Orlando Sentinel : Congressional race gets 'crazy' fast

Friday, September 08, 2006

Congressional race gets 'crazy' fast

Robert Perez | Sentinel Staff Writer | September 8, 2006

Two-term incumbent Tom Feeney is taking off the gloves in his re-election campaign for Florida's 24th congressional district.

Although he has amassed a million-dollar war chest and has much better name recognition than Democratic challenger Clint Curtis, Feeney isn't holding back about his opponent, a Titusville computer programmer who raised less than $25,000 in the primary.

Feeney has labeled his opponent "the craziest man in America."

"Serious times demand serious leaders and Curtis is not even in the same solar system as the rest of us," Feeney says in a recent press release.

So what has Curtis done to earn Feeney's harsh rhetoric?

He accused the congressman of helping to rig elections.

Curtis, whose campaign centers on his concerns about the integrity of America's voting system, has said in dozens of public forums -- and under oath -- that Feeney asked him and his former employer to create a software program to fix elections in 2000.

Feeney has repeatedly denied the accusations, and now it appears his campaign has decided to simply discount Curtis as a kook.

"With tinfoil hats in hand, black helicopters swarming and purple Martians landing, this election promises to be more entertaining than Saturday morning cartoons," Feeney said.

In advance of the Democratic primary in which Curtis defeated Andy Michaud, Feeney's campaign distributed a campaign flier comparing Curtis and Feeney and telling voters, "This November, you have a REAL choice for Congress."

Some, including Curtis, questioned whether the flier was intended to confuse Curtis supporters before the primary election.

Feeney's latest campaign strategy, Curtis said, is simply an attempt to duck the questions.

Curtis said he passed a polygraph test administered by a retired Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent that verifies he is telling the truth about Feeney. He has challenged Feeney to do the same.

"He won't show up for a polygraph, and he won't respond to the allegations," said Curtis, whose campaign has produced buttons and T-shirts that urge, "Take The Test, Tom."

For the record, Curtis said he has never had to seek help from a mental-health professional. And as for being the "craziest man in America," Curtis said he isn't ready to take on the title.

"Did we have a contest?" he asked. "Cause if we did, I missed it."

Robert Perez can be reached at rperez@orlandosentinel.com or 407-322-1298.