While the Republican primary to take on Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012 is more than a year away, on Monday the camps of the two leading GOP hopefuls -- former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux and former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner -- came out swinging at each other.
On Monday, the team behind former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, now running in the Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, came out firing at former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, their chief GOP rival. The LeMieux team took exception to Hasners claims that he is a conservative.
As a Tallahassee politician, Hasner voted for numerous items that most conservatives oppose, noted the LeMieux team in an e-mail sent out on Monday. Of course, Hasner cannot be trusted to inform Florida Republicans about those positions in his nonconservative closet. So, our campaign is offering a sort of public service.We are providing voters a behind-the-scenes look at Adam Hasners masquerade ball. When you pull back the curtain, you find the true identity of Hasners nonconservative record the one that sits behind the conservative masks he proudly wears. The masquerade ball gown Hasner has chosen on the key issues of taxes and spending is a prime example. Hasners rhetoric simply does not match his record.
The LeMieux team hammered Hasner for the growth of state government during his time in Tallahassee, backing more than $92 million in Community Budget Issue Requests (CBIRs), which they compared to earmarks, backing higher taxes and relying on federal stimulus funds to balance the budget.
Our campaign will maintain its focus on where the voters deserve it to be, namely promoting George LeMieuxs great record and vision for our state and country, and comparing Georges conservative U.S. Senate record with incumbent Bill Nelsons liberal U.S. Senate record, said Brian Seitchik, LeMieuxs campaign manager. That said, on occasion we will feature additional episodes in Adam Hasners masquerade ball, just to make sure Florida Republicans dont get tricked by Hasners disguises.
Hasner appeared ready for the attacks from the LeMieux camp. Less than 20 minutes after Seitchik released a statement trashing the former House leader, Hasners team released an e-mail entitled Here Come the Attacks. The Hasner camp claimed to be garnering momentum with fundraising and endorsements.
This momentum means we're building a strong, principled, grass-roots campaign that will not only unite Republicans toward victory in the primary election, but will defeat Senator Bill Nelson next November, noted the Hasner camp. It also means that our opponents will grow more desperate, and will do anything they can to stop us. Bill Nelson and George LeMieux have grown accustomed to being called Senator and they will do anything they can to keep it that way. Already, they have launched false and misleading attacks.
Hasner looked to tie LeMieux to his former boss -- ex-Gov. Charlie Crist, who is persona non grata to Republicans for leaving the GOP.
Bill Nelson is relying on the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and liberal groups like Progress Florida to do his bidding, while George LeMieux resorts to the tricks he learned as Charlie Crist's top political operative, insisted the Hasner team. In the coming weeks and months, you can expect to see more false, negative stories about Adam, more attacks from our opponents, and more distortions of Adam's record.
We'll fight back each and every time to set the record straight, insisted the Hasner camp. No matter how hard our opponents try to attack Adam or distort his record, he won't stop fighting.
Later on Monday, the Hasner campaign fired back again at LeMieux -- and, once again, continued the line of attack by connecting their rival to Crist.
"If you want to know why people are sick and tired of politics and politicians, look no further than Charlie Crist-Republican George LeMieux," saidDouglass Mayer, a spokesman for Hasner. "A year ago, he was part of a campaign to smear Marco Rubio. Then he stabbed his mentor and friend Charlie Crist in the back when the political winds shifted. Now he's trying to smear another proven conservative in Adam Hasner. Is there anything George LeMieux won't say or do to win an election?"
"Senator LeMieux spent 16 inconsequential months in Washington running Charlie Crist's Senate campaign, voting for billions in earmark spending and engaging in secret backroom negotiations to pass cap-and-trade legislation, added Mayer. Now he wants Floridians to believe he's a born-again conservative. Senator LeMieux isn't being honest about the nearly two decades he spent as Charlie Crist's left-hand man, and he isn't being honest about his moderate-at-best record in Washington. We look forward to setting the record straight and reinforcing why conservatives across Florida and the country are standing with Adam Hasner."
The Hasner camp also unveiled a new endorsement -- that of Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami, who announced thatfor 2012 he was backing the man he replaced as state House majority leader.
"As a small-business owner, husband and a father, I'm deeply concerned about the direction of our country and the lack of leadership we see from both parties in Washington, said Lopez-Cantera. Without a doubt, Adam Hasner is the only candidate Florida Republicans can trust to go to Washington and stand firm for the kind of limited government reforms needed to turn our country around.
"Having served alongside Adam, I witnessed firsthand his consistent dedication to the mainstream conservative principles of our party, even when they weren't popular, added Lopez-Cantera. It's time for Florida Republicans to start to unite behind his campaign, so we can begin to focus our attention on winning back the United States Senate and defeating the Obama-Reid-Pelosi agenda."
"Carlos is an outstanding public servant and a champion for taxpayers, small businesses and free markets," said Hasner. "I'm proud to have Carlos on my team, and look forward to working with him to build a winning grass-roots campaign in Miami-Dade County."
In July, two other members of the House Republican caucus -- Rep. Dennis Baxley of Ocala and Rep. Scott Plakon of Longwood -- endorsed Hasner.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
