Campaign Crawlers
Goodbye, Charlie
Crist campaign circles the drain.
TAMPA – “Moderate” Florida governor Charlie Crist’s Senate campaign is circling the drain. And it’s mostly his own fault.
Crist, a formerly conservative politician who “grew in office” after becoming governor in 2007, went through a 50-point lead over conservative former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio faster than Sherman went through Georgia. Polls released this week by Rasmussen and the Florida Chamber of Commerce both show Rubio with an 18-point lead over Crist in a race for the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate seat Mel Martinez resigned from last summer.
Crist’s fall and Rubio’s ascendance (the Marco Rubio who gave a well-received keynote speech at CPAC last week) have been so steady and uninterrupted that key members of Crist’s political organization — including his political director and his media consultant — are leaving in order to pursue “other opportunities” (translation: this train is going nowhere — I’d better find another one to ride).
The sounds you hear of many hands clapping are those of grassroots Florida Republicans pleased at the prospect of Crist’s long but undistinguished political career coming to an end. Not to mention the prospect of a young, energetic, intelligent conservative representing Florida in the U.S. Senate instead of the Arlen Specter wannabe Crist has become.
In a series of straw-polls taken by Republican organizations across the state, the most active Sunshine State Republicans have demonstrated their overwhelming preference for Rubio, who fashioned a conservative record in eight years in the Florida House and has run for the Senate nomination on conservative themes such as limited government, reliance on the market, personal freedom, and a strong foreign policy.
There have been 23 such straw polls, taken by groups from Republican county executive committees to Republican women’s clubs to business groups. Rubio has won all of them, by a total margin of 1993 to 265. Crist has tried to claim these votes are unimportant, just a sliver of the Republican electorate. Perhaps there’s nothing else Crist could have said about these votes, but anyone who follows politics knows this is nonsense. The folks who voted in the straw polls are exactly the kind of voters who will show up in August on primary day. Crist is in the deepest possible trouble with the most active Republicans who know the most about him.
It wasn’t always this way between Charlie and the Republican base, especially between Charlie and the Republican Executive Committee of Crist’s home County of Pinellas. In 2006 this group endorsed Crist for governor and raised thousands to help him win this office. But by January of this year the romance with the home-town boy was over. The Pinellas REC voted 106-54 for Rubio over Crist in its Senate straw poll. This 106-54 drubbing, even with home field advantage, has been Crist’s most successful straw vote so far.
So what happened between 2006 when Crist was the recipient of hugs and checks and all best wishes, and 2010, by which time so many grass-roots Republicans had had more than all they wanted of Charlie Crist? Not that long ago Crist was a popular Republican politician with a fairly conservative record, even though his political achievements have been too slim to make even a decent Trivial Pursuit question. The answer is that Charlie Crist got greedy — not greedy for money, but politically greedy.
Crist is not the first Republican politician to assume that he has Republican and conservative voters in the bag, so why not try to poach a few Democrat and liberal voters by whooping up things these voters like? It’s the old all-things-to-all-people gambit. It usually doesn’t work for long. And it certainly backfired here.
Crist was just a little more bodacious in the way he dialed for Democratic voters. He tried to stimulate Democratic erogenous zones by whooping up leftist policies like cap and trade and other costly environmental policies that are beloved of leftists but produce no environmental benefit at a huge cost in money and freedom. He appointed a liberal justice to the Florida Supreme Court. When conservative social issues came up, Charlie was nowhere to be found. He crooned a lot about “bipartisanship,” which was usually just a cover for taking leftist positions.
But Crist’s biggest misstep was supporting a then popular President Obama’s $787 billion “stimulus” slush fund before it was adopted. He did this at a time when other Republicans were advocating smaller government spending and targeted tax cuts to deal with the recession. Much later, when it became clear how negative his support of the slush fund was in a conservative-minded political year, Crist said he hadn’t really supported it and wouldn’t have voted for it if he had been in the Senate. At the same time he’s claimed the stimulus has saved 87,000 jobs in Florida, a comically precise number, and a downright curious one considering unemployment in Florida is higher now than it was when the slush fund was adopted. Not even veteran Charlie-watchers can make head or tail of Charlie’s various re-inventions on this one.
