Adam Hasner Hammers George LeMieux at Conservative Event

While Texas Gov. Rick Perry announcing that he was seeking the Republican presidential nomination dominated the headlines that emerged from the RedState event in Charleston, S.C., over the weekend, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, now running in the Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, spoke to the meeting as well. In the speech, Hasner took aim at one one of his rivals for the GOP nod -- former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux.

Hasner issued a call to arms, calling for conservatives to get mobilized and active in 2012.

"We must send more people to Washington who will do what is right, not just what is popular or easy, said Hasner. "We need conservatives who will stand up to Democrats -- and the Republicans who act like them. This is even more important now. Because after the message we sent last year, every politician in the country is trying to reinvent themselves as a conservative.

Hasner made no bones that he thought one of his primary rivals, former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, was one such politician masquerading as a conservative.

"It's getting so silly that in Florida, Charlie Crist's former chief of staff --the guy he called his 'maestro,' the same guy who just two years ago called himself a 'Charlie Crist Republican' and was attacking Marco Rubio -- is now running as a true blue conservative, said Hasner. "Think about that. It's like Rahm Emmanuel trying to run away from Barack Obama. Now is not the time for reinventions. Now is the time for reinforcements. Republicans who will stand alongside Jim DeMint, Marco Rubio, Mike Lee and a new generation of limited-government leaders.