Florida United States Senate election, 2006
Encyclopedia
The 2006 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson won re-election to a second term.
(CREW), which monitors political corruption, complained to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) in October 2006 that the Bacardi
beverage company had illegally used corporate resources in support of a fundraising event for Nelson in 2005. CREW had previously filed a similar complaint concerning a Bacardi fundraising event for Republican Senator Mel Martinez
, an event that raised as much as $60,000 for Martinez's campaign. The amended complaint alleged that, on both occasions, Bacardi violated the Federal Election Campaign Act
and FEC regulations by soliciting contributions from a list of the corporation’s vendors.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson won re-election to a second term.
Candidates
- Katherine HarrisKatherine HarrisKatherine Harris is an American Republican politician, former Secretary of State of Florida, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She held that post...
, was a U.S. Representative and had previously achieved notoriety as state Secretary of State during the 2000 presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 2000The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
and the Florida election recountFlorida election recountThe Florida election recount of 2000 was a period of vote re-counting that occurred following the unclear results of the 2000 United States presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, specifically the Florida results. The election was ultimately settled in favor of George W. Bush when...
that followed. She won the Republican nomination and faced Bill NelsonBill NelsonClarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida...
in the general election. - LeRoy Collins Jr.LeRoy Collins Jr.Thomas LeRoy Collins Jr. was a United States Navy sailor, businessman, and political figure.Collins was the son of former Florida Governor LeRoy Collins and a fifth-generation Floridian. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1956 and served in the United States Navy and United States...
, retired naval officer, son of former Governor LeRoy CollinsLeRoy CollinsThomas LeRoy Collins was the 33rd Governor of Florida.-Early life:Collins was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, where he attended Leon High School. He went on to attend the Eastman Business College in New York and then went on to the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama to... - Will McBride, corporate and immigration lawyer and son-in-law of Stuart EppersonStuart EppersonStuart W. Epperson is co-founder and chairman of Salem Communications, and a member of the conservative Council for National Policy .In 1984 and 1986, Epperson was the Republican nominee for the fifth Congressional district of North Carolina. In both races, Epperson was defeated by the incumbent...
, chairman of Salem CommunicationsSalem CommunicationsSalem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/11969; unrelated to former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill McBrideBill McBride (candidate)Bill McBride is an American lawyer and politician.A Democrat, he challenged Jeb Bush for Florida governor in the 2002 gubernatorial election. Bush won 56-43 percent, making him the first Republican governor of Florida to serve two terms...
. - Peter MonroePeter MonroePeter Hills Monroe , was a Republican U.S. Senate Candidate in the state of Florida. He is a real-estate developer and an attorney...
, real-estate developer http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/politics/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=57503, who was appointed by the first President Bush to a Cabinet-level post steering the federal government's bailout of the savings and loan industry http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/florida_senate_race/index.html
Endorsements
- The Bradenton Herald: Will McBride
- Florida (Jacksonville) Times-Union: LeRoy Collins, Jr. or Peter Monroe
- Gainesville Sun: LeRoy Collins, Jr.
- Lakeland LedgerThe LedgerThe Ledger is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida and the Polk County area. It is owned by The New York Times Company. Jerome Ferson became publisher of the newspaper on July 30, 2007....
: LeRoy Collins, Jr. - Miami Herald: LeRoy Collins, Jr.
- Naples Daily NewsNaples Daily NewsThe Naples Daily News is the main daily newspaper of Naples, Florida, and Collier County. Its main competitor in this region is the Fort Myers-based News-Press, out of neighboring Lee County to the north. It is owned by Ohio-based Edward W. Scripps Company, who bought it from the founding Collier...
: LeRoy Collins, Jr. - Orlando SentinelOrlando SentinelThe Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
: Will McBride - Palm Beach Post: Peter Monroe
- Sarasota Herald-TribuneSarasota Herald-TribuneThe Sarasota Herald-Tribune is a daily newspaper located in Sarasota, Florida.It is owned by The New York Times Company, who purchased it in 1982, and part of its regional news group. Along with Comcast, the newspaper operates a local 24-hour...
: not making an endorsement - South Florida (Fort Lauderdale) Sun Sentinel: Peter Monroe
- St. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg TimesThe St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
: LeRoy Collins, Jr. - Tampa Tribune: LeRoy Collins, Jr.
