Florida Senate Election 2010:Republican Marco Rubio Up by 10% of So-called Independent Charlie Crist … Rubio (R) 40%, Crist (I) 30%, Meek (D) 21%

Can an Independent candidate out of political convenience be trusted with any thing that say?

Following the Florida primaries, Republican Marco Rubio holds a 10% lead over Independent Charlie Crist and a 19% point lead over Democrat Kendrick Meek. In the first Rasmussen poll following primary day in the Sunshine state the voters stated the following, Rubio (R) 40%, Crist (I) 30%, Meek (D) 21%.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Florida shows Marco Rubio attracting 40% of the vote, while Charlie Crist picks up 30% in the race to become the state’s next U.S. senator. The new Democratic nominee Kendrick Meek earns 21% support.

This is the first poll of the race following Tuesday’s primary. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided.

In the last survey before the primary, it was Rubio at 38%, Crist at 33% and Meek 21%.

With a Kendrick Meek winning the Democrat primary, look for Democrat voters in FLA to flock more to him than the so-called Independent and Democrat-light candidate Charlie Crist. Obama and the DNC have been put in a bit of a situation as Crist has hinted that if he wins he would caucus with Democrats, yet how does a political party turn its back on the candidate that the voters chose in the Democrat primary?

Also, look for Marco Rubio to further gain support of Republicans and Independents as Crist is in no-mans land and these days does not even know what he would vote or stand for. This is what occurs when a politician becomes an “independent” out of political survival, rather their conviction.

Just the other day Florida News 13 asked Charlie Crist if he were in the Senate, would he have voted for or against Obamacare? Crist stated he would have voted for Obamacare.

When asked how Crist would have voted on the healthcare bill if in the Senate at the time, Crist responded by saying, “I would have voted for it. But I think it can be done better, I really do.”

Hours later, press releases from Crist’s challengers were sent out, touting Crist flip-flopping on the healthcare issue.

Marco Rubio’s campaign sent a press release saying, “In less than 30 days, Crist has gone from voting against the bill to voting for it to now being against it again.”

Kendrick Meek’s campaign released a similar e-mail, saying, “Obviously, the governor is having a crisis of memory.”

Then in a reversal of fortune,Crist states he misspoke. HOW CAN YOU MISSPEAK ON SUCH A SIMPLE AND OBVIOUS QUESTION? If Crist flip-flops LIED on whether he would only run as a Republican, why would the voters of Florida not think Crist would flip-flop on any issue? Crist is the poster child of exactly what Americans find so distasteful with today’s politicians. They will say anything, then back track on it when the heat is on to get a vote.

But now, Crist says he “misspoke” in that interview. His campaign sent out a statement Friday afternoon clarifying Crist’s position on the healthcare law.

“If I misspoke, I want to be abundantly clear: the health care bill was too big, too expensive, and expanded the role of government far too much,” Crist said in a statement. “Had I been in the United States Senate at the time, I would have voted against the bill because of unacceptable provisions like the cuts to the Medicare Advantage program.”

The campaigns of both Rubio and Meek are having an absolute field day with Crist’s flip-flop.

Crist has been on the Obama bandwagon touting the President for doing a good job. It is hard to believe in a state where 55% disapprove of the job that Obama is doing and only 46% approve, being seen shaking hands, hugging and in the corner of Obama can be a good thing come election day.

UPDATE I: Rasmussen shifts Florida US Senate race from toss up to leans Republican.