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Mack bashed over film festival trip

Posted Jan 10, 2012 by William March

Updated Jan 10, 2012 at 03:16 PM

Democrats and a Republican opponent of Rep. Connie Mack IV in the U.S. Senate primary are mocking him for heading to a film festival in Palm Springs with his wife, California Rep. Mary Bono, instead of staying in Florida to campaign, an indication they may try to make Mack’s marriage to an out-of-stater a campaign issue.

The opening for their shots at Mack came from this photo of Mack and Bono at the festival last weekend.

Previously, one of Mack’s opponents, former state Rep. Adam Hasner, had proposed that Mack and the third leading candidate in the race, George LeMieux, join him for a series of 10 90-minute debates, beginning with one during the state Republican Party’s quarterly meeting in Orlando Jan. 13-14.

“He’s TOTALLY focused on winning this election for the people of California ... I mean Florida,” said Hasner strategist Rick Wilson in an email. “A lot of people have been asking where Connie’s been since his announcement—since he sure isn’t doing events in Florida. Well, I guess now we know.”

Florida Democratic Party spokeswoman Brannon Jordan also tweeted a link to the picture with the comment,  “@ConnieMarckIV hits the red carpet in CA instead of the campaign trail in FL.”

Mack campaign manager Jeff Cohen shot back that Hasner’s debate challenge is “an obvious political gimmick from someone who is at 1 percent in the latest poll. It’s not even worthy of a response.”

Mack married Bono, widow of the late U.S. Rep. Sonny Bono, in 2007. The two often head home to their separate districts on weekends after spending the week together in Washington, associates have said.