The American Spectator : An Opportunity Wasted?

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An Opportunity Wasted?

Incumbent Bill Nelson may have an easy time of it next year if Republicans don't get over their lethargy in Florida's U.S. Senate race.

TAMPA -- You just can't have a Marco Rubio in every election cycle. That's too bad for conservatives.

Florida's Republican junior U.S. Senator, Rubio is the articulate conservative who came from obscurity to defeat Florida's sitting governor and a no-name Democrat for the Senate seat in 2010. When Rubio entered the race in the spring of 2009 the political "experts" and the Republican establishment first yawned, then said he had no chance. The entire Republican establishment went kissy-kissy all over the rudderless political wind-sock, Charlie Crist, who didn't even remain a Republican until Election Day. Rubio won by 20 points. He's in the U.S. Senate while Crist is a now pitch-man for a large personal injury law firm. At least Crist finally found his métier.

Hardly oriented yet to the Senate office buildings, rookie Rubio is on every Republican's short list for the VP spot on next year's ticket. Though he may also be on the even shorter list of people who've said they don't want to be vice president and really mean it.

Rubio is smart enough, informed on all the issues enough, clear enough in his conservative view of the world, and forceful enough in his willingness to engage in the name of those convictions, that he has a real prospect of being at the top of a Republican ticket one day if that party decides to remain conservative. He just doesn't have the genes of a second banana and likely doesn't want to spend the next eight years handing guests their coats after state dinners, going to the funerals of foreign humbugs, and inquiring after the president's health.

This cycle conservatives have a real opportunity to replace a liberal Senate Democrat who has voted with Barack O'Barnum more than 90 percent of the time, including supporting such leftist hustles as cap and trade, Obamacare, and the debt stimulus package of 2009. This would be one Bill Nelson, 69, seeking his third Senate term. The Florida left-stream media insist on referring to Nelson as a "moderate," but this says more about the Florida media than about this transparently liberal Senator who holds countless left-wing positions, and has voted for a host of liberal measures, that a majority of Florida voters just don't fancy.

Nelson, who served in the U.S. House and the Florida Legislature, as well as doing a hitch as Florida's Insurance Commissioner, before winning a U.S. Senate seat in 2000, has been in public office since slightly after the Crimean War.

Polls have varied so far, but most show about a third of Florida voters have a favorable opinion of Nelson, about a third unfavorable, another third have no opinion of Nelson or have never heard of him. He's clearly not made much of an impression for a guy who has been in office since before a fair fraction of Florida voters were even born.

Nelson's nickname isn't "Lucky," but it should be. He's held office far more because of what Republicans haven't done, than what he, Nelson, has. What the Republicans haven't done is put up a strong candidate against Nelson. In 2000 Nelson ran against former Congressman Bill McCollum, a smart, decent, conservative, and able man, but one of the few politicians in Florida as charisma-challenged as Nelson. In 2006 Nelson matched up against the politically radioactive Katherine Harris, the former Florida Secretary of State Democrats still accuse of stealing the 2000 Florida presidential vote for George W. Bush, and who put together a short but undistinguished career in the U.S. House before trying to jump to the Senate.

Will Bill Nelson get another batting practice fastball to swing at in 2012? Will he once again not have to pay the price for his liberal career? Events to this point are not encouraging for conservatives.

With the exception of Craig Miller, an Orlando area restaurateur, the gang of five (recently expanded from four) seeking the Republican nomination have spent as much or more time calling their Republican opponents one or more species of a no-account than they have talking down Nelson. The Republican race more and more has the appearance of a circular firing squad.

Realizing that conservative is the preferred flavor among the Republican base this cycle, the candidates are competing mightily with each other for the mantle of the real and true conservative in the race.

Former Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner has garnered some support from state and national conservative groups and figures. But opponent George LeMieux, appointed by Crist to serve the final 16 months of Mel Martinez's Senate term, has dug up campaign literature from previous races where Hasner claimed to be a moderate.

