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Rooney Wins Over Harrell In GOP Primary

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BRIAN SKOLOFF/Associated Press

Published: August 27, 2008

STUART (AP) - Former Army officer Tom Rooney edged out a victory in Tuesday's Republican primary and will face freshman Democratic U.S. Rep Tim Mahoney, who captured his seat after Rep. Mark Foley resigned amid an Internet teen sex scandal.

Rooney captured 36 percent of the vote to state Rep. Gayle Harrell's 35 percent — a 953-vote difference in the unofficial tally. Hal Valeche, a wealthy investor, Navy veteran and former Palm Beach Gardens city councilor, trailed with 28 percent.

"It feels great," Rooney said after The Associated Press called the race at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. "We've got a lot of work to do. The goal here is to take back the 16th (district) and that's what we will focus on tomorrow morning and for the next 10 weeks."

Harrell's campaign had no immediate comment.

A number of Republican leaders, including Gov. Charlie Crist, put their weight behind Rooney, a lawyer whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Palm Beach County dog track. The district spans from Palm Beach County across the state to Charlotte County on the Gulf coast.

"I congratulate Tom Rooney on his victory tonight," Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer said in a statement. "This is a Republican district, and the voters there deserve a Republican leader to serve as their voice in our nation's capital."

The GOP has targeted Mahoney as their best chance to take back a seat from the Democrats in Florida, believing his win was just a fluke in the wake of Foley's resignation.

Foley was considered a shoo-in two years ago until he stepped down about a month before the election when it was revealed he had sent sexually explicit electronic messages to male teenage pages who had worked on Capitol Hill.

While Foley has never been charged with a crime, the FBI and state law enforcement continue to investigate.

Mahoney barely beat the GOP's last-minute replacement on the ticket, state Rep. Joe Negron. Foley's name remained on the ballot, but any votes cast for him went to Negron.

Mahoney, a wealthy former venture capitalist, has repeatedly said he hates Washington politics, but disputes the characterization that he doesn't like his job.

Still, it won't be an easy race for Rooney. Mahoney has raised $2.5 million and has built a reputation as a more moderate Democrat in District 16, which leans conservative, with about 201,000 registered Republicans compared to about 180,000 Democrats out of 486,752 voters.

"I would like to congratulate Tom Rooney and all of the candidates for their willingness to stand up and serve their country through public service," Mahoney said in a statement. "It takes guts to put your name on a ballot."

Mahoney also simultaneously challenged Rooney to a series of debates.

In other congressional races, lawyer Alan Grayson won the Democratic bid to try to take Rep. Ric Keller's District 8 Orlando-area seat. Keller also won his own primary.

In District 15 along Florida's Space Coast, Republican state Rep. Bill Posey beat out two others, while Democrat Stephen Blythe, an Indialantic doctor, won the Democratic nomination.

They will vie for the seat Republican Rep. Dave Weldon is leaving.

Republican Rep. Tom Feeney won his primary in District 24 that extends from Orlando to the Space Coast. The general election, however, will be harder for Feeney as Democratic state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas defeated computer programer Clint Curtis.

In District 9, which includes parts of Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, Tampa lawyer Bill Mitchell won the Democratic primary. He will challenge incumbent Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

In District 10, Dunedin Mayor Bob Hackworth won the Democratic primary in the region that represents St. Petersburg. He will challenge longtime Republican incumbent Bill Young in November.

Republican Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite defeated Jim King for her District 5 seat, that includes Pasco, Hernando, Citrus and other counties north of Tampa Bay.

Democratic John Russell, beaten by Brown-Waite in the general election two years ago, won the nomination to challenge her again.

Republican Mark Mulligan won his bid to challenge Rep. Allen Boyd in District 2, which covers a large area of north Florida.

In District 7, which mostly includes St. Johns and Flagler counties, Faye Armitage of Fruit Cove defeated Clyde Malloy of Ormand Beach.

Democratic Rep. Ron Klein, in District 22, which includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, won his primary, while in District 23, which includes parts of Broward, Hendry, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties, Rep. Alcee Hastings won his.

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