PACs Pound Nelson

[Geee]

American Spectator:

TAMPA -- A possible explanation for Democratic Florida Senator Bill Nelson's recent dramatic downward slide in polls is a series of PACs that are spending freely on negative ads against him.

In the space of two months, Nelson, seeking a third Senate term, has gone from 10 points ahead of conservative Republican challenger Connie Mack IV to 10 points behind, at least as measured by Rasmussen. During this time Congressman Mack, son of former Florida U.S. Senator Connie Mack III, has done little or nothing to account for the movement. (Mack faces two opponents in the Aug. 14 primary, but is prohibitively ahead of both in the polls.)

On the basis of the new numbers, the Rasmussen poll has shifted the Florida Senate race from leans Democrat to leans Republican. From April well into June, Rasmussen, as well as Quinnipiac, Pubic Policy and other national polls, consistently showed Nelson ahead of Mack, sometimes by double digits.

Probably the biggest PAC player targeting Nelson is American Crossroads, headed by Karl Rove. The Miami Herald reports this group has reserved $6.2 million of airtime before Election Day to tie Nelson to president Obama and his unpopular policies, particularly Obamacare, in the minds of Florida voters. The Nelson buys are part of $70 million the organization, and its sister group, Crossroads GPS, plans to spend on Senate races to support conservative candidates.

Nelson is already tied to Obama politically. He has voted with the administration more than 95 percent of the time in the Senate. Though doubtless feeling the anti-Obama policy heat in Florida, Nelson has attempted to put some space between himself and his president. Nelson says he would like to see the Bush tax cuts extended for everyone making less than $1 million, rather than the comparatively scrooge-like $250,000 the president is boosting. But there is nothing Nelson can do about his vote for Obamacare, which is very unpopular in Florida, particularly with seniors, most of whom vote.