Nelson visits new Pulse memorial
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson visited Pulse nightclub Saturday afternoon, touring the recently unveiled memorial after canvassing in Lake Mary earlier in the day.
Carrying a bouquet of flowers, he was joined by state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, and Christine Leinonen, whose son Drew was among the 49 killed in the 2016 mass shooting at Pulse.
Nelson praised the memorial’s interim design, which opened to the public Tuesday, as “very meaningful.” The nightclub is now surrounded by landscaping and a wall of colorful photos, with a clear panel revealing the names of the victims displayed on the club’s exterior wall.
“That is very emotional when you come up and see it,” the senator said, adding that it reminded him of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., where the names of the dead are engraved in marble.
“Really, it overwhelms you,” he said.
The Orlando visit marked one of only a handful of official campaign events for Nelson so far in his reelection bid, but he declined to discuss the race when speaking to reporters across the street from Pulse.
However, he said “yes” when asked whether seeing the memorial site strengthened his resolve to fight for stricter gun laws. “This is an emotional moment, a solemn moment, so I don’t want to get into the politics of it, but you know my stance on the issue,” he added.
Along with Smith, Leinonen and other visitors, Nelson inserted the flowers he brought into a perforated wall on the Pulse property where visitors can leave mementos, arranging the flowers in the shape of a heart.
While Nelson mostly steered clear of politics, Leinonen, who has been an active and vocal advocate for gay rights and gun safety legislation since her son’s death, touted the senator’s stances on both issues.
“We know he’s the biggest advocate for not just the LGBTQ community, but also an advocate for common sense gun laws, especially the assault weapon ban, which is the main reason that all these kids died that night,” she said.
Pulse gunman Omar Mateen used a Sig Sauer MCX rifle, similar to an AR-15, during his rampage at the gay nightclub June 12, 2016.
“Even though [Nelson] doesn’t want to be political, it is a political issue in addition to being one of obvious sadness,” Leinonen added. “We can’t deny that this was a madman with easy access to high-powered weapons.”
The race between Nelson, a Democrat seeking his fourth term, and Republican Gov. Rick Scott is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely-watched Senate elections in the nation in 2018.
Polls show the race is close. Central Florida will likely be a key battleground. Nelson and Scott held dueling town halls in Kissimmee on April 20, courting the Puerto Rican community, and Scott was slated to speak later Saturday at a Lincoln Day dinner in Seminole County.
Democrats have reportedly called on Nelson to ramp up his campaign, as he faces a wellfunded foe in Scott, who has gotten off to a fast start in campaign spending.