It coccured to me while listening to the news this AM that Charlie Crist is doing the same thing

[BrklynLiberal]

that LIEberman did in Connecticut. Is this right or am I not seeing the full picture? How is it different?

Crist may leave GOP for his Senate run

Ignoring pressure from Washington, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) says he's considering running for the Senate as an independent.

Crist said he wants to be "very, very thoughtful and deliberate" about the decision, speaking in an interview on the same day that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney challenged him to either stay in the race as a Republican or step aside and support his opponent, Marco Rubio. Romney's comments came at a Tampa rally where he officially endorsed Rubio, a favorite of conservatives.

In Washington, Rob Jesmer of the National Republican Senatorial Committee wrote in an e-mail Monday that he believes there is "zero chance" Crist will run as a Republican. He says Crist should drop out of the race if he believes he can't win the primary.
<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/19/AR2010041904719.html

[dmallind]

1. It isn't....and Lieberman hurt the Dems

So why not applaud the same thing happening to Reps? Nobody I remember said Lieberman should be prevented from running as an Ind, only that he was a whiny spoiled turncoat to do so. Who acres if the GOP has whiny spoiled turncoats? Should we not encourage them?

[NNN0LHI]

2. Has he announced who he is going to caucus with yet if he runs as an independent?

Dems or GOP?

Got to know that before I can answer your question.

Don

[villager]

3. One big difference -- DC Dems, including Obama, *supported* Lieberman

...even during his indie run.

In other words, for them, the "old boys network" was more important than the voice of the primary voters.

The DC Repubes, however, are lining up to oppose Crist. Which would actually seem to add to his credibility...

[Dappleganger]

10. It does, and a lot of people here don't get that.

He's not the same animal as Lieberman.

[Kahuna]

4. It is different. Crist isn't going to wait until he actually loses the primary

to switch to an I.

[Lochloosa]

7. He has no choice. He has to file as an Independent by the 30th.

[Kahuna]

11. So what. It's still different. nt

[Fla_Democrat]

13. trust me

he's already lost the primary. :evilgrin:

[Hekate]

5. A Florida DUer has a much different take on the situation. Link...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8183175

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Thanks for that link. I had missed tha post.

:thumbsup: :hi:

[kentuck]

6. Also, there is no proof "Independents" would vote for Crist...

...in the general. They can vote for whomever they want.

Many "independents" may go the Tea Party route? And vote for Rubio or some fringe candidate? Crist would be left with the elderly moderates and a few Democrats. He may take away enough votes from Rubio to swing it to the Democrat, Kendrick Meek? It's an interesting race. How many more Republicans might follow Crist's route and drop out of the Party? Few, I would suppose. It will be like Lieberman in that instance. Lieberman lost. His Party had forsaken him, he said. (In fact, it was the other way around) But Crist has a similar row to hoe.

[Dappleganger]

9. No, not the same at all.

But nice pigeonhole, btw.

[BrklynLiberal]

12. Thanks to those of you who answered my question with information and facts.

Those of you who chose snark and rudeness as a response to a quest for information..