(9 of 17)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Spending decisions should be made based on national-security interests and not based on economic interests of the contractors."
CHARLES CANADY (R) District 12 (Central--Polk County; Lakeland; parts of Hillsborough County)
BORN: June 22, 1954, Lakeland EDUCATION: Haverford College, B.A., 1976; Yale U, J.D., 1979 FAMILY: Wife, Jennifer RELIGION: Presbyterian MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Lawyer POLITICAL CAREER: Florida House, 1985-91, majority whip 1987-89; U.S. House, 1992- ADDRESS: P.O. Box 6158, Lakeland 33807. Tel.: 941-619-9777
Canady switched parties in 1989, won a congressional seat three years later and has since reigned as a champion of conservative Republican causes. This year he sponsored the Partial Birth Abortion Act to prosecute doctors who perform this rare procedure; and as chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, he fought unsuccessfully for an amendment to impose term limits. Running against his lesser-known cousin, his biggest challenge may be to make sure no one pulls the wrong lever by mistake.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense NO Abortion YES Guns NO Gays YES Bosnia YES NAFTA NO Welfare YES Medical Leave NO (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Clearly, the only difference between partial-birth abortion...and homicide is a mere three inches."
MIKE CANADY (D) District 12
BORN: June 29, 1935, Lakeland EDUCATION: Lakeland Senior High School, diploma, 1954 FAMILY: Wife, Elaine; one child RELIGION: NR MILITARY: Army, 1958-60; Army Reserve, 1960-75 OCCUPATION: Engineering consultant; construction coordinator; machine operator POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: P.O. Box 992, Lakeland 33802. Tel.: 941-294-0908
It's not quite Family Feud, but the Canady cousins' race should make for interesting Thanksgiving dinner conversation. Mike calls himself "superconservative" on fiscal issues, though he vows to fight cuts in Social Security and Medicare. And he offers a more liberal perspective on social issues than Charles: Mike is pro-choice and says the people of the district are willing to spend more on the environment, citing a 1994 referendum in which the people of Polk County voted to raise property taxes to buy $20 million worth of "environmentally sensitive" land.
THE ISSUES Budget YES Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays YES Bosnia NO NAFTA NO Welfare YES Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "I had the name first."
SANFORD GORDON (D) District 13 (Southwest--Sarasota and Manatee counties; Sarasota; Bradenton)
BORN: June 23, 1924, Newark, N.J. EDUCATION: New York U, B.S., 1947, M.A., 1948, Ph.D., 1953 FAMILY: Wife, Alice Pressman; two children RELIGION: Jewish MILITARY: Army Air Corps, 1942-44 OCCUPATION: University administrator; professor; author POLITICAL CAREER: Candidate for Oneonta, N.Y., city council, 1958 ADDRESS: 7127 Fairway Bend Lane, Sarasota 34243. Tel.: 941-351-1255