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Congressional candidate doubts arab links to 911 { November 8 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061108/NEWS05/611080406/1098http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061108/NEWS05/611080406/1098
November 8, 2006
Weldon coasts to an easy win
Congressman crushes Bowman to earn 7th term
BY JOHN McCARTHY
FLORIDA TODAY
Rep. Dave Weldon won a seventh term Tuesday night.
With all 314 precincts reporting, the vote was: Weldon 125,596 Bowman 97,947
It was not clear whether absentee and early-voting ballots were included for Polk County, which has six precincts in the district.
At the Imperial's Hotel in Viera, Weldon celebrated with supporters and family Tuesday night.
Why did he think voters supported him while Republicans struggled elsewhere?
"I think I've been representing their interests well in Washington," Weldon said of the 15th Congressional district, which covers South Brevard County, all of Indian River County and parts of Osceola and Polk counties.
"I think there is a clear conservative-leaning majority -- mostly Republicans but also a lot of conservative Democrats," he said.
"They support the positions I've taken. I've been working hard for the space program -- that's very important to this community -- as well as the defense contractors, the citrus industry. A lot of the issues I have to deal with, I try to really deliver for the people."
Weldon, a physician from Indialantic, first won office when the seat was vacant in 1994 following the retirement of Jim Bacchus, a Democrat from Orlando.
He had a close re-election race in 1996, taking 51.4 of the vote in a three-way race.
Since then he's cruised to easy victories, capturing anywhere from 59 percent to 65 percent of the votes.
Bowman, a retired Air Force officer and scientist, appears to have lost his second bid for office. He sought the Reform Party's presidential candidacy in 2000, a slot won by Pat Buchanan.
Bowman said he was disappointed with his loss.
"I thought I was going to win this one," he said.
He said he was hurt by the fact all the newspapers in the district endorsed Weldon. "Things are hard enough as it is for challengers without newspapers giving out endorsements based on a little bit of pork," he said.
Bowman is linked to groups that doubt Arab terrorists were responsible for 9-11 attacks and that called for the immediate impeachment of President Bush, ideas apparently too extreme for the district's voters.
Weldon had a tremendous fundraising edge over Bowman.
Weldon spent $603,000 on the race through Oct. 18, according to the most recent reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission vs. $75,000 for Bowman.
Contact McCarthy at 752-5018 or jmccarth@flatoday.net.
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