The Republican primary to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in the Senate in 2016 is on with the leading candidates trying to claim the right-of-center ground.
Having entered the race earlier in the week, U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., tried to get his conservative credentials in order on Thursday with a new video. In the video, Jolly insisted he is a conservative. National conservative groups, many of which are backing U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., in the primary, have been firing away at Jolly on a host of fronts including his support of same-sex marriage.
In the video, which is included below, Jolly attempts to claim the conservative mantle.
“As your congressman, I have been a conservative that from day one has delivered results, fighting to keep Washington out of our classrooms, protecting our fishermen and our veterans, young and old, and keeping Washington red tape out of our small businesses,” Jolly says in the video. “We have the opportunity to win again, with a conservative message that says to Washington that we will not accept a listless economy, we will not tolerate failed foreign policy that leaves America vulnerable, we also will not accept border security laws that do not work and a health care system that Washington now says is not allowed to work.
“And, when it comes to continuing to serve our vets, those who have carried the flag, there will be no greater advocate – no one,” Jolly adds. “I am a secure-the-border-now conservative, I am a national defense conservative; and, friends, I am a principled conservative who believes in the awesome power of family, the sanctity of every human life and in the sacred protection of every last one of our constitutional rights.”
On Thursday, as he tries to make the case that he is the conservative in the race, DeSantis reeled in the endorsement of the Tea Party Express, a national PAC championing the values of the tea party movement.
Taylor Budowich, the executive director of the Tea Party Express, weighed in Thursday to praise DeSantis’ record in Congress.
“Complacency with the status quo is one of the most dangerous diseases in Washington, D.C., but it’s a disease the tea party activists throughout America would like to cure,” Budowich said on Thursday. “That’s why we worked aggressively in 2012 to help elect Ron DeSantis, and it’s why we remain committed to him in 2016 for his U.S. Senate campaign. After being elected in 2012, Congressman DeSantis went to D.C. and led the charge in bucking the status quo with a positive, conservative agenda for reform. He is a hero to Florida’s taxpayers, being ranked No. 1 by Citizens Against Government Waste. He has also been a leader in the fight to rein in the size, cost and intrusiveness of the federal government.
“Congressman DeSantis has applied his conservative values to each vote, just like he promised the voters he would,” Budowich added. “But more important than just his single vote, he has been a champion for conservatism. He has challenged the do-nothing politicians head-on with bold, conservative ideas. While his voice has been important in the House of Representatives, we are excited by the idea of having him represent the entire state of Florida in the U.S. Senate. We intend on doing everything we can to make sure that’s a reality come November of 2016!”
Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera is also trying to nail down the conservative base after he launched his Senate bid earlier this month.
This week, Lopez-Cantera met with Republicans across the state, ranging from Monroe County in the Keys to Jacksonville on the First Coast. Lopez-Cantera also met with business groups from across the state and used the occasion to insist that Washington is broken and his opponents serving in Congress won’t be able to solve the problems.
“What's clear to me is that Washington, D.C., and the people who have been ingrained in its culture have lost touch with the small-business owners and average citizen who try to do their best to improve their family's lives every day,” Lopez-Cantera insisted on Tuesday. “I am running for U.S. Senate to represent them.”
Businessman and Army veteran Todd Wilcox also tried to get his conservative credentials in order this week. Wilcox was active meeting Republicans across the state this week, including former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, R-Fla.
Trying to catch DeSantis in support with national conservatives, Wilcox hit Washington, D.C., on Thursday and Friday with meetings at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Opportunity Alliance, Americans for Peace Prosperity and Security, the National Rifle Association and several leadership PACs.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., and former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum are considering entering the Republican primary. U.S. Reps. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., and Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., are running on the Democratic side. Republican strategist Roger Stone is considering entering the contest as a Libertarian.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
