Charlie Crist Campaigns To Obscurity

Charlie Crist is officially an independent. There's only one thing left to say to him.

Cornyn's Baby Betrays Florida... with OUR money!

Charlie Crist, trailing Mark Rubio  in the Florida GOP polls, is expected to announce his decision to run as an independent for the US Senate... with the money provided for him by GOP donors through the RNC and NRSC.

Michael Steele and John Cornyn once again have chosen to continue their vendetta against their own party membership rather than the Democratic Party majority in DC.  Between them, these two idiots could not score a hooker in Tijuana or crack in a Compton City Council meeting, let alone hand pick GOP candidates for us.

Charlie Crist To Run As An Independent

Via Drudge.

John Cornyn wept.

Republican Florida Governor Charlie Crist has decided he will run as an independent in the race to fill the Florida U.S. Senate seat, Crist allies tell Fox News. The official announcement is scheduled for Thursday at 5pm ET in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Senate campaign has been rough and tumble for Crist, he was once the front-runner -- but in recent months began trailing his GOP opponent, Florida State Speaker Marco Rubio.

Crist has said that under no circumstance would he drop out of the race, saying he will do what is best for the voters of Florida. The governor says Republicans in Washington want him to stay in the Republican party but voters in Florida have told him they want him to run as an independent.

Not shocking at all to anyone who has been following the campaign.

Dump Reid

No, really...



Chad Christensen, a Republican candidate for senator who hopes to unseat Reid, came up with this simple, but brilliant, marketing campaign.

Can We Call Marco Rubio A Fundraising Star Now?

Chalk this up as one more reason for the NRSC to stay out of the primary. It seems like Marco Rubio is starting to self finance just fine all his own.

[VA]Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has now become a national leader for conservative causes--and you don't have to take just our word for it.

Cuccinelli is a "nationwide leader in fighting the unconstitutional excesses of the federal government." That's according to Marco Rubio, a candidate in the GOP primary for senator in Florida and himself a conservative favorite, in a statement accepting Cuccinelli's endorsement of his candidacy this weekend.

Cuccinelli has joined a variety of Republicans taking sides in the Florida primary battle between Rubio and Gov. Charlie Crist. Last week, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) also chose the more conservative Rubio over Crist.

If I recall, one of the big reasons why the NRSC asked Crist to run was because Crist could self-finance an election at the time. That will be an issue when he goes with an independent bid.

As of March 31, Crist was sitting on a healthy $7.6 million in his federal campaign account, but he’s going to need every penny — and more — in a race where a statewide media buy likely will cost well more than $1 million per week this fall.

Besides advertising, Crist will have to build a get-out-the-vote operation and gather voter information to microtarget his voters. One operative who has worked on multiple high-profile Independent campaigns said both of those important components — which make up a major part of what party organizations provide — can be bought on the open market, for a price.

But unlike New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I), who spent $102 million of his vast fortune to win re-election last fall, Crist can’t self-fund his bid.
[. . .]
Crist won’t be legally obligated to return the money that he’s raised and could try weathering the storm to preserve precious cash. But that would create its own issues with news stories about donors saying Crist took their money under false pretenses. If nothing else, it will be an awkward story for Crist to deal with as he tries to relaunch and rebrand himself.

Exit Question: What state should Crist retire quietly to?

Cross posted here At The Point Of A Gun.

Cheney endorses Rubio, invites Crist to go hunting

Hot Air's Ed Morrissey posts about the latest Conservative to support Rubio, I found Cheney's take on Charlie Crist especially interesting.

"We can trust Marco to stand up to the Obama agenda that threatens our freedom, and promote clear conservative alternatives," Cheney said in a statement released by the Rubio campaign.

Cheney also implied Crist is guided more by polls than principles.

"Charlie Crist has shown time and again that he cannot be trusted in Washington to take on the Obama agenda because on issue after issue he actually supports that agenda," Cheney said. "Lately it seems Charlie Crist cannot be trusted even to remain a Republican."

Well stated Mr. Vice-President. That is the straight forward no BS talk we need from Republican leaders. As for Crist, he once again proved he is a weasel.

"It's just another Washington politician telling Florida what to do. I don't think Floridians appreciate it. It doesn't matter," Crist said of Cheney's endorsement while speaking to reporters outside the Capitol.

Excuse me Mr. Crist, but where were you when the NRSC was trying to prevent Rubio from having a legitimate shot in this race? Where was your concern for the "people of Florida"? Face it Charlie, you are falling further behind every day because Floridians know what a weasel you are! It is politicians like you they are fed up with.

