Term limits emerge as issue in Florida U.S. Senate race

As noted below, polls show Floridians love term limits. And why not? We have term limits on our governor, state legislators, county commissioners in nine counties and countless mayors and city councils. Term limits work and Floridians know it.

Adam Hasner, as a term limited former House majority leader, knows it too. Hasner has signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge that, if elected, he -- like Sen. Marco Rubio -- will cosponsor and support Sen. Jim DeMint's term limits amendment bill to limit terms to three in the U.S. House and two in the U.S. Senate. He reiterated his pledge in his new campaign brochure, at left, going further to say that he would only serve two terms in the Senate. The U.S. Term Limits pledge is not a self limit, but only a pledge to support 3/2 term limits legislation.

While all the Senate candidates have made pleasant noises about term limits when asked, only Hasner has signed his name so far.

But rival George LeMieux is challenging Hasner's ownership of the issue. In his attack site, PhonyConservative.com, LeMieux points out that as a Florida House member Hasner voted for an amendment to weaken Florida's voter-approved term limits on the state legislature from eight to 12 years. (Hasner also voted to remove the amendment from the ballot following a public outcry in support of the 8-year term limit law.)

Brian Seitchik, campaign manager for LeMieux, puts it this way: "The fact is, Adam Hasner voted to severely weaken Florida’s voter approved term limits law in order to give career legislators like himself more time in Tallahassee. He even defended that position, saying longer terms would bring better government. Now he wants voters to believe he’s a term limits champion?"

Ouch.

I'm looking forward to the next round. May the best man win. But dare I suggest that other candidates sign the pledge to support the term limits amendment as Hasner did before they attack him for being weak on term limits.