Republican elected to House seat

PENSACOLA,, Fla., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Jeff Miller, the Florida Panhandle's new congressman, on Wednesday indicated that he has an eye on a seat on the House Armed Services Committee.

The Chumuckla, Fla., Republican won the interim congressional election Tuesday by nearly a 5-2 margin.

Miller, 42, told supporters that House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., told him he is holding open two seats on the Armed Service Committee and Miller will be considered for one of them.

"Our president needs a partner in the 1st Congressional District. I am ready to be that partner," Miller said.

The district in northwest Florida is one of the most militarized district's in the nation with Air Force and Navy bases dotting the landscape and the Gulf Coast.

Miller is filling the seat that became vacant when Joe Scarborough, R-Fla., resigned to spend more time with his family and pursue business interests in his home of Pensacola, Fla.

Miller collected 53,000 votes to 22,000 for Gulf Breeze Democrat Steve Briese, a financial writer, and 5,000 for Pensacola podiatrist John Ralls, who is unaffiliated. Political observers in the Panhandle said the outcome was never in doubt, even early in the campaign.

Miller was scheduled to be sworn in on the House floor Thursday, but that could expected to be postponed until next week because of the anthrax scare on Capitol Hill.