Is Charlie Crist’s Senate campaign poised to sink like the Titanic, or will the governor outmaneuver Marco Rubio, who is leading him in the polls?
by Adam C. Smith and Beth Reinhard
Miami Herald-Times
Charlie Crist’s supporters across Florida are in varying states of panic, and for good reason: Two polls released this week show the once-inevitable Republican U.S. Senate nominee trailing challenger Marco Rubio by 12 points and 14 points among GOP voters. A third poll, released last week, showed Rubio ahead by 3 points.
Inside the political echo chambers of Tallahassee and Washington, conventional wisdom is setting in that Crist is past the point of no return and doomed to experience one of the most stunning political downfalls Florida has ever seen. Meanwhile, everyone — from his closest supporters to fiercest enemies — has an opinion on what the governor needs to do:
Start carpet-bombing the TV airwaves with negative ads about Rubio. Give up, and run for reelection as governor. Make a hard turn to the right and relentlessly attack everything President Barack Obama does. Run as an independent. Run as a moderate. Apologize profusely for endorsing the stimulus package. And on and on.
Crist’s plan? Play the leadership card.
The article continues at the Miami Herald.
