HARRIS' STOCK IS FALLING FASTER THAN ENRON

Yesterday, I mentioned here that Sarasota Herald Tribune political columnist Jeremy Wallace wrote about the U.S. Senate campaign of Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R - Longboat Key) is seemingly in crisis mode as questions regarding her ties to convicted defense contractor Mitchell Wade.

Today, Wallace tells us that at least one major political pundit in DC believes her stock is falling rapidly.

Chuck Todd, editor-in-chief of The Hotline, rated Republican attempts to unseat Democratic incumbant Bill Nelson as the seventh best race in the nation to watch. That race now has been pushed to 15th...just ahead of the race in Hawaii where Democratic incumbant Daniel Akaka has no GOP opposition.

Here's what Todd has to say:

We still think another Republican could get in this race late, and, if so, Nelson might have to break a sweat. But if the GOP solidifies around Katherine Harris, we may continue to drop this race down. BTW, here's a little secret: Harris is not nearly as popular with the base as some Republicans would like to believe. If she were, wouldn't her fundraising be better?

Back home, Lakeland Ledger political columnist Bill Rufty writes today that trying to get Harris to come home (she grew up in Polk County) and speak has been an effort, a sign of her campaign's disorganization.

"I don't think they know what they are doing over there," said Mike Stedem of the Polk County Tiger Bay Club. "I tried for months and they never got back to us until just recently."

Officials at the local Tiger Bay Club, a bipartisan group of political junkies who want to hear from and argue with every segment of the political spectrum, became so frustrated at the Harris campaign's lack of response that they begged those in attendance at the February luncheon to call and do anything they could to get their hometown congressional star to come speak.

Dozens did call or work their way up the Republican Party chain.

Lakeland Republican Club President Gene Roberts, who had tried before without success, called and was given the number of Harris' scheduler who said she might speak in June but there was no guarantee...

Other campaigns have survived that, but when it takes months and a phone campaign for them even to "maybe" get her back to the county where she grew up and where last year she had a hugely successful fundraiser, then folks, there is trouble in River City.