Posted on 03/14/2012 3:08:03 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Republican Congressman Connie Mack now posts a seven-point lead over Democratic Senator Bill Nelson in Florida’s U.S. Senate race, and the incumbent remains just ahead of his other two potential GOP rivals.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Florida shows Mack with 43% support to Nelson’s 36%. Five percent (5%) like another candidate in the race, and a sizable 16% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
A month ago, Mack and Nelson were tied at 41% apiece. Last November, Mack, a congressman from the Fort Myers/Naples area of the state, led 43% to 39%.
If former U.S. Senator George LeMieux is the Republican candidate, Nelson is ahead by a narrow 41% to 38%. That compares to 45%-35% last month. Five percent (5%) now prefer another candidate given that matchup. Seventeen percent (17%) are undecided. Then-Governor Charlie Crist named LeMieux to the Senate in September 2009 to complete the term of Senator Mel Martinez who resigned from office early. LeMieux chose not to seek a full Senate term in the 2010 elections because of Crist’s decision to run. Crist was defeated by Marco Rubio.
Nelson now leads businessman Mike McCalister, the other top GOP hopeful, 42% to 38%. Given this matchup, four percent (4%) favor another candidate, and 15% are undecided. This is essentially unchanged from a month ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com ...
This is huge. I dislike Connie Mack, as I’m sure that any conservative who’s serious about border security is. But this is close to a sure thing. We need every seat we can get, the state of the nation is that urgent. Of course, if I lived in Florida, I’d still cast a protest vote against him in the primary.
Nelson is weak and hasn’t had a real challenge since he was first elected 12 years ago.
I don’t think we need Mack to beat him, I won’t support him the primary. But if he’s the nominee so be it. His daddy’s name alone could be enough to dispatch Nelson.
Whoo hoo
Man I wish we had a conservative because this guy is RINO personified, but I guess in general election he certainly would be better than Nelson
Freegards
Lex
For what it’s worth, Connie Mack currently receives a 90% rating from the Heritage Foundation for his legislative record of voting conservative. To put this in perspective, Heritage currently rates only 22 members with a conservatism rating of 90% or better in the House of Representatives, thus putting Connie Mack in the top 5%.
http://heritageactionscorecard.com/scorecard/index.html
So although his record isn’t perfect, I’d be very happy to see him pick up a Senate seat from that left-wing loser Bill Nelson (who incidentally has a 15% rating on the Heritage Scorecard).
He’ll be our pet Rhino. The key will be to keep him away from the monkeys. (McCain and Graham).
Most pundit have FL in the lean D colum for the Senate. If this seat flips Republicans will take the majority.
Yeah, a Cook Political reporter on C-Spam this morning showed FL leaning D.
I suppose it could happen, but FL isn’t a criminal rat enterprise like NV or IL.
Why doesn’t he run under his given birth name...Cornelius
McGillicuddy? There never was a Mack in the family...the grandfather who owned the baseball team was affectionately known as “Mac” and Cornelius has kept the fake name.
I don’t like Connie Mack, and I think that FL could do much better. But you know what? It hasn’t. None of the top-notch conservatives who could have run—Allen West, Adam Putnam, Jeb Bush, Jennifer Carrol—have, or will, file to run, and other than Mack the only other candidates with any chance of winning are RINO LeMioux and Unknown McCalister. Mack is a guy in whom I don’t trust, but he keeps getting 90%+ on ACU and other conservative ratings: kind of like the Johnny Isakson of FL. I’d take him over LeMioux, and McCalister would have to prove to me that he can actually run and win a statewide race before I’d turn down supporting a 90% conservative who appears to be a slam dunk in the general election (if only because of his family name). I wish that Allen West or someone like that were running against him, but he isn’t, and Mack may not be such a bad choice given the circumstances.
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.
McGillicuddy is his legal name?
Interesting, he is allowed to appear as “Mack” on the ballot?
Very well-put. There are many far better Republicans who could unseat Bill Nelson, but none of them are running.
He’s a criminal...
I’ll vote for Colonel McCalister in the Primary, and the Republican winner in the General.
ANYBODY BUT HOWDY DOODY!
(That is the nickname someone a lot more creative than I am hung on Nelson!)
Colonel Mike McCalister is your candidate, then!
Vote for him in the Primary — what we really need is a Citizen Soldier in the Senate, not another “Politician!”
Like Mel!!!
He obviously has my vote but it wont matter. in 2012 there will be no constitution. O will RULE with mandates and executive orders.
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