gulp!
Posted on 10/24/2010 7:46:55 AM PDT by rarestia
It's a campaign only Florida could produce -- a competitive three-way race for the United States Senate.
According to an exclusive Bay News 9/St. Petersburg Times poll, the tables have turned for the candidates.
A few months ago, Gov. Charlie Crist left the Republican party to become a non-party candidate.
"We go straight to November," said Crist.
By ditching the GOP, Crist skipped the primary and now faces two other major candidates -- Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek.
An exclusive Bay News 9/St. Petersburg Times poll conducted in August, showed Crist leading with 33 percent, Rubio with 29 percent, Meek with 17 percent, and 20 percent undecided.
At the time, the governor chalked it up to his middle of the road message.
"What people want in Florida is not necessarily a strict Republican way or strictly the Democrats' way, but the Florida way," said Crist.
But in the latest poll, numbers show Rubio at 41 percent, Crist with 26 percent, Meek with 20 percent, and 12 percent undecided.
Political consultant Sean Pittman said Meek's votes mean that's support Crist isn't getting.
"The conservatives in the party have always looked for somebody different and tried to defeat Charlie Crist, and they just haven't been able to," said Pittman. "Now they have a true champion in Marco Rubio, but what has happened is the moderates who have always supported Charlie Crist are listening to a couple sides."
In effect, poll data shows that Crist and Meek could likely split the Democratic vote and divy up the critical moderate voters.
Meantime, Rubio's been out and about on the campaign trail using tough talk to solidify his energetic Republican base.
"If we want to continue to be special, we have to stop doing some of the things they're doing right now," said Rubio.
One of his top priorities is to repeal President Obama's sweeping health care reform, and the poll finds that a majority of likely voters agree.
Out of Floridians polled statewide, 52 percent oppose the plan passed by Congress while 34 percent think the changes should remain in place.
But on the issue of raising the retirement age to collect Social Security, Rubio's view is an overwhelmingly unpopular approach.
Only 24 percent of those polled favored raising the retirement age, while 68 percent opposed the idea.
According to Julia Clark with Ipsos Public Affairs, it's clear that Rubio has the momentum and the lead, but Crist is on the decline because he's running out of money.
Clarke also said the undecided voters will most likely sway toward Rubio and Meek.
While Crist has a lot of independent support, he is falling short with big-time Democrats, according to Clarke.
Even though Crist was still a Republican earlier this year, Clarke said Rubio is probably going to receive 70 percent of Florida's Republican votes.
Meek is drowning. His message is completely wrong. He's playing to Obama and losing miserably. I even know local black families who just won't go to the polls because Meek's message is not the message of Americans.
I find it heartening the the black communities across our country are starting to wake up. My neighbor and his family are voting Republican for the first time in their lives, because they said they've had enough with the Liberals.
The Miami Herald endorsed Rubio this morning.
Ironically, it looks like the Democrat has doomed Charlie Crist.
gulp!
Is Rubio our chance to embrace the hard working, family orientated “Hispanic Americans”? I hope so. They are a natural fit for our movement.
The Gay Skunk gets his well deserved rebuke.
He’s is so disgusting...anyone walking around that tan (orange), at that age in the era of sunblock has some serious issues.
There will always be the lazy elements in any culture, but in general, Latinos should be considered part of the Republican party. The majority of Latin countries around the world are hard-working, Catholic, and pro-freedom. There are obviously outliers (Cuba, Venezuela), but I believe Rubio’s message is clearly conservative and should be lauded.
On an unrelated note, Rick Scott’s Lt. Gov. is Jennifer Carroll, a successful conservative black woman who should be watched very closely. She could be a BIG star in the Republican party for very obvious and other more subtle reasons.
“Only 24 percent of those polled favored raising the retirement age, while 68 percent opposed the idea.”
I personally like the idea, even though I know it’s an unpopular issue in Florida but...still surprised at how LOW the support is. Speaking for myself, God willing, and with a job available to me, I look forward to continuing in the work force for a long, long time. :=)
Senator Marco Rubio, sure do like the sound of that!
Ofcourse, the key step in this would be taking back our educational system. Without that step, we often lose second and third generations to the idea that they are a “minority” and somehow victimized by the EMW. (evil white man).
“...in general, Latinos should be considered part of the Republican party.”
I concur.
i haven’t decided if i would like Crist to beat Meeks, thus angering black democrats who see their white party members abandoning a solidly democrat black candidate to support an old white guy who up to 5 months ago was selling himself as a true conservative republican.
Or if I’d like to see Meeks beat Crist, just because Crist deserves to be completely humiliated politically, so he’ll never come back.
I have expected Crist's balloon to pop at some point. I still see this as a 50% Rubio, 30% Meeks, 20% Crist finish. It may be a 50% Rubio, 30% Crist, 20% Meeks finish, but if it is, it reflects a "race over party" dynamic in Florida's non-black Democrat constituency.
That Crist is pulling any numbers from Democrats is a surprise, because why would Democrats trust a former Republican? Crist may be an easy answer for "independents" and "moderates", but Rubio is so likable I don't think this is sustainable. How do you demonize someone like Rubio?
Therefore I think Crist's support is primarily coming from pro-choice moderate Republicans and moderates, liberals, and Democrats who are also racists.
All wrong.
"What people want in Florida is a strict Conservative Republican way
Hispanics (Latinos) have a 50% out of wedlock birthrate and over 50% school drop out rate. The majority of them are supporters of the Democrat Party, the party of free stuff. That is not going to change any time soon.
A Cuban guy running for the Senate and a black female for LG in Florida. Gee I thought the Republican party was for white males only.
Meek obviously has no chance. I have to wonder then why Clinton wasted his time making an appearance for him.
He seems to be sincere and forthright in his beliefs as opposed to the normal parsing and spinning that you get from most politicians. I hope he follows through in the Senate.
My fear is that the “October surprise” that the Dems come up with is to get Meek out of the race. They are desperate to keep Florida and their bag of dirty tricks has, in many states, consisted of putting a third party candidate in the race and entering them on the ticket as the “tea party candidate” even though the candidate is NOT backed by the tea party.
They may tear a page out of Obama’s book and win, not by offering up the best candidate, but by controlling who is on the ballot.
Hmm, tough, tough, call ...
I'll take the latter.
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