The three leading Republican candidates looking to challenge Democrat U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson addressed GOP women leaders in Tallahassee Sunday -- and fired away at Nelson and President Barack Obama.
The Republicans -- former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, businessman and retired Army Col. Mike McCalister and U.S. Rep. Connie Mack -- spoke to the Florida Federation of Republican Women in a packed room at Hotel Duval.
The FFRW showcased the candidates at a forum that gave each eight minutes to speak and allowed moderator Kay Day and members in the audience to question the Senate hopefuls for 20 minutes. The three candidates did not share the stage at any given time, nor did they directly respond to each other.
Mack, whose father held the Senate seat for 12 years and who is leading in the polls, spoke to the crowd first and looked to connect Nelson with Obama.
Whoever is our nominee will beat Bill Nelson, Mack insisted, hammering the Democrat for backing the federal health-care law that Obama signed, as well as stimulus spending and greater regulation. Mack labeled Obama and Nelson lockstep liberals, despite the senators attempts to act as a moderate.
Continuing his attacks on the Democrats, Mack ripped into Obamas space policies and handling of NASA and said that Nelson backed the president on these matters. Saying that the current focus on unmanned rockets would lead nowhere, Mack called for a new vision for the space program. Senator Nelson and Barack Obama destroyed the mission of NASA, Mack said before criticizing the senator for flying on a space shuttle mission 1986. Mack said Nelson forced his way onto the space shuttle and bashed the Democrat for calling himself an astronaut.
Asked about how Congress can limit spending and balance the budget, Mack said he supported a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution but added that it would take 10 to 15 years to pass. Mack pitched the Penny Plan, an idea that would mandate a 1 percent reduction in federal spending from 2012 until 2017, before imposing a spending cap in 2018. That cap would mandate the total cost of the federal government not to exceed 18 percent of the total gross domestic product. Mack insists the plan would cut $7.5 trillion from the federal government over the next decade. The measure has earned the backing of a number of prominent Republicans in Congress as well as conservative organizations.
Weighing in from his perch as chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Mack trashed Obamas handling of foreign affairs. Our enemies are emboldened and our allies are wondering where their friend is, Mack said before pushing against the U.N., calling for defunding that international body and noting that he had led the charge against American-taxpayer dollars going to the Organization of American States.
Next up was McCalister who ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010, taking more than 10 percent in the primary. McCalister called for a comprehensive national security policy, including defense, immigration and economics. Asked about the U.N., McCalister said it was time to review and amend the treaty with that organization and attacked Agenda 21 -- the United Nations plan on sustainable development, which has drawn the ire of conservatives across the nation -- as unconstitutional.
McCalister called for more energy options, including increased reliance on nuclear power and opening the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada. He also called for more energy exploration. We need to lift the ban on offshore drilling, McCalister said.
Taking aim at legislation coming out of Washington, including calling for repeal of the federal health-care law, McCalister said the country needed to return to the ideals of the Founding Fathers. All our legislative bills need to be simpler, McCalister said.
McCalister also called for the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and defending veterans, traditional values and religion in the public square.
The family has to be the pillar of American society, McCalister said before attacking communism which he insisted was trying to tear it down.
Calling himself a true conservative, McCalister -- who is trailing his primary rivals in the fundraising contest -- told the crowd, You are not hiring a fundraiser and asked them to take a hard look at the candidates.
We need to beat Bill Nelson and we will not do with it money, McCalister said, predicting that all three of the Republicans will spend their war chests for the Aug. 14 primary contest. McCalister insisted that his military credentials will give him an edge over Nelson because of the states large population of veterans. Looking at the contest with Nelson, McCalister said, We have to beat him with veterans.
Asked about his record in the military, which has drawn some questions, McCalister presented an account of his years in the National Guard, the reserves and on active duty in the Army.
LeMieux spoke about his family background and his experience in the private sector, insisting his years in business can help in the Senate. We need more of that business sense in Washington, LeMieux said. Noting that he served 16 months in the Senate, LeMieux said, Washington is the most broken, bizarre and dysfunctional place Ive ever worked. He vowed to push for term limits and said he would serve, at most, two terms in the Senate.
Focusing on federal fiscal matters, LeMieux called for lowering the national debt and warned that, if nothing were done, America would end up like Greece. Asked about his plans to lower federal spending, LeMieux ripped into career politicians and took aim at Mack. Noting that the national debt would increase to $26 trillion by the end of the decade, LeMieux dismissed Macks plan to cut spending. We cant cut 1 percent and get there, LeMieux said.
LeMieux pushed his 2007 Solution which would return federal spending to what it was that year. If enacted, he said, Wed balance the budget in two years.
Saying he never supported them, LeMieux bashed Mack for pushing earmarked projects. I never asked for an earmark. I led the ban on earmarks, LeMieux said before turning his fire to Mack. Hes for earmarks. Im against them.
LeMieux also ripped into Mack on immigration. Saying he wanted to secure the border, including increasing the guards on the border and backing E-Verify, LeMieux trashed Mack, calling him the leading Republican critic of what Arizona did.
Asked about being appointed by his old political ally, former Gov. Charlie Crist, LeMieux insisted that he did not share the politics of his longtime friend under whom he served as state deputy attorney general and chief of staff. Crist remains unpopular with Republicans for leaving the GOP to run with no party affiliation for the U.S. Senate during the 2010 election cycle.
I am my own man and I proved it when I was in the U.S. Senate, LeMieux said. I governed based on my conservative values ... and my record proves it.
LeMieux noted that many Republicans backed Crist during his various campaigns for governor, attorney general, education commissioner and the U.S. Senate. He disappointed all of us, LeMieux said of Crist.
While he criticized the U.N., LeMieux insisted the U.S. had to remain in it to help allies, including Israel, though he added that he was open to reducing its funding.
Arguing that Obama in the White House and a Democratic majority in the Senate are hurting the nation, LeMieux said Nelson had to go. Were never going to save America if Harry Reid is running the U.S. Senate, LeMieux said, adding he would stand toe to toe with Bill Nelson on taxes, spending, foreign policy, terrorism and health care.
The Republican candidates all said they were pro-life and for less regulations. None of them supported a bailout of the Federal Housing Authority.
All three hopefuls were asked if they admired a particular current U.S. senator besides fellow Florida Republican Marco Rubio. Mack praised Rand Paul, R-Ky., noting that he is a very strong voice on limited government. McCalister pointed to tea party favorite, Jim DeMint, R-S.C., because he seems to stand firm on his principles. LeMieux praised Tom Coburn, R-Okla., calling him the best senator on fiscal issues.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
