GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: Pensacola, Florida has long been a military town. Today Republicans there are using it as a site to restate complaints about the handling of absentee military presidential ballots. CNN's Gary Tuchman is in Pensacola -- Gary.</s>GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Gene, a fervent Republican would have felt very much at home on the streets of downtown Pensacola today. A fervent Democrat would have felt like they were on enemy territory. That was the scene as hundreds of people came out for a pro-Bush, anti-Gore rally in this Florida panhandle town today. It just came to end a short time ago. The stated purpose of the rally was a protest of the disputed military ballots. But it became broader than that. Some speakers took the podium in front of the Escambia County Courthouse here in Pensacola alleging that Democrats are trying to steal the election for Al Gore. The Congressman from this district, the 1st District of Florida, the westernmost district in this state, who sponsored this rally said quote. "We have declared war," unquote on our opponents.</s>REP. JOE SCARBOROUGH (R), FLORIDA: I know we're going to win this war. But after this battle is over, the fight to retake America continues. If you're like me, and you believe that the greatness of America rests in the hearts of Americans and not in the halls of Congress, then you've got to speak out. You've got to fight back.</s>TUCHMAN: Speakers here decried the hand counting taking place in the predominantly Democratic counties in south Florida, although there was no mention made of the Bush campaign's right to have the same type of hand counting done in Republican counties such as this one. But all in all, it was a partisan, raucous, loud crowd that was here for about 90 minutes today, just what the Republicans wanted. Gene, back to you.</s>RANDALL: Thanks, Gary.
Republican Congressman Declares 'War' on Democrats