The DCCC is running some paid media against Bill Young on the Republican plan to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits (apparently a combination of live calls, robo calls, and newspaper ads; they are running this in ten different districts and it’s not clear whether Young is being targeted with all three kinds of media, or just the robo calls). This is a recurring theme. There is no doubt that the Florida 10th Congressional District is winnable seat, and that’s why the DCCC consistently runs it up the flagpole. But the problem is, we haven’t seen a candidate yet with the kind of national fundraising contacts to quickly raise $100k and appear able to raise $500,000 without outside help (like the DCCC stepping in and helping set up some fundraisers with some big hitters).

On another note, it has come out that Rick Scott yelled at Haley Barbour over Barbour criticizing his ad that (unfairly in many people’s eyes) tied Bill McCollum to the indicted former chair of the Florida Republican Party, Jim Greer. So, despite picking up a prominent Florida operative, it doesn’t look like Haley will be getting Scott’s endorsement. On the other hand, that might be a good thing for Haley’s prospects, seeing as how Rick Scott is about as popular as the plague right now.

Former State House Majority Adam Hasner is really running for Senate. He kicked off his exploratory committee (despite the name, no one actually starts an one of these and then doesn’t run) and even said that he planned on following the “Rubio path to victory”™ (patent pending).

This is a cunning plan wherein some one deeply ingrained in the corrupting and corrosive, special interest dominated culture of Tallahassee runs as an outsider. They do this on the basis on not being in Tallahassee at this exact instant, as opposed to their primary opponent, who is currently serving in office in Tallahassee (for Rubio, this was Crist; for Hasner, it’s current Senate President Mike “the Appeaser” Haridopolos).

This will probably work (unless former Hooters employee, Connie Mack IV runs). Haridopolos’ career as a U.S. Senate candidates has opened up with controversy about the time he wrote a children’s book, when he was actually paid (using taxpayer dollars) to write a college textbook on the history of the Florida legislature. And then there was that time last week when Gary Fineout pointed out that Haridopolos’ fundraising during the legislative session may violate the Rules of the Florida Senate.

Hasner is laughing to himself and thinking that Haridopolos has set the bar, as regards ethics and basic competency, so low that the entire Miami Heat basketball team, standing on each others’ shoulders, could limbo underneath it.

Of course, what most people think when they look at these options is, “Congratulations on your re-election, Senator Bill Nelson.”

Haley Barbour, the soon to be term-limited governor of Mississippi, is still putting together infrastructure for a presidential campaign. Most recently, he picked Jeb Bush’s long time political adviser and former Mitt Romney operative, Sally Bradshaw.

This is evidence of both  Barbour’s growing ambitions of poor Mitt Romney’s “rats leaving a sinking ship” effect (Mitt is still the favorite to win the nomination, on the basis of sheer inertia, as much as anything else, and he is still favored over Barbour right now).

Barbour’s path to the nomination runs straight through the South, and adding Bradshaw to his team is another sign that his plan is to try and sweep the South (a plan which would be complicated by a Mike Huckabee campaign) and leverage that into frontrunner status.

Caveat lector: I lost an election to Haley Barbour in 2003, when I was working on the Musgrove for Governor campaign and am frankly a little bitter.

A guy who is currently out of office (former Florida House Majority Leader, Adam Hasner) has looked at Mike Haridopolos youthful campaign for the U.S. Senate and said to himself: “I will beat this guy like a drum.” Yep. Hasner is officially “testing the waters” (which is actually a technical term and lets him start raising some money and traveling).

Yes, Haridopolos’ campaign is inspiring tons of confidence, but in his opponents, not his supporters.

Texas Senator John Cornyn, who is also the chair of National Republican Senatorial Committee (the GOP equivalent to the DSCC), seems to be in agreement with Floridians – Mike “the Appeaser” Haridopolos, Adam Hasnet, and George LeMieux are a trio of hackneyed combinations of has been and never was.

What could inspire me to claim that I can read of Cornyn? Easy. The fact that, despite Haridopolos being in, LeMieux openly planning his announcement, and Hasner making no secret of his plans, Cornyn felt sufficiently underwhelmed by this posse of Tallahassee lifers to make multiple recruitment calls to Florida’s very own Joe Scarborough.

The other day, I issued by deeply felt apologies to Haridopolos. Apparently, I must extend my condolences to LeMieux and Hasner, as well.

So, Messrs. Haridopolos, Hasner, and LeMieux, I’m really sorry that every one agrees that it’s never going to happen for any of you.

Former interim U.S. Senator George Lemieux wants to become a Senator, but for real this time. He basically told a reporter that he would be making his announcement within the next few weeks.

LeMieux made it clear while he was interim Senator that he’d caught the bug. He sent out more press releases and did more media events than any two normal Senators combined (who actually have important jobs to do besides get the press to listen to them).

But, the thing is George. It’s never going to happen.

First of all, you were Charlie Crist’s best friend. And now that Charlie is considered an apostate of the worst stripe, none of the hard right GOP’ers (who make the majority of the primary electorate) will ever trust you.

Those that remain, the moderates and the folks who still like Charlie… well they look at you and see the guy who stabbed Charlie in the back after he made your career.

What I’m trying to say is that no one who votes in the Republican primary will ever really trust you.

Now, I know you’re looking at Mike “the Appeaser” Haridpolos and his disastrous start and thinking, “I can totally defeat this ridiculous excuse for a human being.” And maybe you could. If you were anyone but, you know, you.

Let’s be honest. Connie Mack is going to clean both your clocks. And he doesn’t jump in the race… well, y’all are such painfully damaged goods that I wouldn’t put it past even Adam Hasner to beat both of y’all like a drum.

So enjoy the campaign, but understand that, come November 2012, you’re going to be looking for some lobbying shop to take you in and pay for your sailboat and house on the beach.