I concede I’m being selective/subjective; Marco Rubio could also decide against running for US Senate, and/or run for governor.
But where Gov. Crist has built-in general elections advantages in the US Senate race, Crist also has disadvantages. The two that stand out to me:
There are questions about Crist’s views on the role of the judiciary. Finally, it’s pretty much a given that he won’t be a fighter on any issue; worse, he may be a “cave-r.”
I think it is a reasonable proposal to ask Crist to re-consider 2010, and run for re-election for Florida Governor. It would ease a major headache that exists right now within the Republican family; he would easily win re-election; and he would provide helpful coat-tails to candidate Rubio in the general election.
Let me be clear: conservatives may be wrong about our concerns about Crist. If that is true, then Crist can spend the next four years as governor proving and refining his record.
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Benjamin Hodge co-owns the Web site KansasProgress.com, based in Johnson County, KS, in the Greater Kansas City area. You can contact Hodge on Facebook, through his Web site, and on Twitter.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Ben: With all do respect
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Crist is the worst Governor Florida has had since Bob Graham. Socializing the insurance industry, bankrupting local governments, promoting pro-affirmative action judges, etc. etc. etc.
Attorney General Bill McCollum is a true conservative and he can win. 3 out of the last 4 polls show him beating CFO Alex Sink. This race is NOT lost and we Floridians don’t WANT or NEED Charlie Crist for another term of destroying Florida.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Oh. I can appreciate your feelings, and I honestly am not aware of the differences between McCollum and Crist. I know it’s easier for me to say this from Kansas, where I don’t have to deal with the Florida Governor, but I just know I don’t want to see Crist on national television right now speaking for economic liberalism from DC, in the Senate.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Too Late. If Crist drops out of his Senate campaign and runs for Governor Democrats will paint him as a political opportunist.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
#2:
Rest assured, we don;t want him anywhere. McCollum is the real deal conservative. He has been very aggressive as AG in going after cyberpredators and gangs. He was also on one of the House terrorism committee’s in the 90′s. Oh, and he helped draft the impeachment articles against Bill Clinton. McCollum’s flaw is that he is a relatively dull speaker, but Alex Sink is as well. This will undoubtedly be a very, very close race.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
To be clear, though, when the GOP is hurting because of a lack of conservative defenders, and when the federal government is perhaps today’s greatest threat to American freedom, I would still thank Charlie Crist for deciding against the Senate race, and running for re-election to governor.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
#3:
Valid point. Though, he’s already half-way there by not running for re-election, appearing to merely want to make the next fun move for Crist.
June 9th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Tiller family: Clinic will close
http://www.kansas.com/news/breaking/story/845541.html
June 9th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
The Republicans could lose 2-3 more seats in the US Senate in 2010. It’s very possible, given the retirements of Gregg/Voinovich and some other factors.
We can’t afford to let this happen. It would give Obama even MORE power after the midterms, even if the GOP picks up seats in the House. It would be a blank check for Obama’s agenda.
Crist isn’t perfect by any means, but no one denies that he can win that US Senate seat in a walk. I would rather lose the Florida governorship than lose another Senate seat.
June 9th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Flip,
But what assurances do we have that Crist will oppose Obama’s policies, if elected?
June 9th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Yeah, that’s a tough call to make. Where do we want Charlie Crist – in the Governor’s house in Florida, or in Washington, D.C.? That’s almost akin to asking someone if they would rather drown in saltwater or freshwater. Not exactly great options either way.
BTW: Here in VA, we’re watching the Democratic primary for Governor. We have a great pick-up opportunity with Bob McDonnell as the GOP nominee, but the Dems will put up a very tough fight if they nominate Creigh Deeds to be their candidate (which is the way it is looking right now). If anyone is interested in the results (still early and still coming in), they can be found here:
https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/Election/Data/2009/B19D959E-A4DD-4C27-BC08-30C8F2FF2F92/Unofficial/2_s.shtml
June 9th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
#9, I think Crist wants to be President someday, so he needs to tend to the conservative base and reassure them. So I’m guessing his voting record will be far more conservative than people think.
Also, it will be a lot easier for him to oppose Obama’s free-spending policies as a US Senator. Let’s face it, when you’re a governor with a big deficit, it’s very tough to turn down the free money. Governors are desperately trying to balance their budgets. I live in CA, and I can’t blame Arnold for endorsing the stimulus — he needs every dollar he can get his hands on.
June 9th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
#11:
Crist was not involved at all in the budget crisis Florida had to deal with. Jeb was actively involved in the budget and budget negotiations. Crist did nothing but attack the efforts of the legislature.
And yes, Crist wants to be President desperately. Heck, he buried himself so far up Sen. McCain’s rear that when McCain stopped too quickly, we lost our Governor.
June 9th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Jonathan Says: And yes, Crist wants to be President desperately. Heck, he buried himself so far up Sen. McCain’s rear that when McCain stopped too quickly, we lost our Governor
And that is one of many reasons I will not vote for him even for Dog Catcher. Crist needs to go away. Go Rubio.
June 9th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
F*ck. The one Democrat that is going to be tough to beat in VA this fall is the guy that actually won the primary.
McDonnell and Deeds are going to be in for a really close race.
June 9th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
USA Today/Gallup Poll: Third of Republicans view own party unfavorably
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-09-poll-parties_N.htm
June 9th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Obama’s hit — and big miss
His Cairo speech was good — but good enough? Plus: U2, Depeche Mode and one “wise Latina”
By Camille Paglia
http://www.salon.com/opinion/paglia/2009/06/10/waterloo/print.html
June 10th, 2009 at 12:17 am
Why is no one holding Rubio to the standard that he should drop out and run for Governor? Crist decided to run for Senate first.
Charlie Crist has the political capital to earn him practically any statewide office he wants. If he can have the job he wants, run his own campaign based on his own personal beliefs, and still get elected in a walk, why should anybody blame him? That combination isn’t one you get often. Charlie Crist has made his decision. The ball should now be in Marco Rubio’s court.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:19 am
Well, Robbie, if conservatives played according to the “first dibs” rule, most of us would be British.
June 10th, 2009 at 3:12 am
I think Rubio declared first but that is irrelevent. Crist has a popularity rating of Obama like proportions and is smashing Rubio more than 2/1. He can run for whatever he damn wants!
June 10th, 2009 at 4:03 am
[...] Source: But where Gov. Crist has built-in general elections advantages in the US Senate race, Crist also has disadvantages. The two that stand out to me: [...]
June 10th, 2009 at 10:34 am
A certain group of Conservatives may hate Crist, but the reality is that he’s incredibly popular in Florida, more popular than Obama.
He’s a center-right politician. He’s too centrist for my tastes, but if we want to win elections, we need to nominate center-right people who can appeal to independents. He can do that quite easily. Whether Rubio can do it is questionable.
Jeb Bush would have been the ideal, of course, but he’s not running.
June 10th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Flip,
Please provide evidence to back up the claim that Crist is “center-right.”
Judges — no.
Taxes — no
Social issues — I’m not sure we know his views on abortion or gay marriage, etc.
June 10th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
#22, he’s pro life, although a flipper on the issue. He opposes gay marriage, and had his own wedding disrupted by gay marriage activists.
If Crist is wrong on the taxes, then so is the Republican-controlled State Senate that voted for the increased cigarette tax by a 39-0 margin.
The honest answer, though, is that I don’t live in Florida, so I don’t really know. But I’m terrified about the GOP marginalizing itself even further than it has already.