Adam Hasner may not be done with Florida politics yet as he contemplates another run for the U.S. Congress in 2014, writes Jeff Henderson of the Sunshine State News.
As a State House District 87 representative for Palm Beach and Broward Counties since 2002, Hasner moved up the ladder to Republican Majority Leader in 2007. Term-limits forced him to give up the seat in 2010.
The conservative activist then ran for the GOP nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, but ended his bid in Feb. 2012 to turn his sights on Florida’s 22nd Congressional District. Hasner lost that election to former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel.
At only the age of 43, Hasner has more than 10 years of politics under his belt. That is fueling speculation of another campaign, this time a little to the south, against Democratic freshman Rep. Patrick Murphy in the 18th Congressional District.
Hasner may have an opportunity here, says Henderson. Murphy won a narrow, contentious victory against Rep. Allen West in a fight for one of the true swing districts in the state. Where Frankel represents an area that leans Democrat in voter registration, Murphy’s district has a slight Republican advantage.
The Tea Party-influenced West eventually polarized the electorate, and Murphy’s GOP support was more votes against West, rather than for Murphy.
A more moderate conservative could do better than West in 2014 — someone like Hasner.
