Now, a news report suggests that President Bush and his brother Jeb are not too happy about her announced campaign for the 2006 Senate race.

A Florida politician claims the White House and the Florida governor have asked him to challenge Harris in the Republican primary.

Florida House Speaker Allan Bense, a moderate Republican from Panama City, said he hasn’t decided whether he will run.

But Gov. Jeb Bush told reporters: "I asked him if he had any statewide ambitions, and if he did, I would encourage it – particularly for the Senate."

Tellingly, he added, "It’s important for our party to have a strong candidate for the United States Senate."

Harris is the courageous former Florida secretary of state whose enforcement of ballot-certification rules clinched George Bush’s victory in the 2000 presidential election.

She considered running for the Senate last year after Democrat Bob Graham retired. But the White House was said to have discouraged her candidacy, fearing it could rally Democrats still bitter over the 2000 election and hurt President Bush’s re-election chances, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Bense wouldn’t have that baggage and could be a stronger candidate than Harris, who has been in Congress just two years.

Republicans have made the Florida Senate race a top priority, believing they can unseat first-term Sen. Bill Nelson, the lone Democrat remaining in statewide office.

In April only 35 percent of those surveyed said they would like to see Nelson win a second term.

As for the Senate race, Bense said, "I’m looking at it, but there’s a long way to go, and I really am serious about wanting to remain as Speaker of the House."

Gov. Bush said Bense would be "an awesome candidate. He’s been a spectacular Speaker and he’s a statesman."

Said Harris: "I’m in the race and am looking forward to a spirited campaign.”

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