Now, go do the right thing, drop out of the race.

Cross Posted at The DaleyGator

Crist Campaign Cracks Up in Florida

What in the world is going on with Charlie Crist?  I've all but blown him off as irrelevant in the past few weeks as Rubio has surged past him in the polls, but now with Crist's "dithering" and odd behavior regarding his status in the race, one can't help but notice.  Maybe that's his intent.

Larry Thornberry at American Spectator has been keeping an eye on Crist while I've had my head turned and posts a great piece this morning:

Well, there are promises and there are Charlie Crist promises. After two years of most un-Republican-like behavior, Crist appears to be on a path to making the obvious official by leaving the Republican Party. Finding himself behind Rubio by between 11 and 32 points, depending on which recent poll he consulted, for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat Mel Martinez resigned from last summer, Crist is left with the options of admitting defeat and withdrawing from the race or running as an independent. He has until the April 30 filing deadline to decide.

That's the big question right now:  will Crist run as an independent, a Republican, or drop out altogether.  It's interesting that nobody seems to really trust what Crist says.  Even though he has said countless times that he'll run as a Republican, who really believes that?  

The Wall Street Journal reports that Crist is already laying the groundwork for an independent run:

Several advisers to Mr. Crist say the governor believes that an independent candidacy is his only chance to win the Senate seat. He is moving closer to deciding to take that course, they say, but still has qualms about leaving the GOP.

Crist's campaign against Rubio has been primarily one of character assassination because even Crist knows he can't beat Rubio on the issues.  Met with disdain from Republicans, Crist has now pulled his attack ads against Rubio in some Florida markets.

The entire boondoggle gets even more complicated today as we get word that the Feds are now investigating Rubio and two of Crist's advisers regarding the use of party credit cards.  


Ed Morrissey at Hot Air points out that Rubio has the most to lose in this investigation:

Obviously, Rubio has the most to lose. Not only is he the front runner in this race, but he’s the one candidate whose name has been attached to the scandal. Running on a Tea Party platform of government reform and accountability, Rubio also has the most to lose in terms of public perception.

I would contend that is stating the obvious.  Rubio has already addressed this issue publicly and paid back the funds in question.

And, really, what does Crist have to lose at this point?

Cross posted at And So it Goes in Shreveport

Jim DeMint trying to cure John Cornyn of Stupiditis!

In the ongoing struggle to ween the GOP establishment off of RINO milk, Jim DeMint is fighting for common sense, while Texas senator John Cornyn seems loathe to put down the RINO bottle. This story, in the Wall Street Journal gives us a glimpse into the struggle the GOP are in to embrace Conservative candidates, like Marco Rubio, and kick the Dead Skunk Republicans, to the curb.

Sen. John Cornyn, who is spearheading the Republicans’ campaign to take back the Senate, is on a roll. The GOP snatched a seat in Massachusetts and polls favor Republicans in many key states. But the genial Texas lawyer is facing an unusual challenge—from one of his own colleagues. Firebrand conservative Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, breaking with the Senate’s tradition of deference, is endorsing and funding conservative candidates to challenge the party establishment’s picks. Just last week, he backed a conservative insurgent in the Colorado Republican primary over a former lieutenant governor.

The Republican Party is in play, and the passage of President Barack Obama’s health plan has inflamed the intraparty wrangling.

On one side are pragmatists like Mr. Cornyn who insist that uncompromising conservatives aren’t good bets to win swing states. On the other are purists like Mr. DeMint who want to field as many conservatives as possible to recapture the public’s trust at a moment when faith in government is at low ebb.

History suggests Mr. Cornyn’s approach is a safer bet. But recent polls suggest that in a number of states this year, the purist conservative could defeat the Democrat in the general election.

Mr. DeMint is deploying his Senate Conservatives Fund as a counterweight to Mr. Cornyn’s National Republican Senatorial Committee, pushing antiestablishment GOP candidates in Florida, California and Colorado.

Look, I like John Cornyn, I have voted for him, and admire a lot about him. But, he is dead wrong in his approach to retaking the Senate. We all know how his support of Charlie Crist turned out in Florida. Cornyn, and the NRSC jumped on the “Crist is electable” bandwagon, and now, that Marco Rubio is far ahead of Crist in the polls, Mr. Electable RINO is looking at sticking a knife into Cornyn’s back by running as an independent. Try as he might, Cornyn seems addicted to diminished expectations for Republican candidates. His philosophy is to keep putting out the same old weak-spined, squishy Republicans in the hope of winning seats.

