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In a press conference concluded just moments ago, Charlie Crist, the Governor of Florida, announced he would end his campaign for US Senate as a Republican and run with no party affiliation. This sets up a likely three-way race for the Florida seat between Crist, Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek.
“My decision to run for the United States as a candidate without party affiliation in may way says more about our nation and our state than it does about me” Crist said to crowd at Straub Park, not far from his condominium, his mother, father, wife and sisters at his side.
Crist’s careful wording seemed to leave open that he would remain a Republican in party but run as an independent. “I know this is uncharted territory … and I am aware after this ends I don’t have either party helping me. … But I’m counting on you. I think we need a new tone in Washington. I know we’re doing the right thing.”
Best of luck to him. His challenges include the lack of any staff willing to join his campaign, a shaky fundraising future, and no party organization for GOTV. I hope those polls have him up really big in a three-way contest, because it’ll be the last time he grades that high.
Republicans who previously supported Crist have already responded with a letter saying they couldn’t support Crist any longer. Meanwhile, a host of Democratic leaders from the House of Representatives restated their support for Kendrick Meek.
UPDATE: I’m on a conference call with Rep. Kendrick Meek right now, and so far, he’s told the press, “Nothing has changed for our campaign, we’re going to continue to work hard and gain momentum… I will be running against two Republicans in the general election. I feel that we will win because of the work we have done.”
Abe Dyk, Meek’s campaign manager, thinks this decision “puts Kendrick Meek in a commanding position to win this race.” He cites that both are registered Republicans caught up in the current corruption scandal with the Republican Party of Florida.”
…Meek thinks he’ll attract independent and Republican votes, and cites the 750,000-vote advantage in registration for Democrats in the state as factors in his campaign.
…Here’s a sample statement from Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown about the announcement:
“Kendrick Meek has focused his time and campaign resources here in northeast Florida and that effort will be critical to winning in November. Kendrick is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the infighting between Governor Crist, Speaker Rubio and the Republican Party and focus on what he does best – fighting for people and being a hands-on leader working hard to improve Florida’s economy,” said U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown.
Meek responded to a question about the endorsement of the teacher’s union by saying “I recognize the fact there are Republican and independent teachers in the state. I spearheaded a number of pro-teacher/student initiatives in the state legislature and in Congress.” Crist clearly hopes to grab the endorsement of the teacher’s union, having vetoed the right-wing bill out of the state legislature which would have increased class size. “I believe a supermajority of public educators will be voting for me,” Meek said.
33 Comments
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As a FL teacher, I promised Crist I’d vote for him if he vetoed SB 6, and I will. Sorry, Kendrick. Promises to keep.
Glad he vetoed that execrable bill but also glad I didn’t make a promise like that.
Now, where’s the popcorn?
quickly turning into a very interesting race. Leave it to Florida again to teach us why we need instant run off voting.
Was going to the event but on the way home from lunch with brother lost my brakes. Got a nice puddle of brake fluid around the left front. Shit. There goes my tax refund.
Gonna hafta do some research on Meek but anybody would be better than Rubio.
i’m glad it was just the brake fluid and that you’re ok even if disgruntled about the expense.
I think Charlie has a pretty decent shot…about half, maybe a little less, of Republicans, but a significant cut, maybe 30%, of Democrats, according to my totally unscientific, wild-ass guess.
A sad commentary on the effectiveness of the Meek campaign. He’s counting on people to vote for him because there’s a (D) next to his name, and I don’t think he has a chance, frankly.
Me too. Can’t stand the sight of my own blood. Heard it go and was glad the wheel didn’t come off. Thanks to manual transmission and hand brake.
Dude hasn’t shown me shit and I ain’t votin’ for him just cuz he’s a Dem. If I can’t find a valid reason to vote for him I’ll go with Crist. Wouldn’t surprise me if he won and caucused with the Dems.
sounds like you did all the right things given what happened. the southern dragon blood avoidance technique.
Buy a new brake hose, a quart of brake fluid and have your brother fix it.
$20 max.
Brother was on his way back to Ft Myers. There’s some broken stuff in the drum cuz I heard that metallic crunch when I hit the brakes. My mechanic is only a couple blocks away. I’ll nurse it there in the next couple days. Sure am glad I just did my bike tires.
How long before the GOP outs him as Gay not that that should hurt Crist his support should be more liberal but it might drive Tea Bagger etc hard to vote for someone else.
