Stem Cell Research Bill Passed: Thirteen Florida Republicans Vote No

We will continue to follow the Florida US House delegation and focus on which Republicans are voting against progress in our country and against helping the people of Florida.

Next Up Here: Stem Cell Research

On Stem Cell Research, the House vote was 253 – 174 for Stem Cell research. However, this did not stop the Florida delegation from voting 13 – 12 against Stem Cell research. Thirteen Republicans voted against Stem Cell Research, while only three sided with Democrats on an issue the majority of Americans and in many of these districts, Floridians support.

Here are the members, followed by district, who voted against progress in science, who voted against the wishes of the people.

Miller (1st), Crenshaw (4th), Stearns (6th), Mica (7th), Keller (8th), Bilirakis (9th), Putnam (12th), Buchanan (13th), Weldon (15th), Ros-Lehtinen (18th), Diaz-Balart L. (21st), Feeney (24th), Diaz-Balart M. (25th)

Particularly of note here are Ric Keller, Michael Bilirakis, Vernon Buchanan, and Dave Weldon. They all just squeaked through elections in 2006 and voters in these districts will certainly not be pleased that their Congressmen voted against progress on medical research, on an issue that many other Republicans around the country sided with the Democrats in voting Aye. But not these Republicans. Vernon Buchanan, who has just won (Stolen) a contested election, voted against moving forward on Stem Cell Research. Dave Weldon again has gone a long with the far-right wing of his party. Ric Keller has voted against the interests of the people of central Florida and he is certainly going to have a big 2008 challenge, so he might want to think about it when he votes against the wishes of his constituents again.

Here are their 2006 unimpressive results:

8th District    Keller: 53%   Stuart: 46%

9th District    Bilirakis: 56%   Busansky: 44%

13th District    Buchanan: 50%   Jennings: 50%

15th District   Weldon: 56%   Bowman: 44%

These Republicans should be thinking about their not-so-impressive elections, three of them who were incumbents, in 2006, when they vote against Stem Cell Research, a bipartisan issue that many other Republicans voted for. Luckily for them they will probably have another chance, after George Bush vetoes the bill, to vote again. They will have the choice to either side with the President against progress and the wishes of the people or they can vote Aye.