Notes For Tuesday, December 24, 2002

NOT YET SWORN IN AS CONGRESSWOMAN, KATHERINE HARRIS MAY NOW SEEK TO "SERVE" GEORGE BUSH IN THE U.S. SENATE. Katherine Harris is ambitious, and it would be the perfect Florida story if she let her ambition get the better of her and she jumped into the U.S. Senate race if Senator Graham runs for President. We are not making this up. Peter Wallsten opines that: "[n]ewly elected Rep. Katherine Harris of Sarasota, the former secretary of state who gained international attention during her role in the 2000 presidential election, has expressed an ambition for the Senate in the past and could make a run" if Graham vacates his Senate seat to run for President.

Harris, who incredibly said she was running for the House to "serve" George Bush (The Palm Beach Post, October 3, 2001), would be a dream candidate, at least for political junkies. We urge all readers to buy up as many copies as possible of Harris' book "Center of the Storm"; this may give Harris the impression that she is some sort of political powerhouse in the state, and impel her to run. The thought of a statewide race involving Harris is simply too fun to imagine. 7:07 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

GRAHAM FOR PREZ? "[I]ncreasingly concerned about the way the war of terror is being conducted and the lack of ideas of what to do with our economy," Florida Senator Bob Graham is considering a run for president. Graham called the U.S. '''scandalously ill-prepared' for another terrorist attack", according to the Miami Herald's lengthy discussion of the potential candidacy.

In a separate article, the Herald observes that the open Senate seat created by a Graham candidacy "would create a succession frenzy". Dems who might get in the race include U.S. Reps. Peter Deutsch of Broward, Alcee Hastings of Miramar, Robert Wexler of Palm Beach County and Jim Davis of Tampa, and possibly former Ambassador to Vietnam Pete Peterson, who is also a former congressman; other Dems in the picture are former state Sen. Darryl Jones, state Senate Minority Leader Ron Klein, and former state Sen. Buddy Dyer. Repubs considering the race are Clinton-hater former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum, U.S. Reps. Mark Foley of Lake Worth, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, Cliff Stearns of Ocala, House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher, Attorney General-elect Charlie Crist, and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez.

In addition to the Herald story, there are separate pieces in the St Pete Times, Palm Beach Post and the Tampa Trib, as well as an AP Wire Story. 7:07 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

PASCO COUNTY DEMS TURN COAT. "Two top Pasco County Democrats have defected to the Republican Party. Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Kurt Browning and Pasco County Commissioner Steve Simon changed their voter registrations on Friday." 6:45 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

READ THIS DAYTONA BEACH NEWS JOURNAL EDITORIAL. "For a lucky few: Is there no end to the president's compassion?" 6:39 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

"CHOOSE LITIGATION". "A Florida appellate court has given new hope to opponents of the state's 'Choose Life' license plate, reviving their lawsuit challenging the controversial tag.". Article. 6:39 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

BUSH ANNOUNCES GOP SERVICE AWARDS: Gov Bush doles out the spoils of political war, this time naming 14 people to the new governing body for Florida's public universities. 6:39 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

A PLUS PLAN BONUS SQUABBLES. The Palm Beach Post editorializes on yet more problems with Bush's A+ plan. 6:39 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

DYCKMAN COLUMN: LeRoy Collins, Trent Lott: a study in contrasts 6:38 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

"WHAT BUDGET CRUNCH?" The Miami Herald editorial board savages the Florida Legislature for"ill-advised decision-making by lawmakers to pamper themselves even as they are preparing to ask cash-strapped residents to shoulder possible service reductions." 6:04 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

ORLANDO MAYORAL ELECTION ON FEBRUARY 4. The vacancy created by Hood being appointed Secretary of State will be filled by a special election on Feb. 4, 2003. All are not happy with the date, or the fact that Hood will remain in office instead of getting out of dodge. 5:49 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]