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Politics

Congressional matchup gets heated

During a political forum Tuesday night, congressional foes Ginny Brown-Waite and John Russell gave their usual spiels. Depending on whom you believe, the candidates saved their real dueling for after the debate.

By ELENA LESLEY
Published October 19, 2006

CRYSTAL RIVER - During a political forum Tuesday night, congressional foes Ginny Brown-Waite and John Russell gave their usual spiels. Depending on whom you believe, the candidates saved their real dueling for after the debate.

"It was just bizarre," said Bill Grant, head of the local Republican Party, who said he witnessed the turmoil.

Grant said that after the congressional hopefuls wrapped up their onstage barbs, Russell went after the congresswoman's husband, Harvey Waite, while exiting the National Guard Armory.

"He Russell tried to grab or push his (Harvey Waite's) head," Grant said. "Lunging would be too strong a word, but 'reaching' wouldn't be strong enough."

Russell flatly denied the claim during an interview Wednesday. He said Waite told him "your nose is getting longer" as he passed by.

"I turned around to comment," Russell said, "but then decided I would just smile and walk away."

Outside the armory, things got even more heated - how, exactly, is not clear.

Grant said Russell's supporters bullied Brown-Waite, trying to push her off the sidewalk.

"Political discourse turned into a violent disarray," he said. "Russell has some real composure and temperament issues."

Charlie Keller, the congresswoman's spokesman, couldn't confirm that Brown-Waite had been pushed. But he said that, from what he'd heard, "it was rowdy enough that that could happen."

Meanwhile, Russell said it was the congresswoman who disrespected him, screaming at him as she exited the building and calling him a "loser."

"She had all her crew there, holding up signs appropriate for seventh-graders," Russell said. "She's losing it."

Signs of dispute

The inflammatory signs made an appearance earlier in the evening, during the forum. Gerry Mulligan, publisher of the Citrus County Chronicle, which sponsored the event, started out the evening asking the audience to "put some respect back in this debate."

During a forum last week sponsored by the Times, some Brown-Waite supporters shouted insults and heckled Russell while he tried to speak.

But some in attendance Tuesday found a new outlet for their partisan fervor, waving colorful, disparaging signs whenever Russell started to talk.

"Roach Russell" read one hot pink creation, bearing a hand-inked depiction of the insect. "Cut-n-run is no strategy," another proclaimed.

The critics didn't phase Russell, a Democrat who is hoping to ride an anti-Republican wave into Congress.

"I'm having a ball," he said, adding that Brown-Waite's supporters wouldn't attack him so aggressively if they weren't scared.

Belting his way through the arguments, Russell blasted Brown-Waite's Republican-aligned voting record, demanded America set a plan for withdrawing troops from Iraq and said it would take more than a fence, which the congresswoman supports, to solve America's immigration problem.

As he had before, Russell pointed out he'd hopped many a fence as a boy.

The fence would be "three times as high as the average tall man, John," Brown-Waite retorted.

She went on to attack Russell's affiliation with the ACLU, a group that she said "sues local governments for putting up a Christmas display."

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant," she said, quoting Ronald Reagan. "It's just that they know so much that isn't so."

The trouble with Brown-Waite, Russell countered, "is that she doesn't tell the truth."

"It is time for a change, ladies and gentlemen," he announced. "It is time for a change."

School drug testing

Other seats debated Tuesday evening didn't elicit the same kind of adrenaline.

Three weeks after school officials unveiled a detailed plan to test high school athletes for drugs and alcohol, the candidates in the School Board District 1 race still did not take a firm stance on the program.

"I don't have an answer to that question," incumbent Lou Miele said when asked Tuesday night if he supported the superintendent's proposal. A little later he added, "I'm leaning against it."

Challenger Paul Earnheart, a physical education teacher at Rock Crusher Elementary, also danced around the question.

"Right now, I say no," he said. "But I am an advocate of drug-free schools."

Both candidates said more research and input from the public is needed before the board can make a decision. Miele said he has yet to see a study showing the effectiveness of random drug testing.

Earnheart said he doesn't think it's fair to only target high school athletes and not other students as well. He also doesn't think the program provides enough safeguards to protect the identity of students who test positive.

In separate remarks, Miele criticized his opponent for his lack of experience.

"I've just been wondering what has (Earnheart) done to prepare for this job," he said.

Earnheart suggested Miele is out of touch with the needs of students and educators. He touted his 10-year career as a teacher with children of his own in the public schools system.

Debate in the District 2 County Commission race focused on the record of incumbent Republican Gary Bartell, who is seeking a fifth term.

Bartell pointed with pride to his work shepherding through water and sewer projects in the county's environmentally sensitive areas.

No party affiliation candidate James Holder criticized what he said were Bartell's reactive style and "smoke and mirror tactics."

"I agree with a lot of things the incumbent says, if only he did what he says," Holder said.

Democratic candidate Phillip Mulrain criticized what he said was Bartell's "consistent flip-flopping on issues."

Campaign finance

Commissioners in the District 4 County Commission race debated campaign finance.

Democratic candidate Bernie Leven said most of the money raised by his Republican opponent, John Thrumston, comes from developers.

"If you like (County Commissioner Jim) Fowler, you'll like my opponent," he said.

Thrumston said Leven's allegations were false, and representatives of his campaign handed out fliers describing contributions the candidate has received. According to that document, 13 percent of Thrumston's more than $71,500 has come from developers and builders, while real estate companies have given 8 percent.

No party affiliation candidate Steve Hasel said his campaign has not received any contributions from businesses, developers, builders or unions. That, he said, means he's the right candidate to "bring trust back" to the County Commission.

All six candidates weighed in on mandatory garbage collection.

Leven said he supported requiring garbage pickup, but he said small families and large families should pay different amounts for the service.

Hasel said mandatory collection should not be required, but he said the county should have a better system for dealing with the garbage it gets. Pollution-free incinerators would be a good option, he said.

Thrumston said he was opposed to mandatory garbage collection. Holder said he supported mandatory garbage collection if the county keeps the private sector involved. Bartell said he was against it because he believes "very strongly in free enterprise." Mulrain said he opposed the idea because it would encroach on individual freedoms.

Elena Lesley can be reached at elesley@sptimes.com or 564-3627.

[Last modified October 19, 2006, 06:33:28]