Florida Politics

We have a contentious Senate and Gubernatorial election this time through.

I am far more familiar with what's going on with the Senate election.  The Democrats appear to be running the same cardboard cut-out they ran last time (not the same actual person, but someone who is saying the same things that lost last time.)  The arab-curse interesting part of the campaign is Charlie Christ, our RINO Governor.

Democrat: Kendrick Meek.  His own web page pretty much sums up "why not".  He's against developing our gigantic swamp, against offshore drilling, for raising minimum wages, and against privatizing social security.  He is for a middle class tax cut and against (additional) credit card fees; those are positives.  He says that he's the "only one" who's taking those positions, but Governor Crist has actually spent money on the first thing by buying US Sugar out.  The first two things are environmentalist things that I am sick of hearing.  The next two are part of the current crisis.  By the way, Mr Meek, bragging about winning the debate on Univision is not a selling point to someone who is worried the US is being colonized by people from Spanish speaking nations.

Independent: Charlie Crist.  We know this guy pretty well after four years as governor.  RINO.  I have heard people say more than once, "I thought we voted for a Republican."  Well, I did, but this is who we got instead.  I could, perhaps, forgive the RINOness because Florida is a bit left of center overall, but what makes me hate him is his primary run.  He appointed Sen. LeMieux primarily because LeMieux would not run against him for the election.  Unfortunately for Gov. Crist, there was a primary challenge.  Early on, when it looked like it would be an easy win, Crist stated that he'd accept the will of the voters and support the winner of the primary.  Then Marco Rubio started to pull ahead in the polls.  This is when things get interesting.  Gov. Crist went from "support the winner" to "I'm running as an independent".  I could almost have forgiven him if he'd managed to couch the decision as a principled stand against the direction the party was headed post-2008, but he came across more as, "I wanna keep dangling from the public teat."  His decision to keep money donated to him when he was still a Republican and the only R candidate was unforgivable.  He had a press conference justifying his decision and arrogantly declared the donors gave to "Charlie Crist for Senate" not "The Republican Candidate for Senate."  Probably not, Charlie.  Most donors donate to the party not a candidate; and lots of them were more than happy to say so once you kept the money for yourself; reinforcing the impression that you just wanna keep a job on the public's dime.

Republican: Marco Rubio.  I really don't know as much as I should.  His stated positions are basic conservative boilerplate, but the clincher for me is how much Charlie Crist has been attacking him.  Just about the only accusation that Crist hasn't leveled on him is a revelation that he once didn't wash his hands after going to the bathroom.  His demeanor is simple and to the point, I like that.

I guess we shall see.