Will Charlie Crist run for the U.S. Senate as an Independent ?
Rumors to that effect have been swirling around the Florida governor for weeks and although his campaign aides deny the idea vehemently, as of late Crist himself hasn’t been saying, or doing anything to kill the story. In fact he’s been doing quite the opposite.
The incessant speculation over Crist dumping the Republican party and making a run as an Independent is a direct consequence of Marco Rubio’s recent strong polling numbers in the Florida GOP Senatorial race.
Governor Crist repeatedly assured Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday on March 28th he was not considering a run as an Independent. “So you are ruling out that you will file as an independent by the April 30th deadline?” Wallace asked. Crist answered, “That’s right. I’m running as a Republican.”
But this morning when a Miami Television reporter asked Crist if he would run as an Independent, he replied “We’ll look at that later on. Not today.”
A recent decision Crist made in his capacity as Florida Governor have many Florida politicos saying he has already given up on the Republican nomination. Thursday Crist vetoed an education bill backed by Republicans which would have linked teacher compensation and tenure to student test scores. The bill also would have made it easier to fire teachers in Florida.
“That veto alienated a number of prominent Republicans throughout the state of Florida,” said Florida political strategist Justin Sayfie.
In fact, Crist’s own campaign chairman and political mentor, Connie Mack, left the campaign in protest. In his letter of resignation Mack called the Governor’s veto “unsupportable and wrong.”
In the end it may be the simple realities of the latest Florida polls that force Crist to take up the Independent mantle if he wants to be on the general election ballot.
The Real Clear Politics polling average shows Rubio leading Crist by more than 20%, while the latest poll, a Quinnipiac survey, shows Rubio leading by 23%. However, the same Quinnipiac poll shows if Crist ran as an Independent he’s find himself in a very competitive three way race when matched up with former speaker of the Florida House Marco Rubio and Democratic Representative Kendrick Meek.
The decision to run as an Independent could also have negative consequences for Crist . Officials at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which had previously endorsed Crist, tell Fox News if Crist bolts the party they will immediately back Rubio and “spend whatever is needed to help him win in November.”
Time is running out on this drama as Crist only has until April 30th to make his decision.