FL-08: Another dishonest Republican breaks promise to voters

[Ian David]

FL-08: Another dishonest Republican breaks promise to voters
by kos
Mon Nov 27, 2006 at 09:20:00 AM PST

Six years ago, Florida Republican Rep. Ric Keller made the following pledge on October 2000:

Regardless of whether Democrat Linda Chapin or Republican Ric Keller wins Orange County's congressional battle, neither one of them will be in the seat past 2008.Both Chapin and Keller have signed pledges limiting themselves to eight years in office.

Their pledges in this high-profile race have term-limits supporters throughout the nation giddy -- not only because such pledges are a rarity, but also because both candidates are vying to replace Bill McCollum, who has held the U.S. House seat for 20 years."People embrace the notion of someone who goes to Washington and then comes home," said Paul Jacob, the director of the national, nonpartisan group U.S. Term Limits. "Because if you stay up there you're not home. You're in Washington. So even the best people lose touch with the people they are supposed to be representing."

Florida's 8th District congressional race between Keller and Chapin is one of a few in the country where both candidates have agreed to limit their terms. Only 43 of the 435 sitting members of Congress have signed similar pledges. And U.S. Term Limits has no other pledges from Central Florida.

Chapin and Keller have no qualms about signing the pledge -- making the issue one of the very few things they agree on.

"Eight years is long enough to do anything," Chapin said.

Keller said: "We need people who are there for the right reasons, not people who are there to see how long they can stay there."

Note that this was a signed promise. Essentially a contract with the people of his district.

But the Republican won the race, and did we really think one of those would honor their promises?

U.S. Rep. Ric Keller began his re-election campaign Tuesday by announcing he's breaking a promise he made in his first campaign <...>

"As a rookie candidate, I underestimated the value of experience and seniority. I will not spend my entire career in Congress, but I will seek re-election in 2008," he said in a written statement. "There is unfinished business."

Linda Chapin, Keller's Democratic opponent in the 2000 race, signed the same pledge and said she would have honored it.

"Why am I not surprised?" Chapin said when told about Keller's decision. "I believed at the time that we were both very serious about that pledge. It would have been appropriate for Mr. Keller to honor the decision that he made six years ago. It was a promise to the community that elected him."

Keller did not win decisively this year, outspending his opponent nearly 2-1 and winning just 53-46. Keller should be a juicy target in 2008.

More:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/11/27/115250/45

[iamjoy]

1. And The Dirty Dog

did it right after the election.
He knew if he did it too close to an election voter outrage might prompt his just butt-handed-to-him-on-platter at the ballot box.

I hope he gets some serious opposition in the next primary. If nothing else, I want a *Republican* raising the issue and using it against him. Even if he wins, it will weaken his standing the general election.