Reply #5: The NY Times wondered about it last week, interestingly.

[seafan]

Race for Fla. Governor Showing Signs of Tightening

October 27, 2006

And the contest has gained a shadow of controversy, in part because of widespread public discussion about Crist’s personal life stemming from news reports speculating about his sexual orientation.

This matter did not gain prominence in the GOP primary, but has drawn public attention in the wake of the sensational scandal involving former Republican Rep. Mark Foley, who quit Congress and his bid for re-election Sept. 29 after revelations of inappropriate advances he had made to teenage male pages.

The unmarried Crist has for years deflected allusions about his personal life. The subject gained momentum when an alternative South Florida newspaper, the Broward-Palm Beach New Times, reported Thursday that a male GOP staffer claims to have been intimate with Crist and also named the attorney general’s longterm male partner. The paper interviewed Crist, who denied the claims made in the story.

Political scientist Lance deHaven-Smith at Florida State University told CQPolitics.com Thursday that the contest was bound to narrow as Election Day approached. Florida, despite the Republican trend, still can produce highly competitive statewide races — with no better example than the forever-controversial 2000 presidential contest — and voters were likely to become more invested in the contest and take sides as the race comes to a close.

But deHaven-Smith added that the Crist rumors have certainly played a role in Davis’ catch-up. “I would think that the Foley scandal has had an effect,” said deHaven-Smith, who added that questions regarding Crist’s sexuality may have also shifted some “white born-again evangelicals” toward Davis, as defined in the Quinnipiac poll.

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