Vern Buchanan WINS FL 13 In Massive GOTV Effort By GOP!

Vern WINS FL 13 In Massive GOTV Effort By GOP! ::: From the Newsbull Weblog of: Matt Bruce
::: Read & Respond @: http://www.newsbull.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=38380 Matt Bruce
Managing Editor & Publisher, News Sarasota   Newsbull Columnists Network 

SARASOTA, FL. (NS) -

We all knew the 13th Congressional Race was going to be close. Just how close .02 of a percent winning margin for GOP Candidate, and some 364 votes, for local Sarasota Businessman Vern Buchanan...

The crowd at The Hyatt where both current 13th Congresswoman Katharine Harris and 13th Candidate Vern Buchanan were holding their Victory Parties, was charged with energy and enthusiasm...

Early on you could see the trend developing for the FL U.S. Senate race and incumbent Senator Bill Nelson (D) came out before 9 pm ET and declared victory...

Shortly afterward Congresswoman Katharine Harris conceeded defeat and drew large cheers from the crowds as she thanked both her supporters and opponent...

Meanwhile downstairs on the ground floor level, the Buchanan faithful were just getting started with their long evening...

As the results started coming in and showed Vern Buchanan leading at almost every turn, the crowd cheered wildly. The more the voting results, the louder the cheers...

There were Radio and TV Reporters, as well as Print Media everywhere you looked. They all seemed to be asking the 'same questions'. Why do you support Vern Buchanan was the most popular question I heard being asked and I even got a chance myself to give the TV News Reporters an answer...

This was nothing most of us didn't expect to hear as the 13th FL Congressional Race was one of the costliest and most negative Campaigns I've ever witnessed in my lifetime and that opinion was shared by many around the room...

As a wandered around, I spoke with Doug Holder, newly elected FL State Rep in District 70. Doug shared his enthusiasm and optimism for helping the Voters of his District once he got to the Florida House Chambers...

I also spoke with Lt. Col. Lee Kichen, U.S. Army Ret., from the VFW PAC. His group had previously endorsed Vern Buchanan in his successful bid for Congress. He spoke highly of Vern Buchanan and the things he and his group had been told about key Veterans issues Vern will address when he gets to Washington, DC...

Then there were the Firefighters from IAFF 2546. Early on they had endorsed Vern Buchanan, and many of them present had been out during the day waving signs with Vern and his Campaign staff throughout the area...

Vern had promised the Firefighters early on that he would be addressing their issues of concern and once again he had already delivered by being a strong support in the recent SRQ Airport FF Privatization issue...

As the night stretched out into the early morning hours of Wedneday, it became apparent this race was going right down to the 'wire' and could wind up as a 'recount'...

About 1 am ET, Vern came out with his Family and staff members to address the crowd which had been over 250 people earlier, but now was down to about 100...

The Candidate thanked his Family, his team, the loyal supporters who stood with him, the Voters of the 13th FL Congressional District and God for allowing him to have the opportunity for this Victory...

Vern also said "I will be a candidate for the people." The entire room cheered loudly and you could just feel the genuine love they had for their winning Candidate...

So, for now it's 'recount' time and then onward and upward with a new Congressman in the 13th Congressional District...

The main issue I was hearing coming out of the Supervisor of Elections office was a discrepency of some 8,000 to 10,000 fewer people who voted in the Congressional race rather than in other high-profile races for Governor, Attorney General or U.S. Senator...

My own thought was once again it was people not paying attention who failed to see the first item listen at the very top of the touchscreen, the 13th Congressional Candidates, just before you scrolled down and saw the Governors race...

Folks, if you can't follow directions and you 'screw up' the rules are the rules...

Will we have another Al Gore 2000 type debarcle? We certainly hope NOT!

So for now, that's my report in the wee hours of the morning, it's time to shut this thing off and head to bed!

For Now, That's Just 'OUR' Opinion...

Matt Bruce
Managing Editor
News Sarasota.com
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