Should Charlie Crist run as an independent in Florida's Senate race?

[ensho]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/should-charlie-crist-run-as-an.html


A new poll conducted in Florida's Senate race suggests that Gov. Charlie Crist's (R) best path to victory would be to run as an independent for office this fall.

The survey, which was conducted by Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio for a group not involved in the Senate contest, showed former state House Speaker Marco Rubio leading Crist 44 percent to 30 percent in the primary race.

-snip-

(Crist allies note that while Fabrizio isn't working for either side in the race, he did describe Crist as "Barack Obama's favorite Republican" during the 2009 CPAC convention.)

Given Crist's standing in the primary, Fabrizio also tested him running as an independent, which he is still legally able to do, in the fall.

-snip-

Crist's camp insisted that the idea of an independent bid is not something they are even considering. Crist communications director Andrea Saul said of the poll: "This campaign
will go through a lot of different stages, and we are at a stage now where it's very important for voters to learn more about Speaker Rubio's record."

-snip-

The Fabrizio numbers suggest that Crist's road to the Republican nomination is slim. Given that -- and Crist's demonstrated desire to move up the political chain -- it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that if nothing changes in the near future that he might entertain an independent bid.

Running counter to that, however, is Crist's interest in national office -- an interest that would almost certainly be foreclosed if he ran (win or lose) a third party bid for office in the fall.

Ah the intrigue!
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does Crist have a Bush handler?

[LeftishBrit]

1. Might that split the vote and lead to a Dem getting in?

Or would Crist get in, and then be to the Republicans what Lieberman is to the Democrats?

[FBaggins]

3. Right now it's a Dem's best chance.

But I wouldn't consider it likely.

More likely that if Crist is unable to stem the bleeding in the next couple/few weeks, he'll drop out of the race entirely.

[iceman66]

4. It could just as easily split the non-teabagger vote

between Crist and the Democrat (Meek?) allowing Rubio to win.

[joeybee12]

2. He should turn Dem, it'll allow him to come out of the closet, also...n/t

[ensho]

5. lol - you have a point

nt

[Dappleganger]

6. Great, then we'll have another Arlen Spector

or Joe Lieberman.

I'm not a fan of Crist although he's come down on the left side quite often which is good for Florida.

[daa]

10. Don't put Spector or Crist in with lieberman

I'll take a hundred of them before one lieberman.

[Dappleganger]

11. Spector says and does whatever suits him politically.

If Crist jumped the line over to the dems, he'd be pretty much doing the same w/out changing his ideals and practices. How is that helpful to progressive pursuits??

[FLyellowdog]

9. Agree with Joeybee. nt

[JI7]

13. but he will not be able to get conservative votes in Florida

he might be able to make it up with a larger turnout of liberal voters and gay voters like Obama did with minority voters in conservative states.

[lpbk2713]

7. That could be a good move for him.

The rethuglicans are so fragmented right now that an alternative might seem like a good choice for them.

And Rubio seems to have a good lock on the GOP nomination for Governor.

[tallahasseedem]

8. I think he should come over...

to our side. After all, we have the good snacks. That being said, the Dems would have a better chance if he did. Meeks cannot win this race.

[Dappleganger]

12. Meeks is a disaster. eom