Connie Mack IV, Bill Nelson in race for U.S. Senate

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - After a contested, sometimes contentious race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV defeated former U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon and retired United States Army Col. Mike McCalister on Tuesday.

Mack, a four-term Congressman, will face U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, the incumbent Democrat, in the November 6th general election.

“A year ago I said the most important thing Florida could do this year is to defeat Bill Nelson. I was wrong," Mack told supporters in Coral Gables. "The most important thing Florida can do this year is elect Mitt Romney president and elect a Republican Senator who will work with a new president to finally pass a budget, reduce spending, undo needless and burdensome regulations and repeal ObamaCare."

Nelson, a fifth-generation Floridian and former NASA astronaut, told supporters in Orlando that voters had a clear choice this fall.

"My opponent wants to change Medicare as we know it and turn it over to insurance companies," Nelson said. "He also wants to change Social Security by privatizing it which would risk seniors’ retirement in the volatile stock market. So, there’s a pretty clear choice in this election."

Mack was a heavy favorite among Republicans.

His father, Connie Mack III, is a former Senator and his great grandfather was a Hall of Fame baseball manager.

Nelson is seeking a third term in the U.S. Senate.

Nelson holds the seat that Mack's father had for two terms before retiring.