Senate candidate McCalister seeks release of his military records

Mike McCalister, one of four Republican candidates actively campaigning for U.S. Senate to oppose Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, said Friday he'd take responsibility for any misunderstandings regarding his military service record.

McCalister said in an interview he was seeking release of his personnel records from the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base to clarify his experience.

That became an issue after recent news reports cited individuals who challenged his roles in the military.

McCalister's campaign web page says he's a retired colonel who served in the U.S. Army and the Army Reserves for 33 years, including a tour with the U.S. Special Operations Command from September 1998 to September 2005.

"I never served in combat," McCalister said after speaking to the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club. "I accept responsibility if anything I have said has been misunderstood."

McCalister did not mention nor was he asked about his military record during the luncheon.

Instead, he discussed his platform in rapid-fire fashion, covering what one audience member said jokingly was more than 100 positions on issues ranging from immigration to the economy, before responding to questions from the group of about 35 Tiger Bay Club members and guests at the Feather Sound Country Club.

Most of his points followed conventional conservative talking points, jabbing President Obama for "bowing to Muslim kings," calling for reduced federal spending and maintaining U.S. military supremacy.

McCalister said in response to a question about whether it would be possible to fix the deficit with lower taxes that raising taxes would kill the goose that lays the golden eggs for business.

"If you want a seasoned politician…or a legal guy…, I am not who you want to vote for," McCalister said, adding that he's a regular person who is running for office.

McCalister in a Quinnipiac University poll of GOP voters released in early August led the two most prominent candidates, George LeMieux and Adam Hasner, and businessman Craig Miller, but political observers said the poll, with 60 percent undecided, was too early to have validity.

A late August Sachs/Mason-Dixon Florida Poll showed McCalister near the bottom of potential candidates, favored by 2 percent of registered voters.

McCalister's campaign financing report filed July 15 shows him with $12,170.75 in contributions and $1,500 that he has loaned his campaign.