Looking to Woo Conservatives, Adam Hasner Fires Away at Bill Nelson

Former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, who is considering jumping in a competitive Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, attacked the incumbent for backing policies supported by President Barack Obama.

Four votes, noted Hasner in an e-mail sent out to supporters over the weekend. That was the margin in the United States Senate that prevented defunding Obamacare, its trillion-dollar tax hike, its Medicare cuts, and its unconstitutional government takeover of our private health care decisions.

Bill Nelson was one of the senators who provided the razor-thin margin to keep fundingObamacare.That's the second time Bill Nelson has stopped us from getting rid of this failed legislation, continued Hasner. Whether it is Obamacare, the stimulus, Wall Street bailouts, the food safety bill -- on vote after vote, Bill Nelson has chosen to side with Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and President Obama over the people of Florida.

Hasner attacked Nelson for being a reliable rubberstamp for President Obama's policies before trying to tie himself to conservative Republican officeholders. Marco Rubio and Allen West don't need Republican or Democrat politicians who reinvent themselves at election time, they need conservative reinforcements who will help them keep taxes low and rein in runaway spending, insisted Hasner.

With former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, Senate President Mike Haridopolos of Merritt Island and former gubernatorial candidate Mike McCalister already in the race, Hansers clearly trying to rally conservatives behind his banner. It worked for Rubio, like Hasner a veteran of the House leadership. Will the same strategy pay off for Hasner in 2012?