You can almost forgive her for being a political hack, but …

Katherine Harris, as Florida Secretary of State during the hotly contested 2000 Presidential Election, was understandably, if annoyingly, partisan in her efforts to swing the (re)count to Bush. But, hey, that’s dirty politics, a fine (and foul) American tradition.

Unfortunately, now a US Representative running for the Senate, she’s also either a dangerous religious partisan, or willing to pander to same, which makes her much more of a threat.

Harris made the comments – which she clarified Saturday – in the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention, which interviewed political candidates and asked them about religion and their positions on issues.

Separation of church and state is “a lie we have been told,” Harris said in the interview, published Thursday, saying separating religion and politics is “wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers.”

“If you’re not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin,” Harris said.

Seems to me you can legislate sin quite nicely whether you’re electing “Christians” or not. And, of course, if God’s the one actually doing the choosing, how can Man stand against him (or, rather, how could anything the electors do thwart that choice by God)?

Harris, facing a flurry of protest from even within her own party, tried to lamely back down from her comments.

Harris’ campaign released a statement Saturday saying she had been “speaking to a Christian audience, …

As if that made a difference. Or are they saying that she would have spoken differently if speaking to a non-Christian audience? In what way?

… addressing a common misperception that people of faith should not be actively involved in government.”

It’s one thing to say that people of faith should be involved in government. It’s another thing to say that to not have people of a particular faith in government will lead to “legislating sin.”

The comments reflected “her deep grounding in Judeo-Christian values,” the statement said, adding that Harris had previously supported pro-Israel legislation and legislation recognizing the Holocaust.

So does that mean Harris is willing to go on record saying it’s okay to elect Jews, too? Darned white of her.

Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like we’ll have to worry much about her this election cycle.

State GOP leaders – including Gov. Jeb Bush – don’t think she can win against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in November. Fundraising has lagged, frustrated campaign workers have defected in droves and the issues have been overshadowed by news of her dealings with a corrupt defense contractor who gave her $32,000 in illegal campaign contributions.

Speaking of legislating sin …