On a Newsmax-TV interview Tuesday, still popular former Florida governor Jeb Bush called Crist’s support of Obama’s spending plan “unforgivable.” He said Crist should have supported other Republicans who were calling for less government-intensive alternatives.
“He’s the only statewide political leader that embraced the stimulus package when Republicans were fighting to suggest an alternative,” Bush said. “In its place we have this massive spending bill that is not related to stimulus. It’s related to trying to carry out a liberal agenda. He did it the day before the vote. It was a mistake, and then he denies that he would have supported the bill.”
So what’s a candidate in a flat spin to do? Crist’s left turn since assuming the governor’s office is too well known now for Crist’s claim to be the real conservative in the race to have any credibility. An option would be to exercise some real leadership in his last year as governor. But leadership has never been part of Charlie’s game. He’s been a hands-off governor, allowing the Florida Legislature to deal with the state’s problems, only showing up after the battle was over to claim credit where possible.
The recession may be officially over, but the melody lingers on in Florida at least as much as elsewhere. Florida is looking for about $3 billion in spending cuts or tax and fee increases this spring to balance its budget, as the sate constitution requires. The federals may be able to print money or run a larger tab with China. Florida can’t. With almost no help from Crist, who has vetoed some of its spending cuts, the Florida Legislature has sweated Florida’s budget down from $73 billion three years ago to $66.5 billion this year. It hasn’t been easy. Selected taxes and fees have had to be raised, discretionary spending has been cut, and trust-funds have been raided.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
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Kenny| 2.26.10 @ 6:56AM
I wonder what the odds are that Crist will try the 3rd party route.
Alarm1201| 2.26.10 @ 7:46AM
Crist is all we need - another non-principled, stick you finger in the air, high spending liberal.
I hope his fall is a lesson to all republicans, stay conservative and do not take your base for granted!
cristy| 2.28.10 @ 11:10PM
I agree with you !
hope republicans can learn more from his fall
http://www.udtek.com/lcd-charger-c-4.html
John - TMF| 2.26.10 @ 8:34AM
Here in the Old Dominion, we suffered from a Charlie Crist (RINO-Self). His name was John Warner. He was handed the nomination that he lost to Richard Obenshain in 1980, after Obenshain died in a plane crash. Of course Foghorn was the newly minted "Mr. Liz Taylor" to spice up the gimmick.
Never a completely reliable vote, the Virginia GOP spent the next several decades trying to shed him by calling a State Convention (all GOP - no cross overs) to not re-nominate him... Warner jobbed the system and won a law suit that re-affirmed a Byrd Machine era law that allowed the incumbent to pick the method of his nomination. Virginia, courtesy of the odious Harry Flood Byrd Machine again, is an open primary state where anyone can vote in any party's primary as long as they don't vote in the other. Warner's Democrats showed up dutifully to keep him nominated, and Warner stayed in their debt.
The issue came to a head when a State Convention nominated Ollie North to run against Warner's buddy Chuckles Robb... So Warner stalks off in a huff, backs a mushy RINO Marsh Coleman for the seat as an IN-DE-PEN-DANT... and splits the vote up enough to get his (Warner's) buddy Chuckles the Clown elected again.
Of course instead of doing the honorable thing, leaving the party and running as an independent. Warner continued to impose himself via his Democrat voters, on the Republican Party... most folks with whom I worked had bruises on their noses from pinching so hard in the voting booth.
Of course, the wishy washy limp Mark Warner has replaced Foghorn Leghorn... so nothing much changed except a D for an R.
That is a Crist sort of thing. Crist is John Warner and Arlen Spectre all rolled into one neat little self-dealing and self-serving package.
My Floridian pals need to be aware of being trapped. If Crist does what his huge self-important ego tells him to do and jump ship to the Democrats(cum Indie) getting Rubio elected is going to be a hard slog.
