That being said, this is the primary where we pick the best Republican, and under NO circumstances will I support Mack for the nomination in the primary. My position isn't going to change no matter what Mack does. He can campaign to the right of Jesse Helms and he's still a wolf in sheep's clothing, IMO. I'd don't buy the "only Mack can WIN!!" stuff that we always hear on FR for the establishment candidate, regardless of how conservative the state is (they even made this ridiculous argument for Murkowski is super Republican Alaska). Florida leans Republican statewide and I'm certain both LeMieux and McCalister would be competitive candidates in the general election -- or any other GOP candidate for that matter. Barring another Katherine Harris style disaster, any GOP candidate would preferable to Mack and his creepy RINO family.
As for "Mack is a guy in whom I don’t trust, but he keeps getting 90%+ on ACU and other conservative ratings", couldn't the same be said of LeMieux? I just googled it and he got a 92% ACU rating in 2010. Despite being appointed by Crist, he had a pretty decent conservaitve record in office and has already held the job statewide. I don't trust him or Mack, but at least LeMieux hasn't made Alan Greyson style attacks on conservatives like "conservative" Connie Mack IV has. Ideally I'd take McCalister over both of 'em.
Very well-put. There are many far better Republicans who could unseat Bill Nelson, but none of them are running.
LeMieux got a high ACU score while serving only one year; Mack has done it for almost a decade now. And LeMieux had a very liberal record in FL; check this out: http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/for-insight-on-george-lemieux-look-to-his-failed-1998-bid-for-office/1031985
McCalister, of course, has never cast a vote on anything, so we can judge him only on his words. That being said, given my distrust for Mack, I will take my chances and support McCalister if he can prove to have a firm grasp of the issues, be competent on the campaign trail and raise money. FL can certainly elect a conservative, as Marco Rubio proved in 2010, but it won’t elect just *any* conservative.
“Mack IV or Nelson”
Mack IV.