Democrats say they see an opportunity to unseat the congresswoman, elected with just 49 percent of the vote.
By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published June 13, 2003
U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, her election barely seven months past, already is facing a Democratic campaign to oust her next year.
National Democrats on Thursday attacked Brown-Waite for what they deemed her flip-flop on benefits for disabled veterans, a key issue for the thousands of veterans in Brown-Waite's 5th Congressional District. Party officials made no secret of the effort or their rationale.
"We are looking at races across the country where we recognize a vulnerability we can take advantage of and get a Democrat elected," said Angela Belden, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "It's not too early at all."
Having won with only 49 percent of the vote, Belden said, Brown-Waite is near the top of the list. Others include Bob Beauprez of Colorado, Henry Bonilla of Texas and Rick Renzi of Arizona.
Belden would not be specific about which Democrat might go after Brown-Waite, but she acknowledged former five-term Rep. Karen Thurman of Dunnellon could become a player.
Thurman, who has spent much time with her former constituents and Capitol Hill colleagues since Brown-Waite defeated her, ruled nothing out. She is the only Democrat in Florida's 5th Congressional District to have an active campaign account listed with the Federal Election Commission.
"I've made no decisions on that," Thurman, now a consultant, said when reached at her Dunnellon home.
Brown-Waite said she did not care who runs against her. The Democrats are "born-again veteran admirers" who have no plan and instead are attacking GOP efforts with incorrect information, she argued.
"They want to be obstructionist. They want to mislead," Brown-Waite said in a telephone interview. "They want to scare the veterans. What did they do when they were in charge? Nothing to help veterans."
She discounted the idea that the Democrats could take back her seat, noting that voting patterns in the district are clearly Republican-leaning.
"They can look around all they want" for a candidate, she said. "Because the constituents appreciate hard work. They know our office was left with an unfinished caseload of 1,000. ... I don't care whether it's Karen Thurman or a clone. We're going to work hard for the people of the 5th Congressional District, because that's what Ginny Brown-Waite is all about."
The issue of the day centered on Brown-Waite's position regarding the ability of disabled veterans to receive both retirement and disability benefits. In a news release, the Democrats said Brown-Waite has co-sponsored a bill that would immediately authorize full payment of both benefits to about 500,000 disabled veterans, but also refused to force the bill to the House floor for a vote.
They reprinted a quote from Congressional Quarterly, a Washington-based publication owned by the same company that owns the St. Petersburg Times, in which Brown-Waite said the budget had no money for this program and it was a "false promise."
"Ginny Brown-Waite is talking out of both sides of her mouth to veterans in her district. How can she co-sponsor a bill to give disabled vets the full benefits they deserve, then say it's a false promise?" Democratic Congressional Campaign spokeswoman Kori Bernards said in the release. "Congresswoman Brown-Waite can't have it both ways - if there's no money for disabled vets, why did she just vote to pass another trillion-dollar tax cut for the wealthiest?"
Brown-Waite, who spent part of the afternoon Thursday at a news conference about survivor benefits with military spouses, noted the disability/retirement bill has been proposed by Republicans for 18 years, and it got nowhere while Democrats were in charge. Now, sponsor Rep. Michael Bilirakis, a Tarpon Springs Republican, is working with House leaders to get at least a compromise measure approved.
She said she is working closely with him. Forcing it to the floor now is not appropriate, she added.
Caryn McLeod, a Brown-Waite spokeswoman, said Brown-Waite has tackled veteran issues vigorously during her short tenure, and the Democrats were employing a tactic that speaks for itself.
"If this is the best they've got to paint her in a (negative) way, this is kind of disappointing," McLeod said. Brown-Waite suggested it makes sense that the Democrats are attacking her early, because they have nothing to offer but attacks.
"If I were them, I'd do it. But I'd try to be accurate," Brown-Waite said. "I think early and accurate would be smart."
