Ex-Notre Dame coach fightin' the Dems

By foxsports
Published

Former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz is looking to tackle Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla.).

Holtz is hosting a Tuesday evening fundraiser for GOP state Rep. Sandy Adams, who's looking to unseat the vulnerable freshman congresswoman.

It's not the first time Holtz has set his sights on Kosmas. During the competitive GOP primary, Holtz held separate fundraisers for Adams and former Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel.

Holtz last week kicked off a fundraising appeal for the National Republican Congressional Committee, sending a letter to the campaign arm's supporters.

"We are late into the fourth quarter of the midterm elections, and the NRCC needs your immediate help to drive our Republican Party to victory," he wrote.

As late as August 2009, Holtz - who has long been involved in GOP politics and has supported the late North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms as well as former Vice President Dan Quayle - was himself rumored to be a potential opponent to Kosmas and reportedly huddled with Republican campaign officials in Washington to discuss a bid for the central Florida-area seat.

Tuesday evening's event will be held at Legends Sports Bar and Grill in Orlando. The minimum donation for the event is $100. Attendees who contribute $500 will have their photo taken with Holtz and Adams.

The event will help fill Adams's depleted coffers. Before winning the Aug. 24 primary, Adams reported just $115,000 in the bank - a fraction of Kosmas's more than $1.2 million.

Holtz spent 10 seasons with the Fighting Irish before ending his career coaching the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. He appears as a college football analyst on ESPN.

He's not the only high-profile gridiron personality playing a prominent role this election cycle. Former Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan is the GOP nominee running against Democratic Rep. John Adler in New Jersey's 3rd District, and former Buffalo Bills tight end Jay Riemersma lost his Republican primary in Michigan's 2nd District. Former Washington Redskins tight end Clint Didier, also a Republican, lost his race for a Senate nomination in Washington state.