Republican Rep. Connie Mack could upend the moderate-versus-conservative dynamic beginning to shape the 2012 GOP Senate primary that's almost under way in Florida if he launches a bid.

In an interview with RealClearPolitics on Wednesday afternoon, Mack made clear that he has Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson on his mind and is considering a challenge to the incumbent in the coming cycle.

"We're seeing a different Bill Nelson now than we've seen over the last 12 years," Mack said. He added that over the next two years he wants to hold Nelson accountable for what he believes has been a big-government agenda.

There's been some debate among Florida Republican strategists over whether Mack will run, but they concede that they've noticed he's begun an outreach effort and is laying groundwork for a statewide campaign.

Already, outgoing Republican Sen. George LeMieux and new state Senate President Mike Haridopolos are sounding like candidates. A handful of other Republican officials in the state are also considering the race. A crowded primary may complicate the dynamic that Republican Marco Rubio enjoyed in the early stages of his then-primary race in the past cycle against the more moderate Gov. Charlie Crist.

Haridopolos, who served with Mack in the state House, said quizzically in an interview on Monday, "I don't know if Connie's going to run or not." The state senator noted that he's not concerned about other potential candidacies and likely will enter the race early next year.

Mack responded to RealClearPolitics, "I've made no decisions about whether or not I'm going to run for the United States Senate."

He continued, "I don't have any timelines, or any of those types of preconceived notions."

Still, he said he knows there's a letter circulating through the state encouraging him to run and asking Florida Republicans to support him in the race.

"It's been a humbling experience so far," Mack said.

The congressman said repeatedly that he thinks the state needs something other than "a liberal Bill Nelson" or a candidate similar to Nelson should the two-term senator ultimately decide to retire.

Asked about the dynamic developing between Haridopolos, who is pushing his conservative bona fides, and LeMieux, who has suffered some criticism from Florida Republicans for his ties to the independent Crist, Mack replied, "This needs to be a campaign about freedom." He continued, "What you'll hear me talk a lot about is freedom." He founded a "Freedom Caucus" in the House.

Chief among his policy concerns over the next two years is the size of government, he said.

"I don't understand how liberal Democrats here in Washington could come to Washington and vote and speak on the floor about reducing individual rights for Americans and then go home and ask for their vote," he said.

In the interview he stood by his May Washington Post op-ed in which he denounced Arizona's new immigration law, which he said didn't exactly address immigration. Republicans balked at his approach.

Instead, he argued that it is consistent with his rhetoric on "freedom."

Asked whether he maintains his earlier view, he said, "Absolutely. If you believe in freedom, you believe in freedom for all Americans regardless of what they look like or the color of their skin." He continued, "In my opinion, the Arizona law had the potential to destroy the freedoms of some Americans based on the way they looked."

But he wouldn't draw out the discussion into what it might mean in a potential Senate race.

For the time being, he said, "We're just going to continue to hold Bill Nelson accountable and fight for freedom. We'll worry about that decision on a U.S. Senate race down the road."

--------------------------------------------
Follow the RCP Blog on Twitter.
Become a fan of RCP on Facebook.
--------------------------------------------