Polling
| Poll Source | Date | Collins | Harris | McBride | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Results | September 5, 2006 | 15% | 49% | 30% | 5% |
| Mason-Dixon | September 2, 2006 | 17% | 38% | 21% | 2% |
| SurveyUSA | August 31, 2006 | 12% | 45% | 22% | 5% |
| Quinnipiac | August 31, 2006 | 11% | 38% | 22% | 3% |
| Strategic Vision | August 30, 2006 | 19% | 38% | 21% | 5% |
| SurveyUSA | August 24, 2006 | 20% | 43% | 15% | 7% |
| Scroth Eldon & Associates | August 11, 2006 | 9% | 28% | 11% | 5% |
| Quinnipiac | July 27, 2006 | 6% | 40% | 21% | 3% |
| Mason-Dixon | July 26, 2006 | 8% | 36% | 11% | 2% |
| Strategic Vision | July 26, 2006 | 9% | 45% | 22% | 7% |
Results
Democrat
- Bill Nelson, the incumbentIncumbentThe incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
, was first elected to the Senate in 2000, defeating Republican Bill McCollumBill McCollumIra William "Bill" McCollum, Jr. is a former Florida Attorney General. A Republican, he was Florida's 36th attorney general, taking office in 2007...
, then a U.S. Representative. (The seat was open because of the retirement of Republican U.S. Senator Connie Mack IIIConnie Mack IIICornelius Alexander McGillicuddy III , popularly known as Connie Mack, is a former Republican politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida from 1983 to 1989 and then as a Senator from 1989 to 2001. He served as chairman of the Senate Republican...
.) Nelson was former member of the Florida House of RepresentativesFlorida House of RepresentativesThe Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
(1973-1979), U.S. Representative (1979-1991), Democratic candidate for governor of Florida (losing to Lawton ChilesLawton ChilesLawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. was an American politician from the US state of Florida. In a career spanning four decades, Chiles, a Democrat who never lost an election, served in the Florida House of Representatives , the Florida State Senate , the United States Senate , and as the 41st Governor of...
in 1990) and Florida State Treasurer/Insurance Commissioner/Fire Marshal (1995-2000).
Republican
- Katherine HarrisKatherine HarrisKatherine Harris is an American Republican politician, former Secretary of State of Florida, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She held that post...
, was a U.S. Representative and had previously achieved notoriety as state Secretary of State during the 2000 presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 2000The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
and the Florida election recountFlorida election recountThe Florida election recount of 2000 was a period of vote re-counting that occurred following the unclear results of the 2000 United States presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, specifically the Florida results. The election was ultimately settled in favor of George W. Bush when...
that followed. She won the Republican nomination and faced Bill NelsonBill NelsonClarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida...
in the general election.
Independents
- Brian MooreBrian Moore (politician)Brian Patrick Moore is an United States politician and founder of antiwar organization Nature Coast Coalition for Peace & Justice. He was the presidential nominee of the Socialist Party USA for the 2008 United States presidential election. He waged several campaigns for mayor and city council in...
, a retired health care executive and former congressional candidate who centered his candidacy on opposition to the war in Iraq. - Roy Tanner
- Belinda Noah
- Floyd Ray Frazier
Campaign
The organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in WashingtonCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is a nonprofit 501 organization that describes itself as "dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials – regardless of party affiliation – who sacrifice the common good to...
(CREW), which monitors political corruption, complained to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) in October 2006 that the Bacardi
Bacardi
Bacardi is a family-controlled spirits company, best known as a producer of rums, including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151. The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year in nearly 100 countries...
beverage company had illegally used corporate resources in support of a fundraising event for Nelson in 2005. CREW had previously filed a similar complaint concerning a Bacardi fundraising event for Republican Senator Mel Martinez
Mel Martinez
Melquíades Rafael Martínez Ruiz, usually known as Mel Martinez , is a former United States Senator from Florida and served as Chairman of the Republican Party from November 2006 until October 19, 2007, the first Latino to serve as chairman of a major party...
, an event that raised as much as $60,000 for Martinez's campaign. The amended complaint alleged that, on both occasions, Bacardi violated the Federal Election Campaign Act
Federal Election Campaign Act
The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 is a United States federal law which increased disclosure of contributions for federal campaigns. It was amended in 1974 to place legal limits on the campaign contributions...
and FEC regulations by soliciting contributions from a list of the corporation’s vendors.
Endorsements
In a rare move, all twenty-two of Florida's daily newspapers supported Nelson, while none supported Harris in the general election.- Bradenton HeraldBradenton HeraldThe Bradenton Herald is a McClatchy newspaper in Bradenton, Florida, in the United States. Since 2006, The Bradenton Herald has published an edition called the Lakewood Ranch Herald that focuses on local coverage of the rapidly growing eastern region of Manatee County.-History:* 1922: Founded...
: Bill Nelson - Charlotte Sun-Herald: Bill Nelson
- Daytona Beach News-JournalDaytona Beach News-JournalThe Daytona Beach News-Journal is a Florida daily newspaper serving Volusia and Flagler counties.It grew from the Halifax Journal which was started in 1883. The Davidson family purchased the newspaper in 1928 and retained control until bankruptcy in 2009. In 1986, The Morning Journal and Evening...
: Bill Nelson - Florida Times-Union: Bill Nelson
- Fort Myers News-PressFort Myers News-PressThe News-Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper located in Fort Myers, Florida serving primarily Lee County, as well as parts of Hendry, Collier, and Charlotte Counties....
