson, 48 percent to 28 percent. The statewide poll of 591 registered voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
Her campaign has had difficulties since last summer. GOP leaders in Washington sought a primary opponent for her, believing her role in securing President Bush's 537-vote victory would galvanize Democrats and independents against her.
The lack of party support led to lower-than-expected campaign contributions. Harris began the year trailing Nelson in fundraising, $8 million to $1 million.
Her campaign became more difficult after a defense contractor involved in a bribery scandal said he also gave Harris illegal campaign contributions.
And from NewsMax:
Asked by Hannity if that meant her entire fortune, she said that she is
giving her campaign the entire $10 million her father left her and that was all she
had. "We are in this race. We are at ground zero and we are recharged, we're
starting "and ready to win," she said.
So that's the big announcement. It makes the "woo Jeb from afar scenario" from this post -- party insiders seeking a way to prod others, like Jeb Bush, to run, look more likely.
Get the video of Harris' announcement surprise
And on the hilarity front, TPM Muckracker's Justin Rood says Harris is "all in," for a very sound reason:
On H&C, Harris says she is spending her complete inheritance on the race in order to create "a referendum on reform and ethics."
Of Wade's contributions, Harris says "I didn't [know]" they were illegal. "He was a bad guy." Indeed...
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Tags: politics, News, elections, Florida, Jeb Bush, Katherine Harris, Bill Nelson |
