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Katherine Harris: Happy For “Unanswered Prayer”

Posted Sep 21, 2007 by William March

Updated Sep 21, 2007 at 06:20 PM

Photo Gallery: Family Summit

Asked during a speaking appearance whether she’s likely to seek political office again, Katherine Harris said, “Never say never, but right now I thank God for unanswered prayers”—apparently meaning her loss last year to Sen. Bill Nelson.

Harris made one of her first public appearances since the 2006 race at a gathering of religious conservatives, the Family Impact Summit, at Bell Shoals Baptist Church. She was on a panel discussing involvement in government by religious people.

Harris, whose Senate campaign had strong religious overtones, is a celebrity to the religious right.

Since her loss, she has made few public appearances and hasn’t been available for press interviews.

Asked whether she’s likely to seek public office again, Harris said, “I never wanted to be in politics—it was almost like I was running against government” during her past political career. It included stints as a state senator, secretary of state—when she became nationally famous for her role in the 2000 presidential election recount—and U.S. House.

During those 12 years, she said, she missed contact with her family and friends.

“Right now, I’m actually getting to catch up for those 12 years,” she said.

Harris said she’s doing speaking engagements, but only at private events. She had no comment on progress on a book she said at the end of her campaign she was writing and close to finishing.

Asked whether she’s had any further contact with the U.S. Justice Department concerning the bribery case involving defense contractor Mitchell Wade, she said, “That’s ridiculous. That’s the kind of thing I don’t miss.”

Wade was convicted of bribing U.S. Rep. Duke Cunningham of California and giving illegal contributions to Harris, who said she didn’t know they were illegal, and another Congress member. She put in a $10 million earmark to benefit his company. Her campaign was asked for information concerning the investigation, and some staff members were interviewed, but neither she nor staff members were charged with wrongdoing.

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