Already ahead of his Republican rivals in the polls and in gathering endorsements, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack strengthened his status as the favorite in the race on Tuesday as he gained new backing.
On Tuesday, FreedomWorks, a prominent national conservative organization with ties to the tea party movement, announced that its PAC was backing Mack for the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.
In a story by Kenric Ward, Sunshine State News reported last week that the organization would likely throw its support behind Mack.
FreedomWorks PAC believes that a candidates proven record, not rhetoric, is the best indicator of future action, said Max Pappas, the executive director of FreedomWorks PAC, in a statement on Tuesday.
Pappas also took aim at one of Macks primary rivals -- former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux.
When you compare Connie Macks record to George LeMieuxs record, its a night-and-day difference, Pappas added. George LeMieux boastfully identified himself as a Charlie Christ Republican while he worked with Democrats to advance subsidies, environmental mandates and multiple bills expanding the authority of government.
Pappas praised Macks proposal to reduce the size and cost of the federal government by lowering it 1 percent each year. The Penny Plan, as its supporters have dubbed it, is being sponsored by Mack in the U.S. House and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in the Senate.
Connie Mack took bold positions to hold government accountable when very few others would, voting twice against the TARP bailout, fighting stimulus spending, and introducing common-sense reforms like the Penny Plan, which is one of the most innovative reforms FreedomWorks PAC has ever seen, Pappas said.
This was not the only help Mack garnered on Tuesday. Politico reported that Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire who helped fund Newt Gingrichs bid for the Republican presidential nomination, is getting active in Florida, sending $1 million to a PAC that will help Macks campaign for the U.S. Senate. Adelson plans to spend $100 million in the election cycle -- including his support of Mack.
For his part, Mack praised the group, singling out former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey who is with FreedomWorks.
The main principles of FreedomWorks -- less government, lower taxes, and more economic freedom -- have been the driving principles of my time in the Florida Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives, and they will continue to be my compass in the United States Senate, Mack said. I am grateful for the backing of FreedomWorks and my good friend, Dick Armey. Having their support behind the Mack Penny Plan to balance the federal budget in five years has been key in achieving its voluminous nationwide grassroots support.
Mack invoked his father -- who held the Senate seat for two terms before retiring in 2001 when Nelson took it -- and took aim at the Democrats in Washington. As he has been doing in recent weeks, Mack withheld his fire at his Republican opposition -- LeMieux, former U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, and businessman and retired Army officer Mike McCalister.
"As my dad used to say, freedom is the core of all human progress, a belief lost on Bill Nelson and Barack Obama, Mack said. Their failed liberal experiments and blatant disregard for our constitutional freedoms threatens the very fabric of our country. With the support of FreedomWorks and the millions of hard-working Floridians who have said 'enough is enough,' we will beat Bill Nelson, we will defeat Barack Obama, and we will restore freedom, security and prosperity to our nation."
Sunshine State News contacted the LeMieux team on Tuesday for a response to the Pappas attack on its candidate but none was provided.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
