State: Graham challenged on stalled court nominee

Graham challenged on stalled court nominee

U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, a likely aspirant for the senator's job, calls on him to help confirm Miguel Estrada.

By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor

U.S. Rep. Mark Foley took the first shot of his likely bid for U.S. Senate Monday, calling on Bob Graham to help confirm a controversial judicial nominee.

"Sen. Graham can play a crucial role," the West Palm Beach Republican said of the nomination of conservative Miguel Estrada to the federal appeals court in Washington. "It's time he explained whether that role will be one of inclusion or obstruction."

Senate Democrats are holding up a final vote on the nomination of Estrada, who would be the first Hispanic to serve on the influential court.

Democratic critics complain that Estrada, who moved from Honduras at 17 and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, has failed to provide enough information to evaluate him. His supporters say an American success story and Hispanic role model is being derailed by Democratic partisanship. Hispanic advocacy groups are divided on the nomination.

A spokesman, Paul Anderson, said Graham is still studying the issue. While recuperating from heart surgery he watched debate on Estrada on C-SPAN, and on Friday asked his staff to provide him with more background on the nominee.

Florida's other Democratic senator, Bill Nelson, met with Estrada Feb. 10, and is leaning toward supporting him, said spokesman Dan McLaughlin.

But Foley held a news conference and conference call with reporters to focus solely on Graham, who is expected to run for president and whom Foley wants to succeed in the Senate. Former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum is challenging Foley for the Republican Senate nomination.

Members of Florida's congressional delegation rarely take shots at one another, and Foley's unusual move signals that he'll run for Senate even if it means taking on the popular Graham.

As a likely presidential candidate and someone representing a state with Hispanics nearly 17 percent of the population, Foley said Graham could be a crucial voice to halt the Democratic filibuster. Graham needs to show whether he'll side with "the liberal primary electorate or the constituents of his home state."

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, also held a news conference Monday calling on Graham and Nelson to back Estrada. Meanwhile, a group dedicated to pushing President Bush's agenda, Progress for America, is phoning Floridians to urge them to call Graham and Nelson and demand that they support Estrada.

-- Adam C. Smith can be reached at (727) 893-8241 or adam@sptimes.com .