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It's a fascinating dilemma for Florida Democrats -- do you vote for your party's nominee, Kendrick Meek, or independent Charlie Crist?
One argument we've heard is that because Meek has less money and a lower name ID, and because Crist has a stronger pull with independents and has led in the most recent polls, voting for Crist is the safest way keep Marco Rubio (R) from winning the three-way Senate contest.
But Steve Schale, who ran the Florida campaign for Obama-Biden in '08, thinks just the opposite:
[F]or Crist, who after 20 years of being a GOP insider, his only path to victory is to find a way to be Democratic enough to win enough Democrats, Republican enough to win enough Republicans, and to do that in a way where he doesn't anger Independents. Not exactly the easiest thing to do, when Democrats now have a plausible alternative in Meek and Republicans in Rubio. If Greene had won, it might be a different story.
Democrats who support Crist keep saying to me, "well, we just need Dems to vote for Crist," but that just isn't going to happen in the margins he needs to win.
Today, Rubio has the clearest path to victory, but once Democrats figure out that Meek is their only option, his path will get much more clear as well.
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Once Kendrick Meek exposes how the independent Charlie Crist has flip floppped it shouldn't be such a diffucult decision.
Crist has announced that he is now in favor of the new comprise legislation, which would repeal the policy but allow the Pentagon to complete its study before the repeal is implemented. In a statement, Crist said the compromise will ensure that the new policy is "what is best for our military":
Crist who defended what is not good in the eyes of tea baggers; the administration's economic stimulus bill.
Crist also told Fox News in March he would not vote to repeal the health care reform law if elected, but instead would work to improve it — a shift from his position earlier this year.
Either way Rubicon has no new new vision for the future; which people not in Rubicon's camp independent or democratic are well aware of.
Charlie Crist is now seen as an opportunist, who will say and do anything to get elected. Most people in Florida see through this, so Meek is the Democrat's best hope.
If Kendrick Meek wants to keep Rubio out of the senate, his only choice is to drop out of the race and tell his constituency to vote for Charlie Crist.
Actually he does not have to drop out
Dems who appreciate Charlie's handling of Florida will willingly vote for him. He's a proven commidity
Nothing against Kendrick.
Charlie stood by Florida now we will stand by him Dems, Republicans and Independents!
I am one Floridian that don't trust Crist, so I'm not sure why you say that. He flip-flops on everything. Today he says one thing and tommorrow the opposite.
My vote goes to Meek.
A Florida Democrat should vote for a Florida Democrat.
I disagree Union Baby, a Florida Democrat should vote for who they think will be best for their state. I firmly believe if every voter would vote for whom they think would be best for their state and them, the majority would vote Democratic.
I'd need to know much more about Meek before I could support him. What little I do know I don't--the Tallahassee Democrat cited a sense of entitlement in endorsing Greene over Meek. The folks saying, "Well, he's the Democrat..." as if that's all it takes aren't doing anything to counter that.
We do know Crist, or at least we know that we don't know what he'll do from one day to the next.
We do know Rubio has the Tea Party mentality.
And we do know Meek will be a loyal Dem, just has he's been in the House.
I'll vote Meek.
Crist stuck it to Rubio and the Republican party by running as an independent so he's alright in my book. Also, this country needs more centrist politicians. We have lost a lot of moderate Republicans lately so It would be good to have another moderate in the Senate. I'm a Dem but I for one would vote for Crist; however, my opinion is not relevant because I am not a Florida resident.