Hasner retorts that LeMieux has some esplainin' to do for his career as liberal governor Crist's campaign manager and chief of staff. While LeMieux was Crist's major domo Crist held just about every position known to man on every issue, including some quite liberal stuff like attempting to put Florida under a carbon cap and trade regime and whooping up O'Barnum's trillion dollar stimulus slush fund. Plant City tree farmer and retired Army Reserve and National Guard Colonel Mike McCalister has joined in the chorus against "political insiders" who've caused the mess we're in and who can't get us out of it.

Fort Myers Congressman Connie Mack IV, son of former U.S. Senator Connie Mack III (grandson of Philadelphia Athletics owner and manager for life, Connie Mack), recently jumped into the race, after saying earlier in the year that he wouldn't run because he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Mack's change of heart almost certainly is not because his family has become less attractive over the last few months, but because Florida Republicans have found the Senate field and the campaign to this point unedifying and uninspiring. Though it's not clear what Mack -- who has had some snarky things to say about the Arizona anti-illegal immigrant law, who takes global warming more seriously than he should, and who supported Crist in the 2010 Senate race -- brings to the table that the Republican base wants to hear.

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About the Author

Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (28) | Leave a comment

Chef Schnauzer| 11.4.11 @ 7:49AM

Thank you. I think I am going to suspend general election contributions (the party hacks have the mechanics of this operation and dirty money down to a science). Rubio's experience points out the critical importance of conservative contributions in are primary phase. Nelson stands for nothing but Nelson, has no values, no ruder but self: just another hack who betrays much of the republican party.

CT Russ| 11.4.11 @ 7:57AM

After shaking things up before the primary vote, let us just hope that the pulp rises to the top

Intelligent Design| 11.4.11 @ 8:05AM

George LeMieux will win the nomination and he will easily defeat Bill Nelson, who has the same credibility as Obama. Zero.

hardcard| 11.4.11 @ 9:22AM

nelson strikes out looking, Connie Mack is a Grandslam.

bill glass| 11.5.11 @ 12:10PM

good one.

crooked wren| 11.4.11 @ 9:31AM

Question: How did Rubio "happen" in Florida? How did he manage to get a foothold? What was the process that led to his running?

As far as Republicans going at each other instead of going at Nelson, well, that's par for the course.

Look at what the debates have degenerated into -- as the mainstream media smirks on over it.

(Cain may be able, but if he starts going after Perry, it's going to be messier than ever.

After Clinton, you'd think the Left could never bring up a charge of sexual harassment again. But no. The media blithely creates a narrative that is indiscriminately unfair, turning Willie Ray Clinton into a "statesman" (really? after Jennifer and Monica and how many others???), but going after Clarence Thomas and Herman Cain as if it were the old South all over again.)

Point is: Newt understands this. Someone in Florida needs to shake up the Republican establishment there -- at the State level.

Our federalist system is just about gone. We NEED FLORIDA .

kate| 11.4.11 @ 2:02PM

We need Rubio as VP.
He is a big picture guy, smart, charismatic and hispanic.
I hope he puts his country first and doesn't hold out for a presidential run in 4 years.
If he believes what he says about this country, he will run with Romney to stop all this nonsense and put us back on the right track.
Romney is more to the middle politically and a detail guy. However, he is very intelligent (google it) and has character.
It has to be Romney/Rubio.
I don't see any other way this country can survive.

kate| 11.4.11 @ 2:03PM

On topic.
It is a given that republicans will take the senate and keep the house.

prsmith| 11.4.11 @ 7:40PM

No, he won't, Kate. He's not eligible to be the POTUS (see my recent post).

Mike Hawk| 11.5.11 @ 9:06AM

You need to consult US Code Title 8 Section 1401 buddy. Marco Rubio is a natural born citizen by virtue of the fact his parents were legal residents and he was born in Miami Florida. Before you make stupid statements make sure you know what you are talking about. That point made, No. No Rubio for VP. He needs to be Senate Majority leader. We do not need to flush his career away by nimiating him for VP. VP is the end of the line, not the next step to the WH. (except when the Prsident dies.)

bill glass| 11.5.11 @ 12:11PM

No, Rubio's not natural born.

kate| 11.5.11 @ 12:38PM

His parents were here legally and he was born in Florida. Illegal immigrant's children are granted citizenship if they are born in this country. He is a natural born American, because his parents were here legally and he was born here.
We are a nation of immigrants (other than Native Americans).
The founders simply did not want new immigrants to come to America and govern, because, unless you were born and raised here, you really don't understand the country.
Might be the problem we are experiencing now.
The subject is mute and conservatives need to quit being silly about it.
Common sense must prevail.

