Mack IV to try to reclaim father's seat

[Miles]

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/8575/flsen-rep-connie-mack-r-expected-to-announce-bid-tomorrow

"Florida Rep. Connie Mack is expected to announce he's running for U.S. Senate Friday.

A release is billing the 10 a.m. rollout at the county courthouse in Ft. Myers as a "major announcement regarding the 2012 race . . . against liberal incumbent Bill Nelson."

Mack will be the third official Republican to enter the campaign, following former Col. Mike McCalister and Senate President Mike Haridopolos."

[Niemeyerite]

wow, the only competitive state where republicans don't have a top-tier candidate for senate is ohio =S.

[Miles]

The Republicans are winning the recruitment battle.

[Brittain33]

Conflicting rumor that he's actually endorsing Haridopolous, which (as a Dem) sounds almost too good to be true.

http://twitter.com/#!/HotlineJosh/status/51009705480421376

[Miles]

HOLD ON..................

"Top FL GOP source says Mack NOT running for Senate, likely running for re-election instead...
Buzz is that he will be endorsing Haridopolos at announcement tomorrow"

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/8575/flsen-rep-connie-mack-r-expected-to-announce-bid-tomorrow

Looks like brittain33 is right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Nelson not safe anymore.

[tpfkaw]

I hope he runs - would be the third GOPher who voted against the PATRIOT Act to run this cycle.

[HAnnA MArin County]

wow, the only competitive state where republicans don't have a top-tier candidate for senate is ohio =S.

Missouri? I wouldn't call Sarah Steelman or Ed Martin top-tier candidates.

[Landslide Lyndon]

It's official. Mack himself says that he WILL NOT run for the senate.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/connie-mack-will-not-run-us-senate

"I've got two small children and it's hard enough to get to spend a lot of good quality time now. I have a wife. They are all very important to me and at the end of the day family has to be number one,'' Mack told the St. Petersburg Times.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Bill Nelson ducks his strongest potential challenger (excluding Jeb, who I don't think has shown any interest in running). All eyes probably turn to Vern Buchanan, since he's been interested and he's rich, so he can self-fund.

[Niemeyerite]

wow, the only competitive state where republicans don't have a top-tier candidate for senate is ohio =S.

Missouri? I wouldn't call Sarah Steelman or Ed Martin top-tier candidates.

saah steelman is a teabagger, but IMO, she's a top-tier candidate for the nomination and will fight hard in the GE.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

wow, the only competitive state where republicans don't have a top-tier candidate for senate is ohio =S.

Missouri? I wouldn't call Sarah Steelman or Ed Martin top-tier candidates.

saah steelman is a teabagger, but IMO, she's a top-tier candidate for the nomination and will fight hard in the GE.

I would argue that the only top-tier Republican currently considering that race, let alone running, is Todd Akin.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Big surprise, he clearly has statewide ambitions based on his actions on various issues. He passed up 2010 and now he is passing up 2012, makes me wonder what he is gunning for. Maybe challenging Rick Scott in 2014 GOP primary?

[Miles]

Maybe challenging Rick Scott in 2014 GOP primary?

Thats what I thought too. Scott will probably be vulnerable in 2014 and I think Mack would be a better Republican candidate.

[Badger]

Maybe challenging Rick Scott in 2014 GOP primary?

Thats what I thought too. Scott will probably be vulnerable in 2014 and I think Mack would be a better Republican candidate.

Maybe, but vulnerable enough for a successful primary challenge? From someone arguably less conservative?

If Mack's passing on this race, unless he really wants to be governor much more than he even wants his father's old senate seat, its hard to imagine him running for higher office anytime soon.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Seven months later, Mack appears to have changed his mind.

