Campaign:Crist Not Running as Independent

MIAMI-   As the April 30th  Florida deadline to switch parties approaches, and amid the continued media chatter over a Crist 3rd party run, the head of the Charlie Crist campaign firmly denies that the Republican Senate candidate will run as an independent.

“To put these rumors to rest once and for all, as we have said countless times before, Governor Crist is running for the United States Senate as a Republican. He will not run as an Independent or as a No Party Affiliation,” Campaign manager Erik Eikenberg said in a press release today “The Governor is proud of his conservative credentials and stands firmly behind the principles of limited government and more personal freedom, the bedrock values of the Republican Party. He is proud to be a member of the Party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan.”

Eikenberg blames the Rubio campaign for helping to spread “baseless rumors” of a possible Crist independent run to “distract voters” from, his primary opponent, Marco Rubio’s record.

“The fact of the matter is, Speaker Rubio double billed taxpayers for flights, charged everything from his family reunion to car repairs to the Republican Party, and used political committees as his personal slush fund – so it should come as no surprise that he and his campaign will try whatever methods possible to change the subject as voters begin scrutinizing his record,” Eikenberg writes. “This should completely and utterly put to rest any of the unfounded rumors coming from the Rubio campaign that Governor Crist would run as anything other than the Republican that he is.” 

FULL CRIST CAMPAIGN STATEMENT:

TALLAHASSEE – The Charlie Crist for U.S. Senate campaign released the below statement from Campaign Manager Eric Eikenberg in response to the Rubio campaign’s continual attempts to distract voters from the Speaker’s lengthy legislative record:

“Speaker Rubio and his campaign have spent this entire race trying to distract voters from learning about his actual record, whether it be his votes for tax increases, support for cap and trade and a carbon tax, his flip flop on immigration reform, or his questionable financial dealings. 

“The fact of the matter is, Speaker Rubio double billed taxpayers for flights, charged everything from his family reunion to car repairs to the Republican Party, and used political committees as his personal slush fund – so it should come as no surprise that he and his campaign will try whatever methods possible to change the subject as voters begin scrutinizing his record. 

“Instead of being open and honest with voters and owning up to the thousands of dollars that remain unaccounted for from his political committees and releasing his tax returns, the Rubio campaign would prefer to spread baseless rumors.

“To put these rumors to rest once and for all, as we have said countless times before, Governor Crist is running for the United States Senate as a Republican. He will not run as an Independent or as a No Party Affiliation.

“The Governor is proud of his conservative credentials and stands firmly behind the principles of limited government and more personal freedom, the bedrock values of the Republican Party. He is proud to be a member of the Party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan.

“This should completely and utterly put to rest any of the unfounded rumors coming from the Rubio campaign that Governor Crist would run as anything other than the Republican that he is.” 

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