Ras: Crist Down 12 To Rubio

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:16:58 PM EST
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Many months ago, I was discussing the Florida Republican Senate primary with Markos and I told him I thought there was no way Florida governor Charlie Crist would lose that race. According to Ras, I could not have been more wrong:

Former state House Speaker Marco Rubio has now jumped to a 12-point lead over Governor Charlie Crist in Florida’s Republican Primary race for the U.S. Senate. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely GOP Primary voters in the state finds Rubio leading Crist 49% to 37%. Three percent (3%) prefer another candidate, and 11% are undecided.

Incredible. The bad thing for Dems is I do not think Kendall Meek can take advantage of this (RCP says Ras' GE polling has Meek down 17 to Rubio.) An interesting question is if Crist wanted to switch parties, would that even work for him and would Dems clear the field for him?

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Ras: Crist Down 12 To Rubio | 28 comments (28 topical)

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No, it wouldn't work for him (none / 0) (#1)
by BrassTacks on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:34:53 PM EST

And Crist wouldn't do it. Like you, I am shocked by Rubio. Isn't he the Tea Party candidate? Does that movement really have legs? it's beginning to seem that way. Hard to believe, but according to all the polls, at realclearpolitics, both Crist and Rubio beat Meek. Rasmussen has Rubio beating Meek by 17%! That's even better than Crist does against Meek. Color me surprised, even shocked. I bet Crist is shocked as well.

: At this point Crist is probably wondering (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by ruffian on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:42:40 PM EST

how he even got elected governor.

: Mistake one was calling them Baggers... (5.00 / 2) (#13)
by Salo on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:57:13 PM EST

...in that not so brilliant way Democrats disparage voters. Let them name themselves.
Secondly, this group is a combo of big money and partisan fanatics. It's got legs and arms and probably armed.
Next thing: Obama must fight to preserve the democratic senate by making sure the HCR bill is a good one.
The GOP will have the Senate back in two to three years so he's got to wake up and get a few things done.

Ooops - Kendrick Meek, not Kendall (none / 0) (#2)
by ruffian on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:38:16 PM EST

I know he is having problems with name recognition, but still....

I agreed with you back then and am just as wrong now. Rubio preceded the tea-partiers, but they seem to be a match made in hell.

I hope Dems do not clear the field for (none / 0) (#4)
by ruffian on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:44:53 PM EST

Crist, should he switch. He is sooo unpopular, he would just lose to Rubio again. Dems may as well sink or swim with a real Dem.

How did that happen (none / 0) (#8)
by MKS on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:49:17 PM EST

It seemed Crist was the king maker in the Republican Primary that solidified the nomination for McCain in 2008.


2008 was a long time ago politically (none / 0) (#9)
by CST on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:52:23 PM EST

since then, we have felt the full brunt of the recession.

It's a pretty bad time to be an incumbent governer.


That is the one concern that might make Rubio (none / 0) (#12)
by andgarden on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:53:46 PM EST

inevitable. All incumbent governors are somewhat effed these days.


: Yep (none / 0) (#15)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 02:13:18 PM EST

even down in GOP Ga they're trashing the GOP because they're the incumbent party. The Gov. has really done a job with making everyone take furloughs on their pay except himself.

The economy is really awful here (none / 0) (#11)
by ruffian on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:53:44 PM EST

Worse than most of the rest of the country. Crist did the right thing in accepting the stimulus money, but now is stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Dems didn't like him anyway, and now Republicans don't like him either.


I said last spring (none / 0) (#5)
by andgarden on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:45:04 PM EST

that Crist would switch parties. I still think he will.

heh. well, he has switched stranger things (none / 0) (#6)
by ruffian on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:46:19 PM EST

Why now? (none / 0) (#7)
by BrassTacks on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:48:37 PM EST

What would Crist gain now by switching parties? It hasn't worked well for Spector, he's losing to that nobody Toomey in PA. I bet he's surprised too. I don't trust Spector. He'll say or do anything to win. I wonder if he'll switch again?


SPECTER, (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by andgarden on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 01:52:59 PM EST

And last I checked, he's on track to beat Joe Sestak in the primary. He would not have made it to the GE as a Republican.