Mike Hawk| 11.6.11 @ 7:50PM

The word is moot, not mute. Conservatives are not being silly, those who ask the qustion have a legitimate complaint. Personally it isn't so important to me as the latter part of the statement you made. Even if Obama was born in Hawaii, he was raised outside the US territory. He was not raised as an American boy. He has no real attachment to AMerican culture and custom as he has not been a part of it and was not raised in it.

Mike Hawk| 11.6.11 @ 7:41PM

OK bill glass, explain why.

Lady Gator| 11.4.11 @ 9:31AM

Connie Mack IV is a RINO.

I agree with Larry that there is not "a Marco Rubio in every election cycle." I disagree however, with his assessment of this FL Senate primary. And at this point in time in the Rubio V Crist primary, Marco was still down by double digits.

Adam Hasner, Speaker Rubio's majority leader in the House, has a conservative legislative record, he is articulate, intelligent, and a lawyer who has been repeatedly reelected as a State Rep in a solid Blue district in Palm Beach County.

Mike McCalister is not qualified and has completely embellished his record. (Google the utube: "The Colonel has to use the restroom") George LeMieux was the marionette for all of Charlie Crist's liberal policies as a candidate for governor, when governor and when Crist was a candidate for Senate, and threw much Gov. Jeb Bush's gains under the bus, advising Crist to appointed liberal judges to the bench, fire all the Bush appointees, hold global warming summits at tax payer expense etc.. When George LeMieux was appointed a U.S. Senator, he voted with Obama and the Democrats for a whopping 42 billion dollar " business stimulus" package. Le Mieux was one of only 2 Republicans in the country to do that, ( no Republican from Florida voted for this, hmmm... I wonder why?)

Connie Mack the IV has a completely undistinguished record politically in D.C. (not so in his personal life there). Mack IV's comments on Gov. Jan Brewer's signing of the illegal immigration law in Arizona were hardly, "snarky." Mack verbally excoriated law abiding conservatives who believe Americans should obey the laws of this country, Mack IV called the bill," gestapo-like and nazism." Take a look at California to see what unbridled illegal immigration to do to a state fiscally.

On a much more serious issue, upholding the sanctity of human life, Mack says he is pro-life on abortion, but Mack IV is not solid on the life issue. He sides with Democrats, and voted in 2007 for a morally indefensible bill which would have forced American taxpayers funding the slaughter of human embryos. This reveals a lot about Mack not doing his homework on the issue (a failed science, only Adult Stem Cells work) and also the value he places on the dignity of human life. Mack IV was also a grand marshal in the Crist parade for governor in 2006 and in the 2010 Senate primary against Marco Rubio. This endorsement Mack gave AFTER Crist embraced and campaigned for Obama's trillion dollar stimulus package in FL.

Though Marco "electrified the voters," most voters today are more concerned about Pres. Obama's defeat in this 2012 season. Nelson is not in fact the Cruella DeVil candidate that Charlie Crist was in FL. Again, at this point in time, Rubio was down by double digits.

Hasner just won the CPAC straw poll at P5 in September. Many respected conservatives, including Erik Erickson of Redstate, Mark Levin, Freedom Works, and several pro-life groups have endorsed Hasner. I believe not only is Adam Hasner the most qualified for this seat, he is the only one who can build a coalition of voters in the General election to defeat Nelson and he will out debate him as well.

Mac Jehoff| 11.4.11 @ 10:39AM

Is Adam Hasner one of those rare conservative Jews who is a registered Republican? If so he is also due for the media anal exam.

mysterian1729| 11.4.11 @ 5:02PM

Never forget that Nelson's shuttle flight, part of his "oversight activities," caused STS-51L, Challenger, to be launched on 28 Jan. 1986.