Florida is in for a nasty election cycle.
r/The Mighty Fahvaag
Curly Smith| 2.26.10 @ 9:55AM
Thanks John - TMF for the (RINO-Self). It very effectively summarizes the RINO ideology.
John - TMF| 2.26.10 @ 10:21AM
Foghorn Leghorn was elected in 1978... sorry rusty memory... Though his RINO characteristics didn't start appearing until the middle of Reagan's second term and the Dems took control of the Senate in 1986. When someone else was in charge, Warner followed his bulbous nose to the smell of personal power.
He led the assault of the Self party on Reagan, North, and the Contras for his new masters the Democrats.
I never voted for him in a primary or general election again. I never voted for a Democrat. The ballot merely reflected with I thought of his honor; BLANK.
r/TMF
loulou| 2.26.10 @ 12:43PM
What am I missing?
Crist is irrelevant--whether he runs as a Dem or an Ind. Crist won't take votes from Rubio supporters--any votes he gets would come out of Meek's (or whomever the Dems nominate) hide.
ExPat| 2.26.10 @ 9:44PM
What a great summary of Virginia RINO politics. I lived in VA from 70-93 and can attest to everything you said here. Warner was a typical Senator: an arrogant, condescending, elitist, self styled patrician. Having lived in FL for the next 15 years I gradually developed the same opinion of Charlie. Birds of a feather.
James| 2.26.10 @ 8:46AM
Florida has a closed primary - you must be a registered Republican to vote in the Republican primary. I think Rubio will win the Senate seat regardless of what Crist does.
Charlie needs to change his last name to "Crisp" - as in toast.
Tim| 2.26.10 @ 9:22AM
We ,Tea Party Rebels support Marco Rubio . The Rebellion escalates.
Tim| 2.26.10 @ 3:39PM
I told you, stop putting words in my mouth.
MikeF1| 2.26.10 @ 10:12AM
As conservatives we just need to be steadfast, patient and diligent. I believe Florida will not only nominate Rubio from the Republican side but that he will also win in November. It may take the conservatives a few election cycles to gain the dominat control we need to really fix the mess the RINO's and liberals have gotten us into. But, if we stay alert and keep pushing hard all of the time, we will prevail because the vast majority of the people in this country are conservative. We need more like Rubio who have charisma and can articulate the conservative vision across a broad spectrum of people. Keep the faith.
Stuart (Austin, TX)| 2.26.10 @ 10:56AM
When your own hometown (Pinellas County, Florida) Republican Executive Committee shoots you down WHILE YOU OCCUPY THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION, there is no future in your GOP membership. Crist is history, unless he switches parties and starts schmoozing the Democrat-heavy Palm Beach, Broward, Leon, Orange and Hillsborough Counties. Charlie is a chameleon (e.g., he got where he is without ever coming out of the closet), so I wouldn't put it past him. Good riddance to another RINO. Jeb Bush, being from the Bush family is also probably unreliable as a true conservative. Neither George H.W. Bush with his tax-hike nor George W. Bush with his sailor-pn-shore-leave spending habits were paragons of conservative principles in the Oval Office, so Jeb is probably afflicted with the RINO gene himself. Florida can do better. Go Rubio!
loulou| 2.26.10 @ 12:45PM
I certainly hope Jeb the RINO isn't planning to run for another office. The Bush family has done enough damage to this country.
Elizabeth Craine| 2.26.10 @ 6:47PM
Jeb Bush was a great governor. He is as conservative as they come. I would vote for him in a heartbeat if he ran again.
xcon| 2.28.10 @ 10:15AM
Jeb was a very good governor.
Compare Louisiana during the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 and compare Florida.
I wish Jeb would have run against that space cadet senator bill nelson in 2006. We would have one less idiot liberal representing Florida in the US Senate.
Clint Lovell | 2.26.10 @ 11:35AM
There is a pattern here and a list of now infamous players...