Come on Senator, why not run more Conservative candidates? Let voters decide in primaries, give those anti-establishment guys and gals a shot. If we are really going to retake Congress, why not do it with candidates who are fresh, and sincere to Conservative principles?

DeMint, unlike Cornyn, seems to grasp that we need not lower our expectations before we even try to support real Conservatives. DeMint, and most Republicans, I would guess, are in favor of at least trying, rather than giving up before we even begin to fight. Come on Senator Cornyn, get your expectations up. Conservatism beats Liberalism, get behind the candidates who actually espouse Conservatism.

Yes, we know, you have to win elections to get anywhere, but winning with “Republicans” who vote like Democrats is called losing Senator Cornyn. Or if you do not believe me, just check your back for that knife Crist has planted in it.

Cross Posted at The DaleyGatora>

It is Too Late for Charlie to Come Back Now

Compare this:

BACKGROUND: RUBIO’S STRAW POLL RECORD (23-0)

-Pasco County REC: 73-9 (June 2009)

-Lee County REC: 60-11 (July 2009)

-Highlands County REC: 75-1 (July 2009)

-Bay County REC: 23-2 (August 2009)

-Jefferson County REC: 87 Percent (August 2009)

-Florida Federation of College Republicans: 19-6 (August 2009)

-Republican Women’s Club of Duval Federated: 65-4 (September 2009)

-Gilchrist County REC: 11-1 (September 2009)

-Hernando County REC: 46-0 (September 2009)

-Northwest Orange Republican Women Federation: 49-3 (September 2009)

-Marion County REC: 40-8 (September 2009)

-Palm Beach County REC: 90-17 (October 2009)

-Okaloosa County REC: 86-4 (November 2009)

-Republican Club of South Sarasota County: 70-17 Percent (November 2009)

-Orange County Republican Party Hob Nob: 211-27 (November 2009)

-Pinellas County REC: 106-54 (January 2010)

-Okeechobee County REC: 10-0 (January 2010)

-Florida Federation of College Republicans: 71 percent (January 2010)

-Republican Business Council of North Central Florida: 141-12 (January 2010)

-Capital Conservatives: 40-0 (February 2010)

-Capital City Republican Club: 71-15 (February 2010)

-Brevard County GOP: 321-45 (February 2010)

-Orlando Tea Party: 277-17 (February 2010)

With this:

Charlie Crist gets to set the course for the GOP after all. (Whether it’s where Republicans want to be led -- that’s another question.)

Since we know that he’s listening and all -- what he’s hearing back is some mixed sounds, of varying volumes.

A party switch for Gov. Crist, R-Fla., may be his only remaining path to becoming a United States senator.

But it’s a path fraught with peril for the Republican Party -- and the possibility of Democrat Kendrick Meek winning in a three-way race would only be the GOP’s most immediate concern.

The storyline of Republican disarray was just about put to bed, or at least was on track to come to an end with this year’s primary season. Under the preferred (conservative) Republican scenario, Marcio Rubio defeats Charlie Crist, the Tea Party gets to drink deeply in victory, and there’s no Dede Scozzafava to worry about.

But if Crist runs as an independent, he writes a new chapter in a divisive story for the GOP, one that we’ll still be reading in November.

Looking at the results from the straw polls we see a Florida Republican Party that is united, statewide, behind Marco Rubio. In the excerpt above from Rick Klein’s article in The Note you would think that Rubio is the “Tea Party” candidate and that Crist is the “mainstream” guy. Not exactly the reality of the situation. And while it may be true that the national Republican Party has been in disarray, our state GOP is quite cohesive, particularly since we’ve been rid of Crist crony, former state chairman Jim Greer. Further, Klein’s article assumes two scenarios in the event of a three way race:

First, Rubio captures the far Right, Meek captures the far Left and Crist wins that wide swath in the middle.

OR

Second, Rubio captures the far Right and Meek and Crist split everything else with Crist taking just enough to become Florida's next senator.

More likely, if Crist launches an Independent bid, Crist and Meek will split the Left while Rubio will take the Center and Right and Rubio will be our Senator. As it stands now, Crist can't even take Pinellas County.

2008 not withstanding, Florida is a Center Right to Right state. Neither Meek nor Crist stand a chance of winning in November. Crist's best hope is 2012, but only if he uses the next two years to reinvent himself, ala John McCain, as a Conservative. If Crist really is a pragmatist, now would be a good time for him to show it.

