Brown-Waite Stays In District To Care For Husband

BROOKSVILLE - U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite decided to stay in Florida this week so she could accompany her husband, who is battling pancreatic cancer, to doctor visits.

Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, was to fly back to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and even boarded the plane at Tampa International, her spokesman Charlie Keller said Thursday. After at least two hours of delays and no indication of when the plane would take off, she decided to return home to accompany her husband, Harvey Waite.

Brown-Waite said in an interview Thursday that a light agenda without any major legislation up for a vote in the House this week made the decision less difficult.

"I think my constituents will understand," she said.

Keller, who noted that Brown-Waite has a voting record of nearly 95 percent, said Brown-Waite plans to return to Capitol Hill in time for votes next week.

She announced in February that Waite, a 68-year-old former New York state trooper, had been diagnosed with cancer.