Campaign Crawlers
No More Mr. Nice Charlie?
Marco Rubio’s long march is leaving Charlie Crist with no alternative but to go negative.
TAMPA — Florida governor Charlie Crist will have to do something soon. But what? He’s already tried to paint himself as a true conservative. But this hasn’t worked because of the liberal hobby-horses he’s ridden hard and put up wet since he’s been governor — whooping up President Obama’s stimulus slush fund, calling for cap and trade, et al. And he can’t run on his accomplishments as Florida’s CEO because there haven’t been any. He could go negative. But considering his opponent, this would be tricky.
Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio is, quite unexpectedly, eating Crist’s lunch in the race for the 2010 Republican nomination for an open U.S. Senate seat. Crist enjoys a staggering 5 to 1 fund-raising advantage over Rubio, thanks to his connections to establishment corporate, legal, and socialite money. But thanks to Rubio’s conservative record and agenda in what is stacking up as a conservative year, Rubio has the momentum. Crist still holds a lead in the race, but his lead in points has, like the autumn leaves, dwindled down to a precious few.
Rubio has benefited from a growing disillusionment with President Obama’s socialist agenda, an agenda Rubio is offering a clear conservative alternative to. He’s also benefited from a movement of Republican and independent voters to the right. Those conservative Republicans will find him attractive in Florida’s closed Republican Primary in August. And conservative independents make Rubio a strong candidate in the general election against a liberal Democrat (pardon the redundancy).
The latest Research 2000 poll, showing Crist leading Rubio by 47 to 37 (the same poll that last winter showed Crist ahead 57-4), holds an even more astonishing statistic. It shows that 57 percent of the people polled have no opinion of Rubio, reflecting the fact that Rubio still trails Crist significantly in name recognition. Assuming this poll is anywhere near accurate, this means a remarkable percentage of people who know about Rubio support him. The more he becomes known, as he inevitably will when his grass-roots retail campaign adds a media wholesale dimension next year, the better his numbers will be.
This is why the Crist campaign has gone to general quarters, taking on a new campaign manager, a new press spokesman, and hinting darkly that a more aggressive Charlie will soon emerge, one who will unmask that conservative pretender Rubio.
“Be still, my heart,” seems to be the Rubio campaign reaction. “I think Charlie Crist is desperate,” Rubio said to Fox news. “He has a serious credibility crisis. Desperate people do desperate things. But for us it’s not a problem.”
The next few months will tell how big a problem the Crist campaign can be for Rubio. But for now it seems that conservative is good in a Republican primary, and Rubio has the conservative goods more than Crist has.
So far, the anti-conservative charges and specifications the Crist camp has tried to pin on Rubio are pretty lame. They include: Rubio did not vigorously support a Florida law that allows workers to have guns in their cars and trucks at work when parked on company property and so he’s therefore weak on the 2nd Amendment, Rubio spent state money after becoming speaker of the Florida House on remodeling House offices and paid his press secretary too much, and he was insufficiently vigorous in opposing illegal immigration into Florida.
It’s going to be hard to make any of these stick. Rubio has always had an A rating from the national NRA. And Crist himself had problems with the guns-in-the-parking lot law because it goes crosswise with another important right, the property rights of business owners.
Rubio claims most of the money spent to improve Florida House facilities was for asbestos removal, not cosmetic improvements.
Rubio’s press secretary did have a high salary, and perhaps Rubio could have gotten this kind of help for less. But a press secretary’s salary hardly seems like a kill-shot.
Rubio, whose parents fled Cuba in the 1960s, has a clear position on immigration, which calls for strict border control. Crist opens up his own vulnerability if he hams it up on this issue because he supported the McCain/Kennedy “We Don’t Need No Stinking Borders Act of 2007.”
Crist has not had a record of going negative in previous campaigns. He’s always been a smiler, not a fighter. But then he’s never been in a race like this one against a candidate like Rubio. Crist’s career to this point has been much like the early career of Mike Tyson, so many first round knockouts there has been little chance to learn critical ring skills. Rubio could be Crist’s Buster Douglas.
A good shoeshine, a tan, a smile, and “It’s a beautiful day in Florida” won’t be enough to win this one. And some of Crist’s previous campaigns have amounted to little more. If the Crist campaign does go negative, it won’t be Charlie himself dishing the dirt, but his underlings, as in the juvenile anti-Rubio website that was popped up last month.
The risk of going negative for Crist is that it would further alienate the conservative base that is critical in a Florida Republican primary. At the end of the day, there’s no way Crist wins a conservative bona fides contest with Rubio. And going negative also risks alienating still-popular former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who has yet to endorse or campaign for his old South Florida pal, Rubio. A recent poll shows an overwhelming majority of Florida Republicans would rather have Jeb still their governor than Charlie. The last thing Crist wants is Bush as a member of Team Rubio.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
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Pingback| 11.23.09 @ 7:02AM
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Melvin| 11.23.09 @ 7:29AM
If Charlie wants to turn things around first get rid of that fake spray tan, and the blue hair. He persona more befits him of the guy in a seedy part of town coming up to your car window and saying, "Hey buddy wanna buy a cheap Rolex?"
