SPR exclusive bulletin: Crist to run for Florida Senate as an independent

It may be the worst-kept secret in American politics today, and it’s apparently about to become a reality. Reliable sources informed me today that embattled Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, whose early lead in his US Senate Republican primary race against former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio has essentially reversed itself in the polls, is preparing to announce sooner rather than later that he will leave the GOP and continue his run for Senate as an independent. Sources add that the speech Crist will use in his announcement is now being drafted.

Of course Crist is known from time to time for running political misdirections that surprise even political experts at the last minute. But the tea leaves Crist has left trailing behind him in recent weeks – particularly his about-face in vetoing an education reform bill dear to Florida Republicans – certainly seem to portend an abandonment of the party. Throw in, too, that he has recently been losing support from national and Florida GOP honchos – such as Mitt Romney and Crist’s now ex-campaign chair, former US Sen. Connie Mack, among other various Florida Republican luminaries.

The only thing that likely would stop a Crist independent run now is for the pressure from disillusioned Republicans and longtime Crist supporters to put so much pressure on him not to run at all that he relents. That pressure is mounting almost by the hour. Or that pressure could only speed up his party switch.

Plus, Crist has mostly positioned himself as a moderate, and is largely perceived that way by Florida voters. Thus he likely sees an independent candidacy as his best and only hope of winning the Senate race. The most recent polls of a three-way general election race among Crist, Republican Rubio and presumed Democratic nominee Kendrick Meek show that Crist is at least even with Rubio, and ahead of Meeks.

http://www.southernpoliticalreport.com/storylink_420_1370.aspx

and potentially for Kendrick Meek who had little chance of winning with out Crist pulling votes away from Rubio in the General. It is terrible news for the GOP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x110509#110620

Bundlersknow where modertates hang out. If Crist positions tis as the Florida GOP has gone around the bend ad the loonies are trying to take ove. He will get lots of new donors across central Florida.

Crist is more popular with Dems than he is with Republicans. Right now Crist also wins in a three way race.

those votes go to Crist out of default. Crist has about 30% of GOPers who will vote for him if he runs as an "I" (a majority of those racist voters are in that group), and Crist would probably draw about 35-50 of Dems, depending on how much to the left he goes.

Crist would be better than Mel Martinez, but just a touch more conservative than Billy Nelson. My hope is that Meeks is a better candidate than he appears, I do know that he's been raising decent money, so let's hope Rubio and Crist tear each other apart, and Meeks pulls this out, but at the minimum - Rubio is stopped from getting that seat, he's as bad or worse than Martinez!