GOP Senate Hopeful Adam Hasner Courts Conservatives

Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, now running in a crowded Republican primary to see who will emerge to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, looked to highlight his right-of-center credentials as he reached out to conservative bloggers and media on Wednesday.

My focus remains on the fact that our country is headed in the wrong direction, said Hasner, who insisted he is a proven fighter who had stood for conservative values in the Florida House and on the campaign trail.

While trailing in the Republican primary polls to GOP rivals U.S. Rep. Connie Mack and former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, Hasner insisted that his campaign is in solid shape, pointing to solid fundraising in the third quarter, winning a straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference event in Orlando in September, and endorsements at the state and national level.

Generally ignoring other rivals -- namely businessman and retired army officer Mike McCalister and restaurant executive Craig Miller -- Hasner and his team focused their fire on Nelson, Mack and LeMieux.

We dont need more Washington insiders in Washington to solve the problems, Hasner said.