Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner claimed victory in a straw poll held on Friday between four of the leading Republican candidates looking to defeat Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.
With 34 percent of the vote, Hasner, who served in the state House of Representatives for eight years before facing term limits in 2010, beat out retired Army officer and businessman Mike McCalister to win the contest. The straw poll was held at the American Conservative Unions (ACU) Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event in Orlando. A total of 1,501 CPAC attendees voted in the straw poll.
McCalister, who gave a strongly received speech earlier in the day at CPAC, took second with 30 percent. Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux took third with 24 percent. Central Florida businessman Craig Miller placed a distant fourth with 12 percent. The rest went to write-in candidates -- including five votes for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.
Hasner, who has garnered endorsements from conservative leaders and activists at the state and national level, released a statement after winning the straw poll on Friday afternoon.
"This is an exciting time for Florida Republicans and I am extremely proud to be part of it, said Hasner. In 2010, Floridians helped lead a revolution to take back the House and elect Marco Rubio to the U.S. Senate. In 2012, Florida will play a major role ensuring that President Obama serves only one term and in delivering additional conservative reinforcements to Washington.
"Today's results demonstrate that conservative Floridians are looking for a leader who doesn't just claim to share their values, but one that has the record to actually back it up. The challenges we face as a nation require proactive and forthright leadership, and the people of Florida deserve another U.S. senator they can trust to faithfully fight against the policies of President Obama and Senator Nelson, added Hasner. "I am grateful to the Republican and conservative activists who traveled from across the state to take part in this most American of events. It is through their hard work and dedication that I was able to win today and it's through their continued sacrifice and passion that I will defeat Senator Nelson and help reclaim the majority in the U.S. Senate."
Hasners team attempted to frame the vote as a big win over LeMieux, who they consider their chief rival for the nomination. Earlier on Friday, the Hasner camp launched a new website trying to remind voters that LeMieux was closely affiliated with former Gov. Charlie Crist. The former governor remains unpopular with Florida Republicans for leaving the GOP in 2010 to continue his bid for the U.S. Senate with no party affiliation.
A Quinnipiac University poll released earlier in the week found that a clear majority of Republicans -- 58 percent -- remained undecided on whom they were backing to take on Nelson. LeMieux took 17 percent in the poll; McCalister followed with 11 percent. Hasner and Miller took 5 percent each.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
