Well, well. It looks like a familiar face is reemerging to take on frosh GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan — only this time, as an independent:
In what could be a damaging blow to Democratic hopes of winning the 13th Congressional District seat, former party nominee Jan Schneider has filed to run again for the seat, but this time as an independent.
“I’ve had it with both political parties,” said Schneider, 60, who will be making her fourth try for the seat.
Schneider says she will run as an anti-war candidate dedicated to bringing the troops home.
Schneider hasn’t made her decision final, but her move to split the anti-GOP vote is tantamount to running for the “Stay in Iraq Forever” Party. Consider the golden material that Buchanan is offering Democrat Christine Jennings:
Buchanan, 56, could not be reached for comment. But Tim Clarke, a campaign spokesman, said Buchanan continues to support President George W. Bush’s views on the war. He said Buchanan wants to fight the terrorists “over there instead of over here.”
You couldn’t ask for a dumber statement, yet Schneider is content to allow this Bush-enabler to saunter his way to a second term. And the reason why? She’s offended for not being shown the attention she clearly deserves from the DCCC!
She said she considered running as a Democrat, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has not returned her phone calls.
“They don’t want me in their party,” Schneider said.
Wonderful. Schneider, born in 1947, celebrates her sixth birthday this summer.
Some pal of the DCCC is gonna have to offer her a cushy job. Someone, somehow, is gonna have to pay her not to run.
That, or she’s unbearably stupid and self-absorbed.
Take your pick.
I thought CJ had a chance to pull this one out but this makes it that much harder.