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Florida Democrat Christine Jennings, who lost to Rep. Vern Buchanan (R) by just 373 votes in November, launched her bid to unseat the first-term congressman Thursday. “We have an obligation to future generations to leave our country in better shape than when we inherited it,” Jennings said at her announcement in Sarasota, Fla. “But we must lead by our actions and not our words to inspire young people to become engaged in the political process. Restoring confidence in elections is an important step, but only the first.” Jennings and Buchanan first squared off last November, when they sought Florida’s 13th district seat that former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris (R) vacated for her Senate run. After losing to Buchanan, Jennings challenged the results of the election, alleging that voting machines failed to appropriately count thousands of votes in Sarasota County, her stronghold. While an audit of the voting machines found nothing amiss, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into the election results is ongoing. “When I first decided to run, it was because I thought I could make a difference,” Jennings, a former Republican, said. “And since November, I have done so. “While we can be proud of how much we have accomplished together,” Jennings added, “we also know that there are many other issues that will determine the future of our country. And this campaign is all about the future.” Jennings, a career banker, said that just as she has doggedly challenged the results of the 2006 election, she will fight for the interests of the district. “For those of you who have watched me during the last eight months, and for those of you who have known me for years, you know that when I make a commitment, I keep it,” she said. “Let me close by making one more commitment to you — nobody in Congress will work harder to secure our future than I will.” |
