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LeMieux launches new attack: Hasner trying to “masquerade” as conservative

Posted Aug 1, 2011 by William March

Updated Aug 1, 2011 at 02:41 PM

In the Republican Senate primary race-to-the-right between Adam Hasner and George LeMieux, LeMieux upped the rhetoric a notch today: In a web posting about Hasner’s legislative record, he says Hasner’s claim to be a conservative is a “masquerade.”

LeMieux accuses Hasner of voting for tax increases and increased state budgets, for accepting federal economic stimulus money and requesting “earmarks” in the Legislature.

“As a Tallahassee politician, Hasner voted for numerous items that most conservatives oppose,” says LeMieux’s web posting. “We are providing voters a behind-the-scenes look at Adam Hasner’s Masquerade Ball.  When you pull back the curtain, you find the true identity of Hasner’s non-conservative record – the one that sits behind the conservative masks he proudly wears.”

Hasner’s campaign shot back with a news release saying LeMieux’s “bizarre attack ... highlighted his own vulnerabilities” on the question of who’s a conservative. Headlined “LeMieux hangs giant kick-sign on his back,” it focusses mostly on LeMieux’s long political alliance with former Gov. Charlie Crist.

The Hasner release talks about LeMiuex’s support for Crist in the 2010 GOP Senate primary against Marco Rubio; Crist’s support, with LeMieux’s backing, of the Obama administration economic stimulus package; and news reports saying LeMieux was involved in negotiations for a federal cap-and-trade legislation.
Check it out here.