The Washington Times reports that "Rep. Katherine Harris last night said on the Fox News Channel that she will stay in the race for Florida's U.S. Senate seat and plans to spend $10 million she inherited from her father in her race to unseat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson."
At a time when even Republicans are begging her to abandon her quixotic U.S. Senate campaign, Harris is stubbornly defying them by moving in the other direction.
John Kerry's struggling presidential campaign dramatically improved after he announced he would opt out of public financing (he ended making a $6.4 million loan to the campaign in 2003, and went on to win the nomination.) Money has a way of generating excitement.
But will it work for Harris? If I'm wearing my "political analyst hat," I’d still have to confess the odds are very unlikely (given the obstacles she must overcome.)
But then, stranger things have happened. This decision will really do two things: Obviously, it gives her campaign the much-needed resources to carry on. But more importantly, it sends a message that she is committed to see this thing through.
We talk about the need to teach our children lessons like perseverance, but we don't always practice it ourselves. If nothing else, Katherine Harris deserves our admiration for having spunk. Only time will tell if spunk (and money) is enough.
