AIF Backs Mitt Romney, GOP Slate for Congress in Florida

Associated Industries of Florida has endorsed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Myers, over long-service U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando.

The Tallahassee-based business lobby has also endorsed 20 incumbents and candidates for U.S. House seats, all Republicans.

AIF believes that Florida is best served by electing federal officials, including the president, senators and representatives, who believe in the Federalist model where policy decisions are best left to the states and not dictated by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., Tom Feeney, AIF president and CEO, stated in a release.

Their belief in limited government, less taxes and private-sector job growth are the keys to economic prosperity, and AIF is proud to endorse these candidates for federal office.

All endorsements required a two-thirds vote by the AIF board and no financial contributions were made to these candidates.

The AIF board, when considering incumbents, reviewed the voting records of congressional members as reported by the National Association of Manufacturers.

District Candidate Endorsements

1. Jeff Miller (R)

2. Steve Southerland (R)

3. Ted Yoho (R)

4. Ander Crenshaw (R)

6. Ron DeSantis (R)

7. John Mica (R)

8. Bill Posey (R)

9. Todd Long (R)

10. Daniel Webster (R)

11. Richard Nugent (R)

12. Gus Bilirakis (R)

13. C. W. Bill Young (R)

16. Vern Buchanan (R)

17. Tom Rooney (R)

18. Allen West (R)

19. Trey Radel (R)

22. Adam Hasner (R)

25. Mario Diaz-Balart (R)

26. David Rivera (R)

27. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R)