Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

Florida's Fifth District will be a good test in 2010.

Florida's 5th Congressional District comprises all of Citrus County, Hernando County, and Sumter County, most of Lake County, Levy County, and Pasco County, and portions of Marion County and Polk County, including The Villages. The district includes northern exurbs of Tampa and western exurbs of Orlando within the high-growth Interstate 4 Corridor. Brooksville Republican Ginny Brown-Waite has represented Florida's 5th Congressional District since 2003.

In 2002, Ginny Brown-Waite won election over incumbent Karen Thurman by a narrow margin. In 2004, Brown-Waite won reelection over Hernando County attorney and Naval Reservist Robert Whittel with 66% of the vote. In 2006, she cruised to re-election for a third full term against poorly funded challenger John Russell with 59% of the vote.

While I probably agree with more of Ginny Brown-Waite's positions and votes than I almost certainly will for whomever her opponent might be, I will vote for the opponent. I hate the idea that if the opponent wins, it might further expand the Democratic majority, but three terms is enough in my opinion. Besides, I have great reservations over the amount of campaign contributions (over $600,000 from banks, investment banks and insurance companies last year) Mrs. Brown-Waite has seen fit to accept. Six years is enough, particularly for a grandmother from Brooksville who is getting very, very wealthy as the result of her position on Barney Frank's Finance Committee.

We can actually pick the best candidate in the for Mel Martinez Senate seat, that election happening in 2010. And like Brown-Waite, I'll vote for whomever the opponent of Senator Bill Nelson will be, when he runs again in 2012. Two terms is plenty for any Senator.