Florida US Senate Election: Republican Marco Rubio Distancing Himself from Crist (I) & Meek (D)

The US Senate race in Florida is becoming a two man race for second place between Democrat Kendrick Meek and so-called independent Charlie Crist.

The US Senate race in Florida is playing out how many predicted when turncoat Charlie Crist left the Republican primary to become an independent because he knew he could not win. Initially the polls showed that Crist was in the lead, but that would be short-lived. How was Crist going to run a campaign when he failed to garner votes with the support of the RNC against Rubio. Eventually, Democrats would support the Dem and republicans would support the GOP candidate, while independents moved to the right leaving Crist without  support.  Republican Marco Rubio is not only in the lead, he is starting to distance himself from both Meek and Crist. The real battle is for second place. (poll results here)

A statewide poll released Saturday night shows Republican Marco Rubio building on his lead over independent challenger Charlie Crist, while Democrat Kendrick Meek appears to be closing in on Crist in the closely-watched contest.

Rubio is favored by 40 percent of likely voters, up from 38 percent last month; Crist’s support has dwindled to 28 percent from 33 percent, according to the Mason-Dixon Research & Associates survey of 625 likely Florida voters. The margin of error is plus/minus 4 percentage points.

The poll found that Meek is gaining on Crist, with his support rising sharply to 23 percent of likely voters, up from 18 percent. Nine percent are undecided.

So why is Crist’s poll numbers falling?Democrats who once said they supported Crist are now turning to Meek. It is not as though the Democrat machine can turn their backs on Meek in this election for a Republican turned so-called independent. They already played and lost that game with Specter in Pennsylvania. Also, the independents are flocking to Rubio and Meek as well. Charlie Crist is learning a rim reality of running as an independent out of political expediency. Crist neither has a party or a voting constituency. Maybe because Crist does not have a message either, except trying to hand on to political power when the voters had said no.

Real Clear Politics average polling has Republican Marco Rubio up by double digits. Remember when the political experts said that Tea Party backed candidate Rubio could not win?

US Senate is in Play: The Top 10 Senate Races that Democrats Need to Worry About in 2010

Democrats could lose the US Senate, once unthought of, now a real possibility.

Just curious, when Scott Brown won in Massachusetts in the special election for the seat formerly held by the late Ted Kennedy, why didn’t all people think at that point that it was possible for Republicans to win in any state? The Massachusetts special Senate election represented the shot heard round the world and was the symbol that all things were possible. Think  Brown’s victory was a one hit wonder? Not at all,Brown is presently out-polling President Barack Obama and Senator John Kerry (MA-D)

Remember when the political pundits only said that the US House of Representatives was in play and Democrats feared that it could flip and control go back to the Republicans? Less than 60 days from the 2010 midterm elections and now many think that Democrats could lose the US Senate as well.

A terrible economy, near 10% unemployment, no jobs really being created, an unpopular $787 billion stimulus package, and unpopular Obamacare law passed,  an unpopular President Obama and a complicit Democrat party that passed numerous laws against the will of the people and the unpopular suing of a state on illegal immigration has all lead to the most improbable outcome … a complete sweep of Senate races and control by the GOP. The following are the top 10 US Senate races that Democrats need to worry about.

