Predictably, Democrat incumbent Senator Bill Nelson is going after Republican opponent Connie Mack IV’s colorful and bumptious youth. Nelson’s first ad of the general election campaign focuses on the time when Mack, a congressman representing the Fort Myers area and son of former U.S. Senator Connie Mack III, gave free expression to his inner Charlie Sheen.

Also predictably, Mack’s campaign has called the ad a smear. Misfortunately for Mack and his campaign, much of the smear is historically accurate. (Bad enough that Mack got into two bar fights as a young man, but he lost them both. Clearly he forgot these three important political principles: 1. Use your jab, 2. throw combinations, and 3. work the body.)

The Senate race now is competitive, with most polls showing just a few points difference between the two candidates. If Mack wishes to keep it this way, or to pull a head of a weak liberal candidate, he’ll have to find a way to deal with these charges and the image of him they paint. Republicans must hope that Mack, with a conservative voting record in Congress but a barroom brawl record of 0-2, has finally learned to counter-punch.