Florida Mirrors GOP Election Problems

U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Fla., right, arrives with an unidentified man before a debate in Davie, Fla. Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2006. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter) (J. Pat Carter - AP)

"Over the past several weeks this campaign has taken on a completely different dimension. It's national, it's in the spotlight of American politics," Mahoney told a crowd of supporters in Port Charlotte. "You're watching a struggle for control of Congress."

When Foley resigned, Mahoney said it was another example of Republicans in Washington violating voters' trust. At a recent event, where he and retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark criticized the handling of the Iraq war, Mahoney didn't mention Foley until asked.

Republicans are talking about Foley mostly to ensure voters don't confuse him with Negron.

"To give people a sense of how to vote for a disgraced congressman and in doing so you're supporting a really good man, it's kind of an abstract ask if you think about," said Gov. Jeb Bush. "It's not the easiest thing in the world to do."

Bush has campaigned with Negron, as has Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman. Negron's first campaign commercial features Bush, who immediately discusses the Foley issue.

"We're all angry and upset by what's happened with Mark Foley, but maintaining control of Congress is important, because it's a dangerous world. That's why I want to introduce you to my friend Joe Negron. He's a dedicated husband and a father of three," Bush says in the ad.

Negron shares with Mahoney a feeling that Congress isn't working well right now.

"A lot of members of Congress are out of touch with what's going on in the lives of their constituents," he said. "If you look at the whole system and all the incidents, to me it's indicative of people believing they can do whatever they want and they're finding out they can't."

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Associated Press writer Phil Davis in Tampa contributed to this report.