Lawrence of Lutz| 11.23.09 @ 8:46AM
I come from a long line of conservative democrats but changed to independent. Now, (Lord forgive me) I'm changing to a republican to vote against empty suit Charley in the primary.
Ken (Old Texican)| 11.23.09 @ 9:16AM
Lawrence, The Lord will forgive you.
TEAM America is behind Rubio. We have boots on the ground in Florida already.
We gotta' get the right candidates before we can overturn the damned communists, (pardon the shorthand), in DC.
danny| 11.23.09 @ 9:16AM
unexpectably eating crist's lunch? who says it's unexpected? every time a true conservative comes along and does well, it's unexpected. how so larry?
loulou| 11.23.09 @ 6:55PM
danny, it's unexpected because Crist has had so much money and support from the clueless NRSC. Idiots. They still can't hear us.
I wish I lived in Florida.
Oldefarte| 11.23.09 @ 12:31PM
Even though I'm not a resident of Florida and cannot vote, I do feel that Rubio should be elected since he, as an Hispanic, represents the solution to the problem within the Republican Party. Hispanics are extremely religious/Catholic and have a proud history of tradition, patriotism and pride. I'm not in favor of motor-voter type immigration reform, but for a systematic [play-by-the-rules] allowable path to their citizenship. Republicans could/should begin recruiting [LEGAL-CITIZENS] Hispanics into their ranks since their fit within same is a given; and their numbers would be a needed addition to the party. Rubio's election would be a tremendous beginning to such a movement and would be a win-win for the party. Crist appears to be a teflon candidate that will say/do anything to become elected, and principles mean nothing to these type candidates. Rubio appears to be bright, energetic and dedicated; and that is exactly what is needed by Republicans now!!!!
md| 11.23.09 @ 12:43PM
There are serious storm clouds on the horizon for Crist in respect to several of his major financial backers. In what may hold the greatest threat to his continuing viability as a candidate, a close friend and financial supporter ( to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars) has been accused of a massive fraud scheme estimated to total as much as a billion dollars - he has seen his high-profile Boca Raton law firm implode and sought voluntary disbarment from the Supreme Court. While the details on this matter is currently of interest only in the press in the Southeastern portion of the State, it will soon attract statewide attention (incidently, this contributor also recently gave $200,000 to the Democratic party through its candidate for governor in 2010, Alex Sink - at the time, she boasted of having lured him away from the Republican coffers , a boast she now regrets). This person's connections with Crist are so extensive that should the U.S. attorney file charges in the near future as anticipated, the fallout cannot fail to impair Crist's chances for the Senate.
rt| 11.23.09 @ 12:53PM
What's to stop a Democrat to register Repub and vote for Crist and vote Dem in the General Election?
Pingback| 11.23.09 @ 1:09PM
race42008.com » Blog Archive » Rubio Moves to Right on Illegal Immigraton links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Derek Leaberry| 11.23.09 @ 5:03PM
Maybe John McCain can ride to the rescue and campaign with Charlie Crist. Of course, as McCain's support in Arizona is slipping about as fast as his concept of the realities of American life, McCain might not be able to get away from the sandpatch.
danny| 11.23.09 @ 7:05PM
what!!! no comment yet, larry?
danny| 11.23.09 @ 7:07PM
md, good.
danny| 11.23.09 @ 7:20PM
loulou, they hear us alright, they just don't know what to do about what they're hearing. maybe they'll get some backbone, but i doubt it. hate to be so negative, but for a handful i think they all need to go.
danny| 11.23.09 @ 7:24PM
oldefarte, check out ted cruz. running for atty. gen. in texas. another one!
florida voter| 11.24.09 @ 12:00AM
I can't wait to vote for Rubio. How rare it is to vote for someone you really like with values you share.
I, like many, was once a Democrat, but realized that they are not for freedom, and are actually socialist or even further Left. It is wonderful to have a chance to vote my values, and make a difference.
Otis Criblecoblis| 11.24.09 @ 2:00AM
Mr. Thornberry: An interesting article, but you've got your songs mixed up. The line "And the days dwindle down to a precious few" comes from "September Song", not "Autumn Leaves."
Not germane to the discussion, I realize, but we've got to protect the culture!
Pingback| 11.24.09 @ 5:03PM
No More Mr. Nice Charlie? Victoria University VU China links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
stargate worlds naquadah | 11.24.09 @ 9:00PM
what!!! no comment yet, larry?
Michael| 11.25.09 @ 5:40PM
I think the Indian Casino issue might be worth mentioning as well. Battling a Republican-controlled Legislature in the courts never seemed like the right thing to do to me.
Riku Patel | 11.29.09 @ 5:07PM
where's tim tebow? Riku
FL.REPUBLICANS FOR RUBIO!| 11.29.09 @ 9:37PM
As a Republican I will never vote for Crist the "RINO" ever again! Crist has gone too far left! After Crist supported Obama and his failed stimulus package that was it for me and most of Republicans! Crist should drop out of the race Because Marco Rubio is going to beat him bad!!
electronic | 11.30.09 @ 4:21AM
nothing is impossible to a willing heart!