GOP confident Foley's replacement can win

Republican Joe Negron hopes to win Mark Foley's former seat in Congress

PORT SALERNO, Fla. – The Republican Party is not about to give up on the U.S. House seat vacated by Rep. Mark Foley, and it's pouring money into the campaign of fill-in candidate Joe Negron.

"I am the cheapest guy in the world. We don't spend money unless we're confident we're going to win," National Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman told an enthusiastic crowd of 60, according to the Stuart News. "We're investing. We're putting our money where our mouth is. We're here to win ... and we're here because we have confidence in Joe."

Mehlman said national party officials are counting on local GOP loyalists to help Negron, a Florida state representative, defeat Tim Mahoney, the candidate for the Democrats.

Mehlman doesn't believe the contest is a referendum on President Bush, nor does it have anything to do with Foley's demise due to salacious online messages with teen boys in the House page program.

"The way the Republicans handled the Foley situation was, as soon as they found out about it they gave him the political death penalty," Mehlman said. "How could it be more aggressive than calling in the FBI and the Justice Department? I think voters understand that."

Florida's 16th Congressional District has long been considered a Republican stronghold, as it stretches through affluent parts of the Sunshine State including Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee counties.

Foley's name will remain on the ballot for Election Day, so voters looking to elect Negron would have to cast their ballot for Foley.

Mehlman and Negron are criticizing the Florida Democratic Party for taking legal action to preclude notices at the polls advising voters that a vote for Foley will count for Negron.

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