If Harris quits her House seat, will the GOP keep it in a special election? She won election in Florida’s 13th district twice, both times carrying a 55-percent majority. Bush beat Kerry, 56 percent to 43 percent; Bush beat Gore, 54 percent to 46 percent. Harris was the state’s only Republican House member to run behind Bush in 2004. My guess is that Republicans would slightly prefer to hold a special election now, versus having to defend an open seat in November.