Katherine Harris
| Katherine Harris | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 13th district |
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In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Dan Miller |
| Succeeded by | Vern Buchanan |
| 23rd Secretary of State of Florida | |
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In office January 5, 1999 – August 2, 2002 |
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| Governor | Jeb Bush |
| Preceded by | Sandra Mortham |
| Succeeded by | James Smith |
| Member of the Florida Senate from the 24th district |
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In office 1994–1998 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Boczar |
| Succeeded by | Lisa Carlton |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 5, 1957 Key West, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Anders Ebbeson (1996–2013) |
| Alma mater |
Agnes Scott College Harvard University |
| Religion | Evangelicalism |
Katherine Harris (born April 5, 1957) is a politician, elected in 1998 as Secretary of State of Florida and in 2002 to the United States House of Representatives from Florida. A Republican, Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district, serving for two terms, from 2003 to 2007. Harris lost her campaign in 2006 for a United States Senate seat from Florida.
In 1994 Harris was noted for the most expensive campaign for the Florida Senate to date, winning her seat that year in her entry into electoral politics. In the 2000 presidential election, Harris gained national attention for her role in the Florida election recount, certifying George W. Bush's narrow victory over Al Gore and awarding him the Florida electors, which gained him the national election.
Harris was born in Key West, Florida to one of the state's wealthiest and most politically influential families. She is the daughter of Harriet (Griffin) and George W. Harris, Jr., who owned Citrus and Chemical Bank in Lakeland, Florida. Her maternal grandfather was Ben Hill Griffin, Jr., a successful businessman in the citrus and cattle industries and a powerful figure in the state legislature. Shortly before his death in 1990, he was ranked as the 261st richest American on the Forbes 400 list.Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida is named for him.
Harris' extended family has been active in Christian evangelism. Her grandfather was a Christian missionary in Africa, while her aunt and uncle were missionaries in India. They now head the Arab World Missions. Harris studied under Dr. Francis Schaeffer at a L’Abri Fellowship International center. Harris attended Greystone, an all-girls Christian camp at Asheville, North Carolina. She has said her faith is “the most important thing in my life.” Harris was reared in the Presbyterian Church in America, but as an adult, she has criticized the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for being "more liberal." She attends Calvary Chapel, a non-denominational charismatic church in Sarasota, Florida.
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