Charlie Crist: Next GOP victim?
Tea party conversatives — unhappy with Republican Gov. Crist's record — are trying to derail his Senate bid
Barack Obama is introduced by Florida Governor Charlie Crist at a town hall meeting.
(EPA/Corbis/Gary Rothstein)
After toppling moderate Republican congressional hopeful Dede Scozzafava in upstate New York, conservatives are making a Florida Senate race the next battle in the war for the party's future. Conservatives are pushing a Reaganite former state House speaker, Marco Rubio, over frontrunner Charlie Crist, the popular moderate governor who broke ranks to back President Obama's economic stimulus plan. Will Charlie Crist be the tea partiers' next victim? (Watch a local report about Charlie Crist being called "overrated")
He should be -- he's no Republican: "This election will be a litmus test to define the will power of party leaders to return to our values," says Armando Valladores in The Miami Herald. Charlie Crist "hoodwinked" conservatives by raising taxes after promising they would "drop like a rock," and he trampled conservative values by appointing a pro-abortion justice to the state Supreme Court over a "more-qualified" conservative. "No Republican should vote for Crist."
"Crist doesn't deserve GOP support"
Attacking Crist is a huge mistake: The "Republican fratricide" in New York cost the party a congressional seat, says David Frum in CNN.com, but the "even more spectacular bloodbath in Florida in 2010" could cost the GOP the presidential election in 2012. Both Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio are "conservative, pro-life, tax cutters" -- they only part ways over President Obama's stimulus, which Crist endorsed and Rubio hates. Rubio has offered no alternative -- his only selling point is his "uncompromising, unremitting opposition to President Obama." The GOP has to offer more than that.
"Republicans heading for a spectacular bloodbath in Florida"
Crist has himself to blame: Charlie Crist's campaign has "sprung a leak," says Alex Isenstadt in Politico, but in many ways it's his own fault. He could have stood his ground when Marco Rubio attacked his position on the economic stimulus -- instead he made "abrupt and awkward attempts to distance himself from Obama." That came off as "a naked attempt to curry favor with conservatives," and raised "questions about his political character." But Crist's huge poll lead and deep campaign war chest could save him.
"Charlie Crist loses his mojo"
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8 Comments
Posted by Aaron, Monday, November 16, 2009, 12:04 pm So the newspaper guy in Miami says Crist raised taxes and appointed a pro abortion judge to the state supreme court, and the guy from CNN says the opposite. Somehow I believe the local reporter over the other. Only question is: Frum, why the lie?
Posted by John_Gault, Monday, November 16, 2009, 12:54 pm If Crist is a conservative, I'm the Queen of England. He does whatever is politically advantageous at the particular time. At one point in time, the Obama Stimulus seemed to be supported by most and it appeared that Democrats would control the country forever, so Crist jumped on board as fast as he could. Now the Democrats are loosing favor and the Stimulus seems like a bad idea, so guess what Crist does. He is the definition of slimy politician. No voter, Republican or Democrat, should ever vote for his guy.
Posted by Katie, Monday, November 16, 2009, 1:44 pm The problem seems to be that we are dealing with professional politicians who ALL tend to bend with the wind. What we want are people of character who have real principles that do not change with the polls. As MLK said content of character. That did not used to be so hard to find.
Posted by Ellen Brandt, Ph.D., Monday, November 16, 2009, 2:03 pm Many of us believe that as extremists at both ends of the political spectrum become more vociferous and divisive, more and more Americans will move quickly to the Center. Readers who consider themselves Centrists, whatever their party affiliation or lack thereof, might want to join our brandnew Centrists Group at Linked In. Provocative, but cordial and respectful, discussions and debate. No Flamers, script bots, or clandestine political operatives allowed! Please contact me at Linked In for an invitation. Thank you very much. Ellen
Posted by todd lantta, Monday, November 16, 2009, 4:15 pm Crist never met a race he didn't like, the senate was simply a path to the White House two years later, heck he probably would have only been in office six months before announcing his new campaign! Florida Dems should be looking hard for a candidate when the Republican party implodes, and much like New York are the only ones left to vote for..Jim Davis, Betty Castor better throw your hat in, you have a great chance!
Posted by Hugznkumbayah, Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:43 pm Crist is moresubservient to Obama than Obama is to the Emperor of japan... hugz
Posted by rena, Monday, November 16, 2009, 8:30 pm Oh you all stop it! Governor Charlie Crist has a good chance for the senate! He has my vote and I will spread the word vote for Gov. Charlie Crist for the senate! He is a proven leader with an abundance of experience now the only thing I hear about Mr. Rubio is he is a good speaker but does he have experience no no no no! Is Americans going to do the same thing again vote for someone with no experience, Gov. Charlie Crist runs the big,big state of Florida did Mr. Rubio did that no no no nono!
Posted by Brett, Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 2:22 pm Crist has done a better job than many of us in Florida expected, which is why the wingnuts hate him. He has governed with more understanding of what the state needs than kowtowing to the wingnut dogma. His biggest mistake is trying to go hard right all of a sudden to appease the neocons. He should do what McCain should have done and go independent. Then he can do what he knows is right and not have to worry about pleasing his unbalanced conservative base.
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