Katherine “Cruella De-“ Harris pulling out of Florida Senate Race?

Harris advisers urged her to quit
Jim Stratton and Tamara Lytle
Sentinel Staff Writers

March 17, 2006

Katherine Harris' chief political strategist said Thursday that he suggested she abandon her bid for the U.S. Senate because it would be a "tough row to hoe" given the numerous setbacks the campaign had suffered.

But Harris refused. Instead, she decided to spend $10 million of her own money on the race and took her case directly to voters, using Fox News' Hannity & Colmes talk show Wednesday night as her platform.

Harris' chief strategist, Ed Rollins, gave a sober assessment of her chances a day after her television appearance, revealing that he and other key advisers concluded it probably would be best if she abandoned the race against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.

Rollins said they worried about Harris' sluggish fundraising, her inability to generate excitement among top Republicans and future fallout from illegal campaign contributions she took from a defense contractor who has since pleaded guilty to bribing a California lawmaker.

Rollins said he and others told Harris it would be "very difficult" because she likely would have to spend considerable energy explaining the contributions.

Finally, he said, the advisers "made our recommendation that she should probably get out."

If Harris was expecting state party leaders to publicly embrace her bid Thursday, it didn't happen.

But they did offer some advice -- starting with Gov. Jeb Bush.

"I think for Congresswoman Harris to win, this has to stop being about her and has to start being about Senator Nelson and about the future of our country and the future of the state," said Bush, who was involved in a failed effort last year to recruit House Speaker Allan Bense to challenge Harris in the GOP primary. "Maybe this shows a commitment to the race and hopefully the dynamics will change."

In the weeks before her announcement, Harris had suffered numerous setbacks from staff turnover, sagging poll numbers and the widespread reports about the campaign contributions.

Political analysts and Republican insiders Thursday offered a range of views on whether the $10 million, an inheritance she said she received after her father's death in January, would change her fortunes.

Several said it likely would put to rest the prospect of another key Republican jumping into the race and allow her to attract some new top strategists.

"I believe the outlook on this race has changed dramatically," said former state GOP chairman Al Cardenas. "I now believe she's capable of mounting a successful campaign. I didn't believe that two weeks ago."

Cardenas, a top fundraiser for President Bush and his brother Jeb, said he had declined to help Harris before.

Now, he said, he's willing to pitch in.

Some Republicans were still concerned that Harris, a polarizing figure since her role as Florida secretary of state in the 2000 presidential recount, hasn't solved all her problems.

The Republican congresswoman from Longboat Key has lost key consultants in the past week. And she has not yet answered all the questions that arose from her acceptance of campaign contributions from defense contractor Mitchell Wade of MZM Inc.

Harris said she didn't know the donations were illegal but did ask for $10 million in federal aid for Wade's firm for a project in her Sarasota district. She said she has since given $50,000 in MZM-related donations to charity. She also said she was interested in Wade's project because it would add jobs to her district.

"She has a very tough race ahead of her," said Republican strategist John "Mac" Stipanovich. "I'm not sure anything has changed."

Rollins said Thursday that the MZM controversy is difficult because the Harris campaign doesn't know what other information might surface.

The Justice Department has said Harris did not know the contributions were illegal. But the incident is still touchy because it ties Harris to a man who pleaded guilty to corrupting another lawmaker -- Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif.

"All we can do is tell our side," Rollins said.

He said Harris and some of her other strategists felt that leaving the campaign would amount to a tacit admission that she had done something wrong. Instead, Harris proposed using inheritance money from her father to breathe life into the race.

"My advice was it was that it was going to be very difficult, but at the end of the day, I don't tell candidates what to do," Rollins said.

Fundraiser Anne Dunsmore and pollster Ed Goeas left the campaign this week.

Goeas said he thinks the race will be close now and the staff turnover can bring her new perspectives. Harris wasn't taking his advice, he said, and "it became clear it would be better for her to bring in someone else."

Stipanovich and University of South Florida political scientist Susan MacManus said the MZM controversy is likely to fade by Election Day. But Democrats clearly see an opportunity to use it against her.

"The fact that Katherine Harris thinks the best way to help her campaign is to change the subject from her ties to a bribery scandal to how her candidacy is in disarray speaks volumes," said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Phil Singer.

Democrats are probably "cautiously optimistic" about Harris, despite her new war chest, MacManus said. She ignites strong feelings in Democrats still angry about the 2000 elections and that could help Nelson raise money in what will be an expensive, advertising-heavy campaign, she said.

Rollins said the $10 million doesn't end all Harris' fund-raising needs. Her campaign could total $25 million before it's through.

Her personal donation could trigger help for Nelson from a 2002 campaign-finance reform law. That law includes a "millionaires amendment" meant to help candidates whose opponents pump big money into their races.

It allows the person not using personal funds to triple or even multiply by six times the usual limits of $2,100 per individual donation. The amendment also includes provisions for when the opponent has himself raised substantial funds.