U.S. Rep. Mark Foley officially makes U.S. Senate bid (Graham's seat))

[Nambe]

By Brian E. Crowley, Palm Beach Post Political Editor

Flush with campaign cash, U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, of West Palm Beach, officially became a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

No one was surprised. Foley has been campaigning across Florida for months, raising more than $3.1 million along the way and taking a commanding cash lead over his only announced rival for the GOP nomination, former Orlando-area Congressman Bill McCollum.

Foley filed papers with the Federal Election Commission creating a "Friends of Mark Foley" Senate campaign committee. First elected to Congress in 1994, Foley hopes to take the seat now held by Democrat Bob Graham, who is running for president. ---

[Dirty Hippie]

1. Foley - Mister "Oh my God Them Kids is Nekkid"

Headline
"FOLEY ASKS BUSH (Jeb), CRIST TO INVESTIGATE NUDIST “CAMP” FOR KIDS "

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,992211,00.html

Note: No one has complained about the camp. Foley is on a witch hunt. Foley has drummed this up to offset questions about his personal "Family Values" for his bid to run for the US Senate.

Here is the actual complaint from Foley's web site:

http://www.gop.gov/item-news.asp?docId=58163

And Jeb's response:

http://www.gop.gov/item-news.asp?docId=58293

Article stating Foley is gay:

http://www.newtimesbpb.com/issues/2003-05-08/norman.html/1/index.html

And The rebuttal from the Camp

http://naturistsociety.com/resources/youth-camp-statement.asp

Note last paragraph:
—Finally, we can only guess at Foley’s motives. He may be sincere. But one needn’t be a cynic to question his motives. It’s well known that Foley has been seeking a "family values" issue to bolster his image among social conservatives in his campaign for a spot in the U.S. Senate. Naturists may be justified in wondering whether it is Rep. Foley who is in fact exploiting Florida's children for his own political ends, and at the expense of naturist parents’ freedom.

Note: I am not anti-gay (as a matter of fact I am gay). This guy, is a fraud because he lives secretly as a gay person while supporting antigay causes (as in DOMA).

On edit: spellin'

[symbolman]

2. Yep

I happen to know people that know people who have had sex with this guy and they are BOYS - legal teens from what I know but this ain't your family values republo scene..

wonder why McColum (rhymes with Gollum?) doesn't drop the dime on Foley?

I'm not gay and have no probs with someone being gay, unless they pretend they aren't and start screaming about naked kids, then I have a problem..

think I'll have my pal get the goods on Foley so we can announce his "condition" to the rest of the GOP on Take Back the Media..

I was on the MSNBC show with him a few months ago and he's slimy..

on edit: http://www.takebackthemedia.com

[Dirty Hippie]

3. You go!

I'm not a nudist (nor do I play one on TV) but this guy's crusade just burns me up.

I hope you can get the goods. I'll try to spread the word here in FLA if you do.

[kskiska]

9. If Foley is so worried about camps exploiting children

he should go up to Virginia and check out the 4-H club camps, where kids are coerced into fistfights for money, unbeknownst to their parents.

[kainah]

11. His sexual orientation has been "exposed," hasn't it?

I heard a small blurb about it on something a while ago and then, as usual when repug hypocrisy is at issue, it immediately faded away. And, I don't know, but I've watched McCollum for long enough to wonder what kind of position he might be in to "expose" anyone else's sexual orientation.

[Phatfish]

4. ::GAG!::

This man represents my city and I am sickened to hear he is trying to gain a higher seat in my states congressional caucass. Now I want Graham not to be pres. just so that Foley loses both his senate campaign and his house seat.

Oh my god! Nekkid kids running around in a supervised enviroment where they respect each other. I hate how Repugs can't stand the gov't telling them what to do when it comes to guns and cars yet feel it is their God given right to fight against letting gays and nudists live their lives freely and do what they want with others who consent. The mind of a Republican: The Missing Link of Evolution!

[ButterflyBlood]

5. what Dem candidates are running?

and how well would they stack up against Foley? I know McCollum is considered pretty weak.

[Orangepeel]

6. 4, so far

Alex Penelas, Mayor of Miami-Dade County
Peter Deutsch, Congressman from South Florida
Alcee Hastings, Congressman from South Florida
Betty Castor, former state senator and university president

it is also considered likely that Alan Boyd, Congressman from the panhandle, will run.

on edit: I don't think that Foley will win the primary. His orientation wasn't an issue when he was running against Democrats, but republicans "leaked" it as soon as he started to raise more money than McCollum. I'm hoping that the republican primary will get nasty.

The republicans don't want McCollum either because he lost last time. I wouldn't write him off, though. Bill Nelson didn't win easily, and he was a well known, white male from central Florida with a reputation for being a moderate. None of our declared candidates fit those criteria (although two, at least, would make better senators than Bill).

I'm supporting Betty Castor, but I believe Penelas will probably win the primary. I'd say that he would have a better than 50/50 shot, unless the republicans run Mel Martinez (who supposedly wants to be governor, not senator). :shrug:

[ButterflyBlood]

7. Hastings?

he honestly thinks he has a snowball's chance in hell of winning? At least he also has about as much chance of winning the primary.

[Orangepeel]

8. He said he's running

and as far as I know he hasn't taken it back. I don't think he's putting much effort into it though, like the other candidates.

[Gin]

10. Does he ever blink? His eyes are wide open..all the time...creepy..

creepy...creepy...and... he looks like howdy doody!

[0007]

13. Just another piece of snot

for FOX News.

If this guy is normal ya'all can have me for immoral purposes. And I don't care what he eats, pussy or dick!

[Orangepeel]

14. Alcee Hastings looks like Howdy Doody?

That can't be what you meant.

Or did you mean Foley? I'd say that McCullum looks like Howdy Doody.

[goobergunch]

12. Martinez has said he's not running

http://www.dscc.org/release/?newsReleaseId=2367

I haven't heard about Hastings making an announcement he's running...are you sure that that's not just speculation? Sabato says that Hastings has said that he's "interested"...I wouldn't define that as an announcement of candidacy. (http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/sen_fl.htm) I agree with ButterflyBlood on Hastings's viability as a candidate.

[Orangepeel]

15. I don't think he can win either, but his staff keeps putting his name out.

The field of Democrats exploring the race includes: former state Education Commissioner Betty Castor, U.S. Reps. Peter Deutsch of Pembroke Pines, Alcee Hastings of Miramar, Allen Boyd of Monticello, and Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas.

None of the Democrats plans to challenge Graham if he runs for re-election.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-loc-foley07092003.story