[redcommander]

Now Republicans just need a top tier candidate in Ohio. I like Mandel, but he is very green right now, and isn't well-known to voters. If someone like Mary Taylor or Jim Jordan runs, then Republicans will be much better set in the race.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I had a feeling this would be the case. With Haridopolos out, the primary impediment to "changing his mind" was gone. He also has received praise from TP groups for his deficit plan, ecouragement from Hannity to get back in etc etc,all of which serves to reduce the risk of him being defined by a Tea Party candidate as the establishment guy.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Now Republicans just need a top tier candidate in Ohio. I like Mandel, but he is very green right now, and isn't well-known to voters. If someone like Mary Taylor or Jim Jordan runs, then Republicans will be much better set in the race.

You're right that Republicans (barring some unforeseeable event or scandal) need a better candidate than Mandel to have a real chance of beating Brown (although Mandel has always been an unusually good fundraiser and the results will be at least somewhat close, I just can't see Mandel beating Brown).  However, that candidate is most certainly not Jordan.  In fact, he'd probably do worse than Mandel because of how extreme his views are and because he isn't even very well liked by the Ohio Republican Party (the Ohio GOP is pretty establishment dominated, although the establishment here is obviously very right-wing, especially on economic issues).  Taylor would be better than Jordan, but I think Brown could definitely beat her by making the race a referendum on Kasich.  Republicans would probably need someone like Husted, Tiberi, or Stivers and even than Brown could very well end up winning.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Maybe challenging Rick Scott in 2014 GOP primary?

Thats what I thought too. Scott will probably be vulnerable in 2014 and I think Mack would be a better Republican candidate.

Mack committed a Perry last year.

If he screws up again, he might not even be able to be renominated.

[Brittain33]

Now Republicans just need a top tier candidate in Ohio. I like Mandel, but he is very green right now, and isn't well-known to voters. If someone like Mary Taylor or Jim Jordan runs, then Republicans will be much better set in the race.

You're right that Republicans (barring some unforeseeable event or scandal) need a better candidate than Mandel to have a real chance of beating Brown (although Mandel has always been an unusually good fundraiser and the results will be at least somewhat close, I just can't see Mandel beating Brown).  However, that candidate is most certainly not Jordan.  In fact, he'd probably do worse than Mandel because of how extreme his views are and because he isn't even very well liked by the Ohio Republican Party (the Ohio GOP is pretty establishment dominated, although the establishment here is obviously very right-wing, especially on economic issues).  Taylor would be better than Jordan, but I think Brown could definitely beat her by making the race a referendum on Kasich.  Republicans would probably need someone like Husted, Tiberi, or Stivers and even than Brown could very well end up winning.

It seems like every competitive or potentially competitive Senate race in Ohio recentlly ended up wildly uncompetitive, even with an incumbent in the mix, based on the macro environment. Brown was a beneficiary of that and I have a sick feeling he's going to be a victim of it.

[Mr.Phips]

Now Republicans just need a top tier candidate in Ohio. I like Mandel, but he is very green right now, and isn't well-known to voters. If someone like Mary Taylor or Jim Jordan runs, then Republicans will be much better set in the race.

You're right that Republicans (barring some unforeseeable event or scandal) need a better candidate than Mandel to have a real chance of beating Brown (although Mandel has always been an unusually good fundraiser and the results will be at least somewhat close, I just can't see Mandel beating Brown).  However, that candidate is most certainly not Jordan.  In fact, he'd probably do worse than Mandel because of how extreme his views are and because he isn't even very well liked by the Ohio Republican Party (the Ohio GOP is pretty establishment dominated, although the establishment here is obviously very right-wing, especially on economic issues).  Taylor would be better than Jordan, but I think Brown could definitely beat her by making the race a referendum on Kasich.  Republicans would probably need someone like Husted, Tiberi, or Stivers and even than Brown could very well end up winning.

It seems like every competitive or potentially competitive Senate race in Ohio recentlly ended up wildly uncompetitive, even with an incumbent in the mix, based on the macro environment. Brown was a beneficiary of that and I have a sick feeling he's going to be a victim of it.

If Obama wins Ohio, Brown will almost certainly win. 

[RogueBeaver]

Mack is now officially in.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/69281.html