Katherine Harris is an American politician and businesswoman who served as the Secretary of State of Florida from 1999 to 2003. She gained significant national attention for her central role in the 2000 U.S. presidential election recount in Florida. Following her tenure as Secretary of State, she was elected to the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2003 to 2007. Her political career was marked by the intense controversy and scrutiny surrounding the 2000 election results.