Interesting Look at George LeMieux, Mike Haridopolos and 2012

Politico published an excellent piece on Wednesday about the future of Republican U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, and whether his ties to Gov. Charlie Crist will hurt him with the Florida GOP if he chooses to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

The story also offers an interesting look at the thoughts of Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, on LeMieux. Haridopolos is considering launching a bid against Nelson as well.

From the article:

Mike Haridopolos, the ambitious 40-year-old state Senate president, could be one who helps remind voters of LeMieuxs tight ties to Crist. Hes already emerged as one of LeMieuxs top rivals for the nomination, all but formally declaring his candidacy.

While he swatted away questions about LeMieuxs tenure, his unwillingness even to say whether LeMieux had been a good senator was itself revealing.

Its not for me to decide, he said. Pressed on whether LeMieux is a conservative, he replied, Not for me to judge.

Haridopolos added that his own overarching message will be that he was a conservative when it wasnt cool.

A friendly word of advice forHaridopolos. Phil Gramm, the former U.S. senator from Texas, used the "conservative, before conservative was cool" line when he ran for the Republican presidential nod in 1996. Gramm didn't even get to New Hampshire despite strong fund-raising. The only time a conservative ever used the line with any success was 1924 when we kept "cool" with Coolidge.