Governor Charlie Crist is in deep trouble in his bid to win a Senate seat in Florida this coming November.
In one poll, he is behind former State House Speaker Marco Rubio 47-44 percent in the state Republican primary race. In another more disastrous poll, Crist is behind by 14 points, 44-30!
Conservative Republicans, self identified, preferred Rubio 52-27 percent, while moderates preferred Crist by 43-35 percent.
Speculation is that Crist might decide to run as an Independent, and make the Senate race three ways, with Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek. But that would make it hard for him to run for the Presidency, if he ever chose to do that, if he abandoned his party in his Senate run this year, and defeated Rubio in November.
One such poll indicates that Crist could win 25 percent of Democrats and of Republicans, and 41 percent of Independents.
Crist would still be the better general election nominee against Kendrick Meek, but if he cannot win the GOP nomination and does not run as an Independent, then his career is over.
So will Crist take his chances and remain in the GOP primary, or decide to go Independent, have a good chance at winning the election in a three way race, and give up any hopes of running for President in the future?
I would think that for Crist to believe seriously that he could be President in a party that is going to the far right is to be living in a fantasy world! What is wrong with being an independent minded senator who wishes to do a good job and make a career in that chamber, and forget the “impossible dream” of being President?
My prediction is that Charlie Crist, after the legislative session in Florida ends, and he has signed all the bills into law, will announce that he is running as an Independent, knowing by so doing that the only way he could run for President in the future is as an independent, third party candidate, which would mean he would be a spoiler, nothing more!