Guess if Crist wins, he’ll join Joe Lieberman in the Senate as the other Independent. Lieberman. Christ, you guys can’t stand Lieberman, can you.
Nah. The Teabaggers are all voting for Rubio anyway. Out him? I don’t think that would be news to anybody here. Those rumors have been around for so long that people either don’t care, or are over it, or would vote for Rubio anyway.
Charlie has his flaws, but he’s no Joe Lieberman.
My contempt for Joe Lieberman knows no bounds.
(thanks, Punaise)
Blue-ish doggie that he is, though, Meek will certainly see this hopeful two-GOP signal as an indicator to be safer and quieter, aiming for the registration advantage and not anything that might, um, offend independents.
It’s a needle he can thread, but if he wants the Democratic base to turn out, he’d best find a fire inside I’ve yet to see.
I hope you’ll remember your promise should the unlikely happen. If Charlie wins and votes with the majority to make Mitch McConnell leader, any Obama judges (and Justices) are most likely toast.
too bad a real liberal won’t run against the 3 republicans
I know.
Promise in haste (and desperation), repent at leisure.
How is Rubio doing with Cubans?
Meek will certainly benefit from Crist-Rubio splitting the Republican vote, although, like SD above, he hasn’t shown me shit. I think he’s spending most of his time in Miami-Dade, but could be wrong.
Better with the Cubans than some others, just because the Miami Cuban demographic has always trended very Republican.
AZ might change that:)
The voting demographic has already been changing, as the traditional, anti-Castro, anti-Communist, pro-Republican, Miami Cuban vote ages and has kids and grandkids who have no memory of Cuba, or communism. They speak perfect English, go to public schools, date, marry non-Cubans-and as this happens, they become more and more Democratic, although that can expect to stabilize at some point.
Isn’t this when everyone screams “Crist is an idiot – third party runs never work!”
I guess it’s okay if you were once a neo-Lieberman or a Republican.
Well, it’ll be interesting. Pass the popcorn.
Just take your Toyota to the nearest dealership…
I once had a Triumph. Brake reservoir leaked. Fixed it. Clutch reservoir leaked. Fixed it. Then it was the brake reservoir’s turn again…
And, instead of a puddle under (and on the back of) the wheel, it drained onto my shoes while I drove. Surprise!
Here you go. Time to get back to watching C-Span.
Hopefully, they’ll cancel each other out.
Third party runs can work, but you need a VERY charismatic candidate, I’d venture, along with a salient plan for attracting media coverage (’cause you sure can’t outspend the corporations you’ll be opposing).
Which is why it might work for a candidate with heavy corporate backing, but be difficult for one relying on donations, or his/her own wallet. Thus, a Republican might be more successful (running as an independent) than a Democrat. See: Joe Lieberman.
P.S. After reading my post, the last comment may be confusing to some. To clarify, Lieberman pretended to be a Democrat. He is a corporatist, like Obama, Palin, McCain, etc., etc. That’s the point. There are deep pockets ready to help a right-of-center campaign that just aren’t there for the rest of us. We have to be VERY creative about how we’d campaign independent of the two major parties. They don’t, necessarily.
Crist with a decent shot now that he has fallen to such deperateness as running as an indi? Ok I will go with that …………………..FOr Now!, But Not so sure this will work out for him in the long run at all. Get this he runs as an independent just because his chances sucks running as a republican does not make him an independent by any shape or form………. what we need to worry about is why our democrat is doing so f>>>ing bad! (HOPE AND CHANGE)……….(CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN)……I think we all know the answer here.
First time post, long time reader…
Wouldn’t that say plenty if those who treasure an active and agreeable body were to support Crist? That would show an open party when it’s most needed.
I have to admit, I like Charlie Crist. Its crazy that an incumbent governor with a 56% approval rating doesn’t have a prayer in his own party’s primary, good for him walking before they made him run. It’d be a better country if we all had Washington State’s open primary system (there’s a California proposition up in June to enact it there as well).
Proposition 14 would eliminate the party-based primary election system for statewide, legislative, Board of Equalization and congressional candidates. It is modeled after the only other state with an open primary, Washington, where a similar voting plan survived a 2007 Supreme Court challenge.
Voters could choose among all the candidates regardless of party registration and the top two vote-getters would advance to the general election, also without regard to party affiliation.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/politics-government/ci_14986304