Katherine Harris

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Katherine Harris (born April 5 1957) is an American politician who has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing the 13th District of Florida (map). She served as Florida's Secretary of State during the controversial Florida Recount of 2000. On June 7, 2005 she announced her candidacy for the United States Senate.

Contents

Biography

Harris was born in Key West, Florida to a wealthy and politically influential family. She was educated at Bartow High School in Bartow, Florida and at the University of Madrid in Spain; received her Bachelor's Degree in history from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia [1], and earned a Mid-Career Master in Public Administration degree from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in 1997 [2], [3]. She was also a real estate broker, a member of the Florida State Senate from 1995-1998 and Florida Secretary of State (1999-2002) before entering the House. Her election to the Florida legislature was one of the most expensive Florida state races in history.

While she was Secretary of State, Harris presided over the contested Presidential election of 2000 in Florida. It was Harris who certified that the Republican candidate, George W. Bush, had carried the State of Florida, thus giving him the election over Al Gore. Her ruling was challenged, and was overturned on appeal by the Florida Supreme Court, but was upheld upon further appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States. There were allegations of a conflict of interest since she was prominent in the Florida Bush campaign.

Harris has been accused of acting in a partisan manner in conducting the Florida election count. No charges have ever been filed. In addition to her opposition to recounts in predominantly democractic counties, those who accuse Harris of acting in a partisan manner allege that:

  • Before the election, a firm hired by Harris in her capacity as Secretary of State to purge convicted felons from the voter rolls erroneously removed 8,000 registered voters who had been convicted only of misdemeanors, thousands of others who had the same names as felons, and a few whose computer records said they had committed crimes in the future. This led to her being nicknamed the Purge Princess
  • Harris certified the election results from 20 of Florida's 67 counties, in accordance with state law. Subsequent machine and hand recounts confirmed a narrow Republican victory.
  • Harris was much criticized for her insistence in following legal deadlines for ballot certifications. [Ultimately, court hearings validated proper procedures; subsequent multiple recounts confirmed the outcome.]

Her book, Center of the Storm, gives her version of events.

The 2000 election controversy was not the first time Ms. Harris faced allegations of misconduct. As Secretary of State, she was criticized for lavish spending on overseas travel.[4] Ms. Harris was accused of supporting preferential legislation for Riscorp, an insurance company whose wealthy CEO, Bill Griffin, lived in Harris' Senate district.[5] Ms. Harris was also involved in introducing Mr. Griffin to the members of the Florida state legislature and received over $20,000 in donations from key Riscorp employees who had been given bonuses specifically to enable their donations.[6] Mr. Griffin pleaded guilty to felony counts involving illegal campaign donations and conspiracy and served prison time. The Riscorp scandal involved dozens of Florida state legislators and was among the largest scandals in recent Florida history, with Harris as the largest recipient of illegal donations, which she was eventually was forced to return. However, Harris was never charged with any crime and never admitted to any willful wrongdoing.

Harris was immortalized by comedienne Ana Gasteyer during the 2000-2001 season of Saturday Night Live. Harris was depicted as man-hungry, nakedly ambitious, and as wearing wardrobe and makeup that would put most drag queens to shame. [7] Though her make-up was considered excessive by many, by the time of her Congressional campaign, Harris' look was softer and more subdued, leading some to believe she had plastic surgery. Harris has never spoken publicly about whether she had plastic surgery. It has also been alleged by Harris that newspapers doctored photographs of her, increasing the brightness of her make-up as a way to make fun of her[8]. She declined to name which newspapers had allegedly done this.

2002 House Race

In 2002, Harris ran for the congressional district vacated by retiring Republican Rep. Dan Miller, winning by 10 percentage points in this predominently Republican-leaning district.

2004 House Race

This election cycle again pitted Jan Schneider against Harris who won by the same 10 point margin as in 2002.

Harris had considered running for the seat of retiring Senator Bob Graham in 2004, but was reportedly dissuaded under pressure from the Bush White House to allow Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Melquiades Martinez to run for the open seat. Martinez went on to narrowly beat challenger Betty Castor.

In a 2004 speech in Venice, Florida, she claimed that a "Middle Eastern" man was arrested for attempting to blow up the power grid in Carmel, Indiana; in fact, there is no record that such an arrest was made. Ms. Harris has been a strong supporter of amnesty for illegal aliens and expansion of H-1b, L-1 and other Guest Worker visas.[9]

During a 2004 campaign stop in Sarasota, Florida, a local resident, Barry Seltzer, attempted to run his silver Cadillac over Harris and her supporters. Nobody was injured in the incident. Seltzer, who claimed he was "exercising [his] political expression," was eventually arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.[10]

2006 Senate Race

On June 7 2005, Harris announced her intention to run for the Republican Senate nomination in Florida to challenge incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in the 2006 election cycle. In a survey of voters taken August 23-29, 2005, Nelson garnered 57 percent to Harris's 33 percent.[11]

Democrats have said that Harris on the ballot in Florida would galvanize many party members angry at the 2000 presidential decision. Among Republicans, however, Harris enjoys a reputation as something of a hero for her role in the Florida election controversy of 2000 and thus she probably has a good chance at winning the nomination.

Early polls suggested the Democrats may have been right - Nelson had a lead over Harris that ranged from 12 to 17 points. In spite of Harris' loyal support to Republican causes, such figures as Jeb Bush and Karl Rove seemed to have their doubts about her statewide appeal. They attempted to recruit Florida house speaker Allan Bense into the race. In a survey of voters taken June 22-26, 2005 pitting Nelson against Bense, Nelson would have been favored 50 percent to Bense's 26 percent.[12] In early August 2005, Bense declined to challenge Harris, saying the timing was not right. Rumored primary challengers included Congressman Mark Foley and particularly talk show host and former Congressman Joe Scarborough. [13] (Scarborough chose not to run.)

Policy Positions

  • In a vote on May 24, 2005 [14], the Congresswoman voted with the minority (238 yea, 194 nay), in opposition to H.R. 810 [15], which would lift Bush's 2001 restrictions on federal funding for new embryonic stem cell research. [16]

External links

Image:Flag of Florida.svg Florida Congressional Delegation serving in the 109th United States Congress
Senators Bill Nelson (D), Mel Martinez (R)
Representative(s) Jeff Miller (R), Allen Boyd (D), Corrine Brown (D), Ander Crenshaw (R), Ginny Brown-Waite (R), Cliff Stearns (R), John Mica (R), Ric Keller (R), Michael Bilirakis (R), Bill Young (R), Jim Davis (D), Adam Putnam (R), Katherine Harris (R), Connie Mack IV (R), Dave Weldon (R), Mark Foley (R), Kendrick Meek (D), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R), Robert Wexler (D), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R), E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (R), Alcee Hastings (D), Tom Feeney (R), Mario Diaz-Balart (R)

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