John McCain
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arlen Specter
Olympia Snow
Susan Collins
Charlie Crist
They all claimed the mantle of being Republicans but they are really liberals who can't "go home" to the left because the leftists would never trust them. Arnold, John and Charlie are being made to pay the price or have already paid. Arnold will walk off the world stage and disappear into an abyss of failure. John will never be nominated by the party to do anything other than hold the door for the first real conservative that comes along. Snow and Collins will be forced to pay the price and their personal political legacy will be laced with charges of treachery, flip-flopping and a lack of personal courage. Their descendants will be hounded and their politics will be rejected for what they are.
Charlie is learning that not every liberal is worth kissing. Sorry, Charlie. Not every tuna is Star Kist.
Bram| 2.26.10 @ 12:57PM
You forgot Lindsey Graham and George Voinovich.
Ryan| 2.26.10 @ 1:24PM
What suprises me a little bit is that we haven't heard here from any of Crist's defenders. Usually campaigns that are at least SUPPOSED to be savvy combat negative views on sites like this.
PCP Smoker| 2.26.10 @ 6:24PM
Now, all of you RINO-defending motherfuckers, arguing that conservatives can't win on this state or that state, all I can say is...eat it. Eat it bitches.
You see this Crist was your creation. He was the "New Majority". He was "Comeback Conservatism". He was "Crunchy Conservatism". He was "Compassionate Conservatism". He was "WallMart Conservatism-That Can Win Again-But Only ifIt Capitulates to the Left". Most of all, he was a blow dried, phony, repubick.
He was the creation of your pathetic minds, and he ended getting his ass kicked by an unabashed Reaganite with a slight cuban accent. And have no doubt, Marco got his lesson about freedom and the free market from the mom and dad.
If you are conservative and you bought into Frum, Ben Stein, Dreher, Douthat, or the rest of those fucks, put a gun in your mouth and pull the fucking trigger.
The Clintidote| 2.26.10 @ 11:49PM
Wow, how eloquent.
Stephanie| 2.27.10 @ 5:44AM
WOW! Lovely post.
Some anger management is in order here, I do believe. Potty mouth.
Matt Morehouse| 2.27.10 @ 9:58AM
By their language you shall know them.
Fascist| 3.2.10 @ 3:46PM
Some words from Hitler:
"Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the *Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord."
* You may replace it with: leftist thoughts.
Pingback| 2.26.10 @ 7:54PM
Crist Is Toast: ‘Goodbye, Charlie’ | Right Wing News links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
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Rebellion News links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
clairesolt| 2.27.10 @ 9:12AM
Last year the Republicans raised taqxes on cigarettes and passed a new seatbelt law. I don't vote Republican to get this kind of statism.
They need to tackle the bloated bureaucraqcy. Agencies for aging fill a book an inch thick, I spent three weeks calling thedm for help for a neighbor, All I got was the runaround. Another agency handles complaints about land sales and mlobile home parks. That is they log and file the 80,000 complaints. In spite of an elegant law that gives them power to cure, they just file them away.
Yosemeti Sam| 2.27.10 @ 11:19AM
Goodbye to Specter as well.
A phony baloney two-timing politico as ever there was.
james| 2.27.10 @ 11:34AM
We in Florida know for sure that Crist is gone, and not just because he's a faithless two-timing liberal, but because Rubio is a stellar candidate and a fine man. This is not going to be a vote against Crist, although he is deeply hated; it is going to be a vote for Rubio. And in the general, if Democrat Meeks gets 20% it will be a miracle.
fuzal shop | 2.27.10 @ 2:17PM
Crist is a great guy, he did a better job then Jeb Bush.
Online Clothing
Charles Martel| 2.28.10 @ 12:00AM
If you came here to sell a product, you picked a funny way to do it.
Jeb was the Bush who was supposed to be president. Had he won the gubernatorial election in 1994, as his brother George did here in Texas that year, he likely would have been.
Any Floridians want to chime in and tell us what happened back then? I know it involved some skullduggery on behalf of Lawton Chiles, but I'm very fuzzy on the details.
+++
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We need to close the primaries in all the states - too many are currently open. Otherwise, we'll consistently have dems selecting the repub candidates.
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