: Bill Nelson - Gainesville Sun: Bill Nelson
- Lakeland LedgerThe LedgerThe Ledger is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida and the Polk County area. It is owned by The New York Times Company. Jerome Ferson became publisher of the newspaper on July 30, 2007....
: Bill Nelson - Miami Herald: Bill Nelson
- Naples Daily NewsNaples Daily NewsThe Naples Daily News is the main daily newspaper of Naples, Florida, and Collier County. Its main competitor in this region is the Fort Myers-based News-Press, out of neighboring Lee County to the north. It is owned by Ohio-based Edward W. Scripps Company, who bought it from the founding Collier...
: Bill Nelson - Orlando SentinelOrlando SentinelThe Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
: Bill Nelson - Palm Beach Post: Bill Nelson
- Pensacola News JournalPensacola News JournalThe Pensacola News Journal is a daily morning newspaper serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida. It is Northwest Florida's most widely-read daily....
: Bill Nelson - Saint Petersburg Times: Bill Nelson
- Sarasota Herald-TribuneSarasota Herald-TribuneThe Sarasota Herald-Tribune is a daily newspaper located in Sarasota, Florida.It is owned by The New York Times Company, who purchased it in 1982, and part of its regional news group. Along with Comcast, the newspaper operates a local 24-hour...
: Bill Nelson - Scripps Treasure Coast NewspapersScripps Treasure Coast NewspapersThe Treasure Coast Newspapers serve residents in five counties located along the Treasure Coast and The Gold Coast of southeast Florida, one of the wealthiest markets in the country. They are owned by the E. W...
: Bill Nelson - South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Bill Nelson
- Tallahassee DemocratTallahassee DemocratThe Tallahassee Democrat is a daily broadsheet newspaper. It covers the area centered around Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida, as well as adjacent Gadsden County, Jefferson County, and Wakulla County...
: Bill Nelson - Tampa Tribune: Bill Nelson
Polling
| Poll Source | Date | Nelson (D) | Harris (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA | November 5, 2006 | 59% | 36% |
| Mason-Dixon | November 3, 2006 | 58% | 34% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | November 2, 2006 | 59% | 33% |
| St. Petersburg Times | October 28, 2006 | 56% | 30% |
| Quinnipiac | October 25, 2006 | 64% | 29% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | October 25, 2006 | 58% | 35% |
| Mason-Dixon | October 16-17, 2006 | 57% | 31% |
| Quinnipiac | October 11, 2006 | 61% | 33% |
| SurveyUSA | October 10, 2006 | 55% | 37% |
| Rasmussen | October 4, 2006 | 54% | 37% |
| Rasmussen | September 27, 2006 | 56% | 33% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | September 27, 2006 | 59% | 31% |
| Mason-Dixon | September 20-22, 2006 | 53% | 35% |
| SurveyUSA | September 14, 2006 | 53% | 38% |
| Zogby/WSJ | September 11, 2006 | 51% | 33% |
| Rasmussen | September 5, 2006 | 57% | 34% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | August 30, 2006 | 63% | 20% |
| Zogby/WSJ | August 28, 2006 | 52% | 32% |
| St. Petersburg Times | August 11, 2006 | 60% | 25% |
| Rasmussen | July 28, 2006 | 61% | 33% |
| Quinnipiac | July 27, 2006 | 61% | 24% |
| Mason-Dixon | July 26, 2006 | 57% | 29% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | July 26, 2006 | 60% | 22% |
| Zogby/WSJ | July 24, 2006 | 55% | 34% |
| Quinnipiac | June 30, 2006 | 59% | 26% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | June 28, 2006 | 61% | 26% |
| Zogby/WSJ | June 21, 2006 | 51% | 33% |
| Quinnipiac | May 25, 2006 | 58% | 25% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | May 25, 2006 | 56% | 26% |
| Rasmussen | May 22, 2006 | 60% | 33% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | April 26, 2006 | 56% | 24% |
| Quinnipiac | April 20, 2006 | 56% | 27% |
| Rasmussen | April 14, 2006 | 57% | 27% |
| Zogby/WSJ | March 31, 2006 | 50% | 37% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | March 30, 2006 | 56% | 28% |
| Mason-Dixon | March 29, 2006 | 51% | 35% |
| University of North Florida | March 15, 2006 | 48% | 28% |
| Quinnipiac | February 24, 2006 | 53% | 31% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | February 22, 2006 | 49% | 34% |
| Rasmussen | February 14, 2006 | 49% | 40% |
| Rasmussen | January 5, 2006 | 54% | 31% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | November 30, 2005 | 48% | 32% |
| Quinnipiac | November 15, 2005 | 55% | 31% |
| Rasmussen | November 14, 2005 | 53% | 36% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | September 22, 2005 | 48% | 36% |
| Quinnipiac | August 31, 2005 | 57% | 33% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | August 21, 2005 | 47% | 38% |
| Strategic Vision (R) | July 20, 2005 | 48% | 40% |