Nite| 11.4.11 @ 5:52PM

I still will not vote for Bill Nelson. He has voted for everything that Obama has thrown at us. He needs to retire.

prsmith| 11.4.11 @ 7:39PM

"that he has a real prospect of being at the top of a Republican ticket one day if that party decides to remain conservative."
--------------------

Can't happen as Rubio is NOT eligible to be the POTUS. Marco Rubio’s parents were NOT U.S. citizens therefore he is NOT eligible to be POTUS or VEEP. If he is a true patriot and supporter of the Constitution, he will immediately call a press conference and announce that he is not a ‘natural born citizen’ because his parents were not U.S. citizens and that he cannot accept any invitation to join a presidential ticket. For more eligibility info, see: http://naturalborncitizen.word.....-citizen/.

Help me make that happen. Go to http://rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Tell Rubio that you expect him to do the right thing so that we can both fix the constitutional crisis we currently face and forever prevent another from occurring. This problem should have been resolved following Chester A. Arthur’s administration when it was discovered that his father was not a U.S. citizen when Chester was born – but it wasn’t. Let's finally put this question to rest.

If Rubio will stand tall and make that announcement, it would immediately shine a spotlight on Barry's ineligibility and force the SCOTUS/Congress to act. Help me make that happen! It will only take a couple minutes - please do it now!

Moe Blotz| 11.4.11 @ 9:19PM

Chester Arthur's birthplace was questioned as being in Canada, not in Vermont where the family lived at the time he was born. Were the following not qualified to be POTUS by your criteria?
James Buchanan was born in Mercersburg, PA his father was an Irish immigrant. Andrew Johnson was born in Raleigh, NC his father was an Englishman. Woodrow Wilson was born in Staunton, VA his mother was from Carlisle, England. Herbert Hoover was born in Iowa his mother was from Ontario, Canada. Barack Hussein Obama, mmm,mmmm,mmm, was born in Hawaii his father was a Kenyan national. Go pound sand up your arse.

Mike Hawk| 11.5.11 @ 9:04AM

Furthermore (assuming Barack Sr. is Barry Soetero's father. There is a question.) Obama Sr. was a British subject, making Barry S a British suject in the strictest sense. Obama still hasn't produced any genuine proof of who he is.

Niniane| 11.6.11 @ 1:43PM

Even his SS# is questionable as the number sequence belongs to Connecticut, where there is no evidence that any of his family ever visited. That alone bothers me, and I read somewhere that a woman ran the number through the EVerify system and it came back as invalid. And there are also mumbles on the net that he has used multiple SS#s.
Not a birther by any stretch, but I get uneasy if a man who may have defrauded the government is leading that government.

Mike Hawk| 11.5.11 @ 9:00AM

Niniane| 11.6.11 @ 1:53PM

True! Rubio needs to be Majority Leader and Reid needs to go home to his pomegranate trees.
And the SCOTUS case of U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark determined that though his parents were legal residents from China, Wong was indeed a citizen since he was born in San Francisco. The 1898 decision did not address the problem of illegal aliens birthing their children on U.S. soil.

JimH| 11.5.11 @ 2:04PM

Part of the problem is that the Republican party in Florida is perceived as a bunch of crooked clowns. Rubio's success came from being able to appear as running against the GOP insiders. Having lived in Tampa Bay for 10 years now, I know that the Republican party in Florida, particularly those in the statehouse are not real conservatives. Yeah they wrap themselves in the flag and make pious noises regarding school prayer, but they are a bunch of insider dealin, crony capitalist crooks whose number one priority is to keep their phoney baloney jobs.

fmm| 11.6.11 @ 10:49AM

To this end the Senate Conservatives Fund designated Rubio as their candidate in Florida and monetarily supported his run for office with ads and made a big difference. The SCF has yet to endorse any of the republicans in the current race per their web site.

D Roamer| 11.5.11 @ 8:34PM

I would be nice to take the senate, but we need a super majority to do anything. If we have the Rino senators from the northeast states; what I am saying is, we need to do more than just take over the senate, make it secure to knock down Democrats pulling senate rules with their minority shenanigans.

Patricia Touchton| 11.5.11 @ 10:15PM

It would be my pleasure to help dethrone this man. He continually harms Florida in every way possible. I write to him occasionally to tell him this.
Pat Touchton
2nd Generation Fkoridian