While the Republican primary to see who will challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is still a year away, two of the leading hopefuls turned up the heat and fired away at each other Thursday.
The team behind former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner launched a new video ad against their candidate's GOP rival, former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux. The ad links LeMieux to the man who appointed him to the U.S. Senate -- former Gov. Charlie Crist. LeMieux had been a close associate and former chief of staff to Crist -- the man who left the Republicans during the 2010 U.S. Senate race.
"George LeMieux only spent 16 months in the U.S. Senate, but he's already mastered the Washington art of political deception," said Douglass Mayer, a spokesman for Hasner. "George LeMieux is campaigning around Florida, downplaying his ties to Charlie Crist and distorting the truth about the nearly two decades he spent at Crist's side advocating for liberal policies within the Republican Party. But the video doesn't lie. He should come clean about the true amount of time he spent working for Charlie Crist, and his key role in pushing for felons' voting rights, extreme global warming legislation, and other liberal policies that are contrary to his reinvented image as a 'true blue conservative.'"
The LeMieux team fired back with their own attack, calling Hasners conservative credentials into question. They pointed to a Christian Coalition of Florida F grade of Hasners record in 2007 and claimed Hasner backed weakening parental consent laws on abortion. They also argued that Hasner voted against school choice for military families in 2004.
"You know, it is quite an elaborate masquerade when a politician claims to be a conservative on values issues, but received an 'F' from the Christian Coalition, voted to deny school choice to military families, joined with liberals to weaken a pro-life bill, and sided with big labor more than almost every Republican," said Brian Seitchik, LeMieuxs campaign manager. That's Adam Hasner. That's not conservative."
On Wednesday, LeMieux sought to highlight his conservative record when he announced that he had been endorsed by the National Tax Limitation Committee PAC (NTLC PAC).
"During his time in the United States Senate, George fought for tax relief and to reduce spending, said Lew Uhler, president of NTLC PAC. As the proven fiscal conservative in this race, George proposed a plan that would bring the federal government to balance in two years, supported a balanced budget amendment, and never voted to raise the nations debt ceiling. He understands the importance of creating an economic environment that encourages job growth. When he returns to the Senate, I know he will support policies that will reduce economic uncertainty and reverse the disastrous effects of the Nelson/Obama economy."
"I am honored to have Lew Uhler and the NTLC PAC's confidence and trust," said LeMieux. "In the U.S. Senate, I stood with fellow fiscal conservatives to fight to balance the budget and get a handle on our debt without raising taxes. These are critical times and I am committed, now more than ever, to that fight."
Some of the other leading candidates in the race also looked to get their conservative credentials in order this week. Craig Miller, the former CEO of Ruth's Chris, spoke to the Eastern Orlando Tea Party this week. Other candidates include businessman and retired Army officer Mike McCalister; conservative writer Marielena Stuart; Bill Fisher, a consultant who ran for Congress in 2010; attorney Deon Long who ran for Congress in 2010; businessman Ron McNeil who ran for Congress in 1982 and 2010; and Dr. Mirand Sharma, a physician and Ron Paul supporter. Potential candidates include U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan; U.S. Rep. Allen West; former state House Speaker Allan Bense; and businessman Nick Loeb who ran for the state Senate in 2010.
While Chris Chocola from the prominent conservative group the Club for Growth said in a recent interview with the National Journal that he was less than impressed with the Republican field looking to challenge Nelson, the candidates will have a chance to shine at the state and national levels in September.
The four leading candidates -- Hasner, LeMieux, McCallister and Miller -- will have two chances for a showdown in Orlando come September. They will square off in a straw poll held by the American Conservative Unions Conservative Political Action Conference event on Sept. 23 and will address the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) during the Presidency 5 event on the same day.
For three days, the eyes of the nation will be on Floridas Republicans, said RPOF Chairman David Bitner on Thursday when the RPOF announced that the Senate candidates would be speaking at Presidency 5. We are thrilled that part of our agenda will include presentations from our top Republican Senate candidates. Bill Nelsons time in the Senate needs to end in 2012, and these candidates will make that case to Florida.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
