Spencer, Swann, Harris & Schlesinger...Election 2006 Notable Republican Underdogs

John Spencer, former Mayor of Yonkers and candidate for U.S. Senate in New York

A breath of fresh air to politics, in 1996, Spencer shocked the “experts” became the Republican mayor of overwhelmingly Democrat Yonkers, New York’s fourth-largest city. As mayor, he stood up for conservative principles and what was right for the people he represented.

What others thought of as impossible, he saw as challenges to overcome. He took a stagnant city in decline and changed its image to a city of progress. He revitalized the waterfront, cut taxes that others said couldn't be cut and improved services. John Spencer is proud to run on his life record and on his record as a big-city mayor who pulled a city out from under a state Financial Control Board and federal oversight of its court-ordered desegregation.

At the height of the Vietnam War, when others were avoiding the draft, John Spencer chose to enlist in the United States Army to serve his country. The awesome responsibility of leading men whose very survival depended on him as a young Infantry Lt., shaped and molded him into the leader he is today.

A principled conservative who can win.

As a candidate and public servant, Spencer has been proud to run and win with the Conservative Party of New York’s endorsement.  John Spencer has always clearly and unashamedly taken a principled stand for his pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-growth, pro-2nd amendment, and anti-illegal immigration positions.  As our candidate for the U.S. Senate, Spencer will provide a clear contrast to Senator Clinton’s views.  If we nominate a Republican who agrees with Senator Clinton on these issues, we are destined to lose.

As a self-made man, John Spencer worked his way up from construction worker to real estate management and knows firsthand the challenges that working class families face to make ends meet. He found his purpose in fatherhood and was not afraid to roll up his sleeves and work hard to provide for his family. His devotion to every aspect of his older children's lives, Jennifer and John, led to his active participation in the community. This was the beginning of his involvement in politics as a vehicle for social change. Since remarried, John and his wife Kathy are the proud parents of three young children, Kaitlyn, Patrick and James.

John Spencer: the true conservative you can trust.   Join Spencer for Senate today!

Lynn Swann, Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania

Lynn Swann's life has always been about seizing opportunities. Born in Alcoa, Tennessee to Willie and Mildred Swann, Lynn moved to California at the age of 2 with his parents and two brothers.

It was in California where Lynn was faced with his first challenge, which he turned into an opportunity. Mildred Swann enrolled her 8 year old son into dance class, and it was here that Lynn would develop incredible balance and grace that would serve him well in the future.

While in High School, Lynn would be named an All-American High School Football player. His athletic ability would afford him an opportunity that would forever change his life, the opportunity to go to college. With no intention to attend there but as a favor to a friend's dad, Lynn visited the University of Southern California. The rest is college football history.

Lynn used the opportunity to play football at the University of Southern California to earn his degree in public relations from the university's school of journalism. Lynn Swann excelled on the football field, playing on two Rose Bowl teams and a National Championship team in 1972. Lynn was team captain, most valuable player, and an All-American in 1973.

His success on the field led to an opportunity to play professional football. In 1974, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lynn would go on to be a cornerstone of the Steelers dynasty, winning four Super Bowls and playing in three pro-bowls. He was inducted into the Pro-Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

During and following his success with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lynn pursued an opportunity to launch a successful career as a sports broadcaster. Lynn has worked for ABC since 1976, covering a variety of events as a host, reporter, and analyst including the 1984 Summer Olympics, the Winter Games in 1988, International Diving Championships. USFL, NCAA, College and Monday Night Football, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, the Irish Derby and Wide World of Sports. Lynn has traveled the world for ABC Sports.

Lynn has toured the country as a motivational speaker, touting the need for responsibility, strong leadership, and making the most of opportunities that present themselves. He also turned his success on the field into opportunities in the corporate world. Lynn currently sits on the board of directors of two companies -- H.J. Heinz Company and Hershey Entertainment and Resorts.

But out of all of his professional successes, moving to Pittsburgh in 1974 would prove to be the opportunity of a lifetime. Lynn and his family identified with the values that defined Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania; hard work, determination, and the will to succeed. That's why Lynn set out almost immediately to make his community better.

Lynn used his celebrity status to raise money to provide scholarships for the Pittsburgh Ballet. He has received numerous honors for his service toward the growth and improvement of our nation's youth. Since 1980, Lynn Swann has been the National Spokesman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. He now serves on their National Board of Directors and was President of the national board from 1993 to 1995. He has traveled across the country, testified before Congress and visited the White House on behalf of the nation's premiere one-to-one mentoring organization.

It is this community leadership along with other qualities that led President George W. Bush to ask Lynn to serve as the Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. In this role, once held by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lynn is responsible for helping to create and implement the President's fitness agenda for America.

Now comes a unique opportunity for Lynn Swann to offer the state a fresh and energetic leadership. That's why Lynn Swann is running for Governor.

Far too many people have to leave Pennsylvania to find opportunity. Lynn wants to make sure that Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth have access to opportunity right here in Pennsylvania, just like he did. Swann for Governor is the first step in making that a reality.

~Joyce Comments: To read Lynn Swann's Policies for Change click here.



Katherine Harris, Representative of District 13 and candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida

With her swearing in on January 7, 2003 as the United States Representative for the 13th District of Florida, Katherine Harris opened the newest chapter in her distinguished career of public service to her native state. Continuing her work on behalf of Florida with a strong focus on economic and national security issues, Congresswoman Harris is a member of the House Financial Services Committee, the House International Relations Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. Katherine has also been appointed to serve on the leadership team as a deputy whip.

