TALLAHASSEE — Candidates in the race to represent Florida's 2nd Congressional District distanced themselves from the fringes of their parties Wednesday during the second debate between incumbent Steve Southerland and challenger Gwen Graham.
During the debate, RealClearPolitics’ Washington Bureau Chief Carl Cannon asked Graham, a Democrat from Tallahassee, whether she would vote for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to remain in her leadership position in Congress.
“No, I would not, and this is why: I believe we need to have new leadership on both sides of the aisle. The leadership that we have today has become so polarizing and so politicized,” Graham said. “I’m not blaming either of them; it’s just the reality.”
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That wasn’t the only area the Democratic candidate in the conservative district distanced herself from her party. Borrowing a sound bite from her ads, she said the Democratic Party “bit off more than they could chew” when they pushed the Affordable Care Act through the legislative process.
She also said she’s disappointed Democrats have taken Republican positions on women’s issues as evidence of a “war on women” rather than actually discussing them.
Graham was not alone in moving toward the middle of the political spectrum. Southerland, a Panama City Republican, pushed back against the portrayal of him as a Tea Party obstructionist more concerned with ideology than effective policy, citing his involvement in bipartisan legislation such as the oil spill-related RESTORE Act, his conference appointments and his relationships with liberal members of Congress.
“Those relationships don’t fit the narrative that the mainstream media wants to have about me,” Southerland said.
Southerland didn’t commit to voting in support of new Republican leadership instead of current House Speaker John Boehner because, he said, nobody else wants the job.
“You can’t replace somebody with nobody,” Southerland said, adding that he would never vote for Pelosi.
Graham took shots at Southerland for his votes to shut down the government last year, but Southerland again defended his votes and said Democrats were intent on a shutdown. He cited three votes to avert the shutdown, and several votes to fund various programs during the shutdown.
“I think my record is very clear. I did not want that, and if I had wanted it I would not have supported those bills to prevent it," Southerland said.
The candidates refrained from the bickering that appeared in their first debate earlier this month; in fact, they were so cordial they hugged after they were introduced to the members of the Capital Tiger Bay Club, which sponsored the debate.
Southerland scored big laughs when he defended himself against an accusation he sought to keep a government gym open during the government shutdown by stepping from behind his podium and holding his jacket open to display his somewhat less-than-svelte physique.
“I mean, really? I’ll fall on my sword over the buffet line downstairs, but I mean c’mon,” Southerland said with a laugh.
Cannon drew laughs, as well, with the way he phrased a question to Southerland about his response to criticism of a men-only fundraiser he attended. “Has Gwen Graham ever been to a lingerie shower?” Southerland had told reporters.
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“What were you thinking?” Cannon asked of Southerland’s earlier comment.
A straw poll of Tiger Bay Club members taken after the debate gave a slight edge to Graham, who garnered 87 votes to Southerland's 68.
Both candidates have released internal polling information that show themselves in the lead. Most observers say the race is too close to call.