RUMOURS CONTINUE TO SWIRL AROUND HARRIS' CAMPAIGN

People are wondering what is going to happen with the U.S Senate campaign of Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R - Longboat Key)...or if there will be one at all after this week. Several things have reportedly happened in the past 24 or so hours:

--- The "major announcement" that had reportedly been scheduled today in Bartow has been postponed, and word is that it may not come until the weekend...and maybe in New York on Fox News with buddy Sean Hannity.

--- The St. Petersburg Times is reporting this morning that one of her top campaign advisers, pollster Ed Goeas, has bailed out.

--- The Sarasota Herald Tribune reports today that another possible GOP candidate, Palm Beach County attorney Thomas Rooney, corrected a CNN report Tuesday that he would run by saying that he is still undecided but that "a lot of things will have to happen" before he jumps into the fray.

--- Florida's junior U.S. Senator, Mel Martinez, was quoted as saying that he had heard that she would remain in the race.

--- A couple of Republican insiders say they understood that Ms. Harris will remain in the race and even put a substantial amount of her wealth into the campaign. Former Pinellas GOP chairman Paul Bedinghaus says he heard she would spend as much as $5 million, while Tommy Hopper --- campaign manager for car dealer Vern Buchanan, who is running for Harris' congressional seat --- puts the amount he had heard at as much as $10 million.

Harris has the money to do it, if she so chooses. Her grandfather was the powerful cattle and citrus magnate Ben Hill Griffin, Jr., and her father is the late George Harris, who headed the Bartow-based Citrus and Chemical Bank and passed away in January.

And there is talk that if she decides to continue her effort against Democratic incumbant Bill Nelson, Ms. Harris will resign her congressional seat. This would allow Governor Jeb Bush to appoint her successor until after the general election, and prevent those running from seeking an "open seat". There are four Republicans and three Democrats currently running for the 13th District post that Ms. Harris currently holds.

The waters just keep getting muddier and muddier...