Then lose in the general election? (none / 0) (#22)
by BrassTacks on Tue Feb 02, 2010 at 12:54:48 AM EST

It's a lose-lose for him, regardless? That may well be.


: No shot to a shot is a big change (none / 0) (#24)
by andgarden on Tue Feb 02, 2010 at 06:44:56 AM EST

And yet Crist has a 62-37 favorability rating (none / 0) (#14)
by steviez314 on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 02:13:12 PM EST

among GOP primary voters..it just doesn't matter!

As we have (none / 0) (#16)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 02:14:27 PM EST

seen with Obama those numbers often dont translate into anything tangible.


: He's his own brand (none / 0) (#17)
by Salo on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 02:26:22 PM EST

The rest of the Party is on its own.

The Dems (none / 0) (#18)
by CoralGables on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 02:47:31 PM EST

have no viable statewide candidate for Senate at this time in Florida. With a strong candidate they could beat Rubio. Crist would probably win the general, should he manage to get there, regardless of the Dem candidate. With Meek, the only probable Dem candidate at this time and unlikely to have any shot at winning the general, we may be far better off with Crist.

Short term memories (none / 0) (#19)
by mmc9431 on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 03:01:18 PM EST

It's no wonder our government is in the shape it is.

We haven't even begun to skim the surface in correcting the damage done by eight years of a Republican administration and already we're willing to hand the reigns back to them!

I accept that people are upset and nervous over the future, but bringing back the cause of the crisis doesn't seem to me to be a viable answer.

It isn't like this is something out of the distant past. I didn't realize that short term memory loss was at an epidemic stage in this country.

You just don't get it (5.00 / 2) (#20)
by NYShooter on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 03:45:35 PM EST

When people are as angry, enraged is a better word, and no one is listening to their suffering they'll do anything to get your attention.....even if it's against their longer term best interest. The first thought about any incumbent is.....OUT!


I get it (none / 0) (#21)
by mmc9431 on Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 04:28:48 PM EST

I just don't agree with it. Do people really believe that the Republicans learned the error of their ways and things will be better the next time? Sounds like an abusive relationship to me!


Democrats haven't learned the (none / 0) (#23)
by observed on Tue Feb 02, 2010 at 06:37:37 AM EST

error of their ways---that's the point.


It's the Dr. Phil theory (none / 0) (#25)
by jbindc on Tue Feb 02, 2010 at 07:33:03 AM EST

We elected Democrats to a majority in Congress 4 years ago, and added a President 2 years ago. Things have only changed for the worse, inmany respects, so why would people let the Democrats continue to stay in power?

As Dr. Phil would say, "How's that workin' for us"?


Cut off nose to spite face (none / 0) (#26)
by mmc9431 on Tue Feb 02, 2010 at 07:45:18 AM EST

Why? I have no intention of listing the horrors of the last eight years of the Republican administration. It would eat up the entire thread!

I've never been a cheer leader of Obama or the Democrats but returning a bunch of narrow minded hypocrites (that created the mess) to power is not the solution.


I'm not agreeing with it (none / 0) (#27)
by jbindc on Tue Feb 02, 2010 at 07:56:36 AM EST

But voters are looking at what's happening in their lives now and to the immedite future - they don't care about 2003! And frankly, it's all about their pocketbooks, and whilethings were bad in 2003, they weren't nearly as bad as they are now.

Maybe it's not Dr. Phil, but more like Janet Jackson - "What have you done for me lately?"


: Agree on (none / 0) (#28)
by mmc9431 on Tue Feb 02, 2010 at 08:10:39 AM EST

One thing I would definite agree on is that the Democrats are pathrtic in getting their message out. For all the hype about our liberal media, it isn't liberal at all anymore. Republicans have mastered the art of propaganda.
Adding to the mess is Obama himself. His constant pandering (and slobbering over the wonders of Reagan) doesn't really help. The problems in the economy lay squarely at the feet of the Republicans. But in Obama's post partisan universe this message gets lost.
It's the Republican philosphy to bankrupt the economy when they're in power. In that way, they can insure there's no money left for any of those da*n socialist programs when the Democrats regain power.