Four Democrats are vying to unseat the Republican first-term U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite of Crystal River in Florida's 5th Congressional District.
None has held public office before, and just one - Brian Moore of Spring Hill - has sought election in the past.
Soon after the 2002 election, pundits considered Brown-Waite vulnerable, because she received less than 50 percent of the vote in her narrow defeat of incumbent Karen Thurman. But when Thurman declined to enter this year's race, those same observers, including the Cook Political Report, Congressional Quarterly and Rothenberg Political Report, deemed the field "second-tier" and unlikely to defeat Brown-Waite.
Still, the candidates assert that, given the right circumstances, Brown-Waite - whom, they note, has voted with the GOP majority position 96 percent of the time - is beatable.
The challengers' positions on the issues leave voters with some clear choices.
Moore, who ran for this seat as an independent in 2002, opposes the war in Iraq and calls for the removal of all U.S. troops within six months.
"Every one of us is adversely affected," Moore said at a recent forum. The war is costing "billions of dollars, and we need to do something about it."
He supports repeal of the Patriot Act, if Congress does not allow it to expire as scheduled in December 2005. He also wants to repeal the Republican-sponsored Medicare reform act that provided some prescription drug coverage.
Moore promotes a universal, national single-payer health care system. He does not support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, and he supports abortion rights.
Richard J. Penberthy said the war was based on bad diplomacy and bad intelligence, "and now we're in a bad situation." But the country cannot just cut and run, he said, calling for an orderly transfer of military oversight to the United Nations.
He set as his top priorities putting more federal money toward ensuring that students receive a world-class education, supporting a single-payer health care system, and a revision of the budget process and tax code. Penberthy said he would seek to roll back tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and to reinstate the estate tax.
"We can make changes to bring back the (federal budget) surpluses," Penberthy said.
The Vietnam-era veteran also said the government should divert whatever resources are necessary to give veterans the services they deserve.
He supports certain legal rights for same-sex couples and would not vote for an amendment banning gay marriage. He said he personally opposes abortion, but thinks the government should not be involved in the issue.
John T. Russell, a nurse who wears a stethoscope at campaign functions, calls himself "the health care guy." Affordable health care is a growing crisis, he said, and the country must move incrementally toward a single-payer universal health care system.
He calls for a new approach to foreign policy, with more attention paid to understanding cultural differences. Along with that, he says, should be an effort to move away from dependence on carbon-based fuels.
"A change in direction regarding energy policy can abrogate the need for further energy wars," Russell wrote.
Russell does not support an amendment to ban gay marriage. He supports abortion rights.
Robert G. Whittel said he decided to run for Congress because he wants his 20-month-old daughter to live in a country that provides her the same social and economic opportunities he had growing up.
His primary campaign pledges are to ensure full prescription benefits for veterans, and for seniors in general. He questions whether the war in Iraq was waged for the right reasons, and whether soldiers coming home will receive adequate care.
He says the Patriot Act must be modified, so it covers terrorists and not "average Americans." The government must focus on preventing terrorism, and not infringe on civil liberties, he said.
Whittel says he thinks marriage is reserved for a man and a woman, but says states should decide the rights of same-sex couples. A constitutional amendment is unnecessary, he said, "given the current status of Supreme Court jurisprudence."
He supports abortion rights.
THE JOB
The 5th Congressional District represents all of Citrus, Hernando, Levy and Sumter counties, and portions of Lake, Marion, Pasco and Polk counties. U.S. House members serve a two-year term and earn $158,100 a year.
THE DEMOCRATS
BRIAN MOORE, 61, of Spring Hill was born in Oakland, Calif., and moved to Florida in 2000. He ran as an independent in the 5th District two years ago, garnering 2.4 percent of the vote and placing fourth. He was elected president of the Spring Hill Civic Association in late 2001, but his election was voided because of his position as vice chairman of the Reform Party of Florida at the time the ballots were cast. He is president of the Hernando County Good Government League, a watchdog organization, and also has organized several antiwar demonstrations in Hernando County. Moore ran unsuccessfully for Washington, D.C., mayor three times. A former health care executive, Moore operates an executive recruitment firm, specializing in health fields. He has a master's degree in public administration from Arizona State University. He is married and has no children.
RICHARD J. PENBERTHY, 50, of Wesley Chapel was born in Kenmore, N.Y., and moved to Florida about 25 years ago. This is his first run for public office. He has been a Democrat for 31 years. Penberthy has taught social studies and economics at Largo High School for 20 years and has been a Pinellas County secondary school teacher of the year. A Vietnam-era veteran, Penberthy volunteered to serve in the Army in 1972 and later joined the Naval Reserve. He has been involved in community volunteer activities, including service on St. Anthony's Catholic School board, Metropolitan Ministries and Habitat For Humanity. He has a master's degree in political science from the University of South Florida. He is married and has four children.
JOHN T. RUSSELL, 48, of Dade City was born in Buffalo, N.Y., and moved to Florida in 1994. Russell has not run for public office before. In the past five years, he has been a Democrat, Republican and independent. An acute-care nurse, Russell works in the cardiac care unit at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. He has a master's degree in nursing from the University of South Florida and a master's degree in health management systems from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is single and cares for his mother, who lives with him.
ROBERT G. WHITTEL, 31, of Brooksville was born in Middletown, N.Y., and moved to Florida in 1995. He has not run for public office before, and never has voted. Until he filed papers to run for Congress, he was a Republican. A lawyer, Whittel worked about a year for the Atlanta firm of King & Spalding, served briefly with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, and entered private practice again in 2003. He has a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and is a member of the Navy Reserve. He has a master's degree in business administration and a law degree from the University of Florida and a master's in international law from the University of Cambridge. Whittel is married and has one child.