1. North Dakota (1): Get ready to ho-down with Republican John Hoeven (R); yes, we’re running out of Hoeven puns. Ranking: Solid GOP. [This race is over  Hoeven is up by over 40% in the polls]
2. Delaware (2): Does Mike Castle (R) survive his primary against Christine O’Donnell (R)? The GOP’s likelihood of winning this seat depends on it. Ranking (with Castle as nominee): Probable GOP.[This race is up in the air as who knows who will win the GOP primary? Castle is ahead in polls against the Democrat in a general election; however, he is a RINO at best. Can O'Donnell win the GOP primary, after all she is the real Republican in the race? If she does, can she wil the general election in a blue state?]
3. Arkansas (3): Bill Clinton campaigned this week for incumbent Blanche Lincoln (D), but it’s unlikely to change the dynamics of her race against John Boozman (R). Ranking: Probable GOP. [Probably GOP? Barack Obama has a better chance of providing tax cuts to the rich than Lincoln does of winning, she is down by 38% in the polls.]
4. Indiana (4): Speaking of being able to change the dynamics, Brad Ellsworth (D) hasn’t caught up to Dan Coats (R). Ranking: Probable GOP. [Republican Coats up by 21% over the Democrat, this seat is lost by the Democrats.]
5. Pennsylvania (5): After being dormant for the last couple of months, Joe Sestak’s (D) campaign has become more active, with Biden and Obama set to stump for him later this month. Right now, though, this is Pat Toomey’s (R) race to lose. Ranking: Lean GOP. [Not only is GOP candidate Toomey ahead in the polls, the Republican Gov. candidate Corbett is far outpacing the Democrats. It will be a clean sweep in the Keystone state.]
6. Illinois (7): The Alexi Giannoulias (D)-vs.-Mark Kirk (R) contest remains what we consider to be the truest 50%-50% race out there. Ranking: Toss Up. [Democrat candidate only gets 37% in the polling, hard to imagine that translates to a victory.]
7. Colorado(unranked): The Ken Buck (R)-vs.-Michael Bennet (D) race is close to being a pure 50%-50% race, too. Which force will be greater — the overall political environment, or the GOP’s woes in the state? Ranking: Toss Up. [The Democrat incumbent is only polling at 44%, far below the 50% usually considered needed.]
8. Nevada (8): Now we enter the contests where Democrats might have an advantage by a fingernail. But the Harry Reid (D)-vs.Sharron Angle (R) race is going to close. Fasten your seatbelts. Ranking: Toss Up. [Its a dead heat in Nevada; however, Harry Reid, the Democrat Senate Majority leader is polling below 50%. Do Nevada voters really want more in the same? Even though Reid wants to distance himself from Obama and the economy, Reid has been in lock step with Obama and is completely responsible.]
9. Wisconsin (unranked): As was the case in ‘98, Russ Feingold (D) is fighting for his political life. What makes this time more difficult for him is that this political environment is much different than ’98 was. Ranking: Toss Up. [Incumbent Democrat Feingold trails GOP candidate Johnson in the polls. The fact that a dark blue state like Wisconsin is even being discussed tells us just how much trouble the Democrats are in.]
10. Washington (10):If Republicans indeed catch a wave on Election Night, we’ll be pulling an all-nighter watching the returns from the Patty Murray (D)-vs.-Dino Rossi (R) race. Ranking: Toss Up. [Republican Dina Rossi has a 2% point lead in the post recent Rasmussen poll and incumbent Democrat Patti Murray is polling below 50%. If Washington goes, one would think that Democrats would lose control of the Senate.]

But wait, there is more an an honorable mention of even more states that Democrats have to worry about. Check out California and West Virginia, both also in fear of being lost by Democrats. As stated by First Read, it is quite amazing that Republicans have a better chance of flipping West Virginia’s Senate seat than Democrats have in picking up the one in Ohio.

Check out the Scared Monkeys analysis made in February 2010, seems like some were ahead of the MSM curve. At that point, even before many primaries were complete, we were stating a +9 for Republicans.

Mother Jones  importantly notes that there is not one Democrat gain on this list. This is literally unheard of. So many US Senate races and it is only the Democrats that are in fear of having seats flipped on November 2, 2010.

If Democrats think they have an issue in 2010 … 2012 does not appear to be much better. Check out some of the vulnerable races in 2012:

?WV – Robert Byrd is nor longer the Senator, this will be the vote for the 6 year term for whoever wins the 2010 special election.
?ND – Kent Conrad could be the victim of the anti-Obama vote.
?NE – Ben Nelson and the corn husker kickback. Payback will be on the minds of many and he just might be the Blanche Lincoln of 2012.
?FL – Bill Nelson and his preferential Obamacare deal
?VA – Jim Webb in newly “Red” Virginia like what swept Bob McDonnell into office.
?OH – Sherrod Brown in a swing state like Ohio in a Presidential year. How much of the vote against Obama will be a vote against Brown?
?PA – Robert Casey in a swing states that could trend against the incumbent President.
?NY – If Kirsten Gillibrand wins in 2010, will there be a strong GOP candidate like Rudy unseat her in 2012?

Charlie Crist, a Typical Politically Expedient Independent … Clarifying his Position Again on Obamacare

Crist is not an Independent, he is gutless.

Once again so-called independent US Senate candidate from Florida Charlie Crist is looking to clarify his position on Obamacare. What’s the matter, the first two times did not do the trick? Crist is having as much trouble clarifying his position on Obamacare as Barack Obama has had trying to sell the health care scam to the American people.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, running as an independent for the U.S. Senate, sought again to clarify his position on the healthcare overhaul, saying he would have voted against it but does not want a full repeal.

Does Crist really want to be allying himself with Obama in the Sunshine state?

In an interview on CNN, Crist said: “What we need to do is fix it.” Crist is running as an independent in a tough three-way race for the Florida Senate seat against Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) and Marco Rubio (R).

Crist, a Republican until early this year, came under fire last week for telling a Florida television station that he would have voted in favor of the Democratic healthcare bill had he been a sitting senator. He then walked back those comments, saying he “misspoke.”

Crist is proof positive why the American voter should never waste their time and vote for a gutless so-called independent who is merely doing and saying anything that he feels will get him elected. First Crist says that he will only run as a Republican for US Senate, LIAR. That was until he fell so far behind Marco Rubio in the polls. Suddenly, Crist becomes the independent man. Then Crist claims he is for Obamacare, only to backtrack this week and state that he misspoke. Now Crist says that he would not have voted for Obamacare but would not repeal it in full. Interestingly enough, 60% of Americans want Obamacare repealed entirely and