Cross posted at Carol's Closet

Charlie Crist walks into a bar with a dead skunk..............

And the bartender yells, "Hey, you, get that damned stinky thing outta here". To which Crist replies, "OK, give me a second". Shaking his head, the bartender says, "I was talking to the skunk!"

OK, that is not the most original of jokes, and, really, is not even funny, for a joke. How fitting, because Charlie Crist is like that failed joke. He is not funny, or even relevant, as polls have been showing for a while.

Now, Charlie Crist is thinking seriously of running as an independent for the Florida Senate seat.

Top GOP officials in DC now believe it is a virtual certainty that FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will bolt the GOP and run instead as an independent, sources tell Hotline OnCall.

Over the weekend, Crist pulled TV advertisements that had been running in key markets, slamming ex-FL House Speaker Marco Rubio (R). Those ads, on which Crist spent close to $1.5M so far, were aimed at moving poll numbers that showed Crist losing badly.

In taking the ads down, top GOP officials have surmised both that Crist has made his decision to run as an independent, and that the attacks weren't having an impact on the race.

Privately, GOP officials have even tried to broach the idea that Crist drop out of the race. NRSC chair John Cornyn called Crist on Friday, intending to make it clear that Crist should drop out if he doesn't believe he can win a party primary. Crist did not answer the phone, a source close to Cornyn said, and as of today Cornyn's call hasn't been returned

Unbelievable! Charlie Crist, is going, apparently, to say Screw the GOP, screw the Florida voters, and rather than doing the honorable, decent thing, is going to consider running as an independent. That move will likely fail miserably, as RS McCain points out but, what if the move, rather than simply exposing Crist as a typical politician, with no decency, causes that seat to go to a Democrat? What then Charlie? Is that what kind of Republican you are? One that would hurt you party, rather than accept the verdict of Florida Republicans, who clearly prefer Marco Rubio? Is that the type of man you are?

And, as McCain notes, recall exactly who we have to thank for this political turncoat

Remember who to thank for this debacle: John Cornyn and the treacherous bastards at the NRSC.

Amen!, it was the NRSC that decided, before Florida Republicans could have a chance to, that Crist was the golden child that "could win one for the GOP". They dismissed Rubio, and annointed Crist, now look where that has gotten them. Will they ever learn?

Cross Posted at The DaleyGator

Cross Posted at The DaleyGator

Interesting

This was just posted at Ace's.

Mitt Romney to endorse Marco Rubio.

No other details yet.

UPDATED: More info here on the courageous Mitt and how he took the leadership reigns into his capable hands. Curious that Romney managed to tip his hand so soon after the Crist campaign started to circle the drain. Almost as if he wet his finger and tested the winds.

How it does help is that many retires from New York and Massachusetts will feel more at ease voting for a conservatives when such noted moderates have endorsed Rubio.

Sorry Charlie: Independent or Opportunist?

Sorry Charlie Crist's GOP campaign chairman quit yesterday after Florida's governor vetoed a Republican-backed bill opposed by the state's teachers unions:

In the Republican primary, Crist is trailing badly in public opinion surveys to state House Speaker Marco Rubio, who is riding the energy of the national tea party movement. Crist has until April 30 to decide whether to appear on the Republican primary ballot or to run instead with no party affiliation on the general election ballot.
A new Quinnipiac poll that we cited earlier today lays out Crist’s options in stark terms: The governor trails Rubio by a large margin — 56% to 33% — in the Republican primary, but as an independent, Crist narrowly leads in a three-way matchup that includes expected Democratic candidate Rep. Kendrick Meek.
The three-way numbers: Crist, 32%; Rubio, 30%; Meek, 24%. The poll’s margin of error is 2.8 percentage points.

Let's hear from the guy whose pre-emptive endorsement doomed Crist:

But with Crist now trailing badly in the polls – and rumors intensifying that he will abandon the GOP primary fight – Cornyn says the governor will face an intense backlash from the Republican establishment if he runs as an independent.
“I would think that would be the end of his political career as a Republican,” Cornyn, chairman of the NRSC, told POLITICO. “So I doubt that will happen. My hope is that this is all resolved in the Republican primary by Florida voters.”

Hey, how about the end of your career, Mr. Cornyn?

That giant sucking sound you hear coming from Florida?

Well, that would be the Senate hopes of one Charlie Crist

From Rasmussen Reports:

Support for Florida Governor Charlie Crist’s U.S. Senate bid has fallen this month to its lowest level yet. Just 28% of the state’s likely Republican voters support his candidacy now, down six points from March.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely GOP Primary voters in the Sunshine State shows former state House Speaker Marco Rubio edging up a point from last month to 57%, his highest level of support to date. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate in the race, and 12% are undecided.

