Christine Jennings

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This profile of a DEFEATED 2008 U.S. House candidate for Florida's district 13 is part of the "Wiki the Vote" project.

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Christine Jennings is the Democratic candidate for the 13th Congressional district of Florida
Christine Jennings is the Democratic candidate in the 2008 congressional elections for the 13th Congressional District (map) of Florida. She is the Democratic nominee seeking to challenge incumbent Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.). She ran unopposed in the primary will took place on August 26, 2008. [1]

Contents

Biography

Born in Ohio, Jennings moved to Florida in 1984. Jennings started her career as a bank teller and eventually went on to founding her own bank. In 1992, she founded Sarasota Bank and in 2003 bought Colonial Bank for $40.5 million. Jennings never graduated from college.[1]

In 2004 Jennings lost the Democratic primary to challenge Rep. Katherine Harris.[1]

2006 elections

Jennings was the Democratic Party nominee in the 2006 congressional election for the Thirteenth Congressional District of Florida. She ran against Republican Vern Buchanan to replace Rep. Katherine Harris, who ran for U.S. Senate.

Jennings won a 61.8% of the vote in the September 5, 2006 Democratic primary, having heavily outraised Schneider during the campaign. CQPolitics.com wrote that while Schneider had run game challenges to Harris as the Democratic nominee in 2002 and 2004, [her] strongest appeal was to more liberal elements of the 13th District constituency, and many Democratic officials thought Jennings’ business background would make her a more viable general election contender."[1]

Jennings has struck a moderate tone and has rarely approached the issue of Iraq in the campaign. Jennings supports a balanced budget, is pro-choice, supports embryonic stem cell research, and is for civil unions between gay couples.[1]

Election dispute and challenge

The 2006 congressional election between Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and Christine Jennings was decided by just 370 votes. In 17,000 to 18,000 ballots, voters did not choose either candidate. In election administration terminology, this is known as an "undervote" and may indicate a failure of Sarasota's direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 was passed to correct election administration errors.

In May, 2007, the Committee created a special task force to investigate the 18,000 ballot undervote.[1]

In February, 2008, the GAO released a report stating that the touch-screen voting machines were not the cause of the undervote. The report posited that the undervote was likely due either to poor ballot design or voters simply skipping the race altogether. Regardless of the cause, the controversy surrounding the 2006 Sarasota County undervote led Florida lawmakers to pass a ban on touch-screen voting machines (except for disabled voters) which will go into effect later in 2008.[1]

Main article: U.S. congressional actions regarding contested elections

2008 elections

Jennings is the Democratic nominee seeking to challenge Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) in the 2008 congressional elections.[1][1][1] She ran unopposed in the primary will took place on August 26, 2008. [1]

Meet the Cash Constituents

Money in politics

This section contains links to – and feeds from – money in politics databases. For specific controversies, see this article's record and controversies section.

Campaign contributions

The following is drawn from government records of campaign contributions to Christine Jennings. Campaign contributions are one of the most direct conduits for influencing members of Congress. How to use this information.

Top Contributors to during the 2008 Election Cycle
DonorAmount (US Dollars)
EMILY's List$ 77,222
ActBlue$ 49,708
United Auto Workers$ 12,000
American Assn for Justice$ 10,000
American Federation of Teachers$ 10,000
American Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic Employees$ 10,000
American Postal Workers Union$ 10,000
AmeriPAC: The Fund for a Greater America$ 10,000
Blue Dog PAC$ 10,000
Carpenters & Joiners Union$ 10,000
Communications Workers of America$ 10,000
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers$ 10,000
Ironworkers Union$ 10,000
Laborers Union$ 10,000
National Air Traffic Controllers Assn$ 10,000
National Assn of Letter Carriers$ 10,000
National Education Assn$ 10,000
National Leadership PAC$ 10,000
New Democrat Coalition$ 10,000
Operating Engineers Union$ 10,000
PAC to the Future$ 10,000
Plumbers/Pipefitters Union$ 10,000
Service Employees International Union$ 10,000
Teamsters Union$ 10,000
United Food & Commercial Workers Union$ 10,000
Source: The Center for Responsive Politics' www.OpenSecrets.org site.
Note: Contributions are not from the organizations themselves, but are rather from
the organization's PAC, employees or owners. Totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.

Controversy

Committees and Affiliations

Jennings will be assigned committees if and when she is elected to Congress.

More Background Data

Articles and resources

See also

References

    External resources

    Local blogs and discussion sites

    External articles

    Contact

    Campaign contact information

    E-mail: christine At christinejenningsforcongress.com
    Phone: (941) 366-8121
    Fax: (941) 952-1015
    Mail: PO Box 49135
    Sarasota, FL 34230

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