A Leader in the Florida State Senate...

During her term in the Florida state senate, Congresswoman Harris passed over one hundred bills, while serving as chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Economic Opportunities and as vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance and the Senate Committee on Governmental Reform. Her legislative achievements included an economic development package that helped fuel Florida's dramatic rise from 42nd place to 1st place in the nation as a state to start a new business or grow an existing business; a significant increase in teacher salaries; and stiffened penalties for white collar crime and for crimes committed against the elderly.

Distinguished Service as Florida's Secretary of State...

As Florida's 23rd and last elected secretary of state, Congresswoman Harris jointly exercised responsibility for clemency, education, law enforcement and the environment with the governor of Florida as a member of Florida's unique Executive Cabinet. She also served as head of the Florida Department of State, a multifaceted agency that managed Florida's state-level responsibilities in international affairs, elections, corporate and business registrations, licensing, historic preservation, libraries, and culture and the arts.

As secretary of state, Congresswoman Harris concurrently served as the head of Florida's Office of International Affairs and led the development of a wide variety of innovative programs that sought to employ diplomatic, humanitarian, educational and cultural tools to provide economic opportunities at home while building understanding, prosperity and stability abroad.

While serving as secretary of state, Congresswoman Harris laid the strong foundation for Florida's preeminent campaign to win the Permanent Secretariat for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). She worked intensively to ensure Florida as the lead location among all candidates for the Secretariat in the Western Hemisphere by obtaining the unanimous vote of both houses of the United States Congress expressing a preference for Florida's candidacy over any other potential site in the United States, as well as securing funding from Congress to assist Florida's bid for the Secretariat.

Fighting for Issues Important to Florida...

Congresswoman Harris also led the transformation of the Gulf of Mexico States Accord into a vibrant partnership that has made tremendous strides towards its objective of unifying the Gulf region through the enhancement of investment, trade and tourism, as well as through the promotion of economic, transportation, academic and cultural exchanges between its member states. Launched in 1995, the Gulf of Mexico States Accord had lapsed into near dormancy when then-Secretary of State Harris negotiated the location of the Accord's Secretariat in Tampa. During the four months following the establishment of the Secretariat, the Tampa Bay region's trade with Mexico grew by $30 million, inspiring Chrysler to reroute the shipping of the automobiles manufactured in Mexico through the Port of Tampa, and establishing a pilot program ferry service between Tampa and the Yucatán.

In the aftermath of the 2000 election controversy, Congresswoman Harris' leadership provided a driving impetus for election reform. In 2001, she testified before the U.S. House Administration Committee and proposed legislation that became the blueprint for Florida's nationally acclaimed Election Reform Act. In 2002, she successfully proposed and achieved passage of historic civil rights legislation in Florida that forcefully addresses the exclusion of persons with disabilities from full and equal participation in the electoral process.

A Record of Success...

A former IBM marketing executive and vice president of a commercial real estate firm, Congresswoman Harris earned a Master's Degree from Harvard University with a specialization in international trade and negotiations, and a Bachelor's Degree in history from Agnes Scott College. She studied abroad at the University of Madrid and at L'Abri outside Geneva, Switzerland. Congresswoman Harris has received numerous honors for her dedicated work on behalf of Florida including: the Mel Fisher Award for International Trade Advocacy; the Florida Economic Development Council Legislator of the Year Award; the Florida United Business Association Outstanding Legislator Award; the Florida Arts Advocacy Award; the Sarasota Manatee Jewish Family and Children Service's Philanthropy Award; the Sarasota Humanitarian of the Year Award and the Sarasota Statesman of the Year Award.

Congresswoman Harris was born in Key West, Florida. She returns to the district every weekend to spend time with her husband Anders Ebbeson and his 24-year-old daughter, Louise and the constituents of District thirteen.

~Joyce Comments: To read Katherine Harris on issues click here.



Alan Schlesinger, former Mayor of Derby and candidate for U.S. Senate in Connecticut

Two term Mayor of the City of Derby: 1994-1998

Defeated a popular Democrat Incumbent and Re-elected with over 80% of the vote as a Republican in a City with a 4 to 1 Ratio of Democrat to Republican registration.

Alan brought the City of Derby out of a deep deficit situation to a surplus and then reduced taxes.

* Six term State Representative: 1981-1993

Defeated a popular Democrat Incumbent, leading the ticket and winning by large margins in a predominantly Democrat District

* Ranking Republican on the Banking Committee
(1987-1993)

* Vice Chairman of the Education Committe (1985-1986)

* Chairman of the Special Revenue Sub-Committee (1983-1984)

* Served on the Judiciary, Finance and Government Administration and Elections Committees

* Member of the National Conference of State Legislatures

Alan was a consistent taxpayer watchdog, warning of the state budget crisis several years before the implementation of the state income tax. Alan attempted to avert fiscal problems by offering many progressive tax and spending alternatives.

* Selectman (Town of Orange): 1979-1981

Defeated popular Democrat Incumbent

Alan worked hard for his local constituents from the time he was a volunteer in school.

Education:

* University of Connecticut School of Law: J. D.

* Wharton School of Finance of the University of Pennsylvania: B.S. in Economics

* Amity Regional High School (Orange, Woodbridge, Bethany)

Private Sector Experience:

* Partner in the Law Firm of Schlesinger and Barbara, LLC (Shelton, CT)

Connecticut Residency:

A lifelong resident of Connecticut, Alan grew up in Orange and has lived in both Derby and Woodbridge as an adult.

~Joyce Comments: To read Alan Schlesinger on issues click here.