Republican Primary voters see Rubio as a stronger candidate than Crist in the General Election. Eighty-one percent (81%) say Rubio would be at least Somewhat Likely to win if nominated while just 63% say the same of Crist. Those figures include 53% who say Rubio would be Very Likely to win and 30% who see Crist as Very Likely to win.

Sorry Charlie!

This Friday News Dump Was Embarrassing

Especially in light of Rubio's releasing his numbers earlier this week.

Charlie Crist has finally released his figures from the last quarter.

Charlie Crist, once known as a world champion money-raiser, announced Friday that he had raised $1.1 million for his U.S. Senate campaign this year -- less than one-third of what Republican front-runner Marco Rubio raised in that period.
[. . .]
Crist campaign manager Eric Eikenberg spun the weak total as due to Crist being busy governing. . .

That's about half of what he raised in the last quarter of 2009. Which was less than the quarter before that. I think the word is 'Nomentum'.

Cross posted here At The Point Of A Gun.

Sorry Charlie Crist Circles the Drain

If it wasn't stick-a-fork-in-him time Monday, when Rudy Giuliani endorsed Marco Rubio, maybe the latest fundraising numbers will convince Sorry Charlie to pull the plug:

Marco Rubio's remarkable fundraising haul — $3.6 million this quarter, he just announced — is a reminder of the scale of his stardom inside the Republican Party, all of whose core constituencies seem to like the guy.

That's the Politico's Ben Smith, who finds spontaneous 2012 Rubio-for-President talk coming from Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention. That's getting way ahead of the game, but it does indicate the kind of insuperable energy that has been unleashed against Crist.

What's impressive about Rubio's fundraising report is that his average donation was less than $100 and fewer than 1% of his donors are "maxed out." He's had more than 50,000 contributors to date. That means all he has to do is contact his list of donors and say, "How about another $20?" and -- bam! -- he's got another million dollars, right there. Small donors make a big difference, and it's highly unlikely that Crist can match that kind of grassroots enthusiasm.

Check out this new campaign ad by Rubio:

Isn't This Special?

Via Michelle Malkin.

I'm sure it will be a best seller*. No word as to who is helping Dede Scozzafava ghost write the book yet. But I bet you there will be something about how she was discriminated against because she's a woman.

New York state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R) is writing a memoir about last year's dramatic special election in the state's 23rd congressional district. 



Although she was the Republican Party's nominee, Scozzafava was never embraced by conservatives. She eventually dropped out of the race and endorsed the Democrat, now-Rep. Bill Owens.



*Not sure what makes her think she's worth a book when she should be regulated to a mere footnote like this.

One More Endorsement Breaking For Rubio

That in the form of Rudy Giuliani. Word is that he'll be making an announcement this upcoming Monday to make it official.

The AP reports that Rudy Giuliani will endorse Marco Rubio on Monday. This endorsement could damage Charlie Crist's attempts to appeal to moderates and independents. The backstory here: Crist reportedly offered his endorsement to Giuliani in the 2008 Republican primary but backed out after McCain convinced Crist that Rudy couldn't win.

Thanks to someone.

This Is Interesting

Considering that the NRSC endorsed Charlie Crist with nary a thought about the primary.

Senator Tom Coburn has endorsed Marco Rubio.

“I have closely studied Florida’s Senate candidates and have no doubt that Marco Rubio is the only fiscal conservative in this race," the Oklahoma Republican said in a statement. “Rubio would be a faithful guardian of taxpayer dollars in Washington and a valued ally in the Senate. At a time when Washington is piling on crippling debt on our economy, the American people need Marco Rubio in Washington to stand up to this reckless behavior and offer clear conservative solutions."

Crist needs to withdrawal quietly. Especially if he wants John McCain to campaign for him. The last thing the media needs is an R on R battle with lines being drawn in the sand all the way up to the US Senate. It's for the greater good, Charlie Crist. Quit now.

RELATED/ADDED:

Crist received the Don Shula endorsement. As well as the stamp of approval from this guy:

[Col. Bud] Day confirmed he was speaking of Obama and Rubio.

“You’ve got the black one with the reading thing. He can go as fast as the speed of light and has no idea what he’s saying,” Day said. “I put Rubio in that same category, except I don’t know if he’s using one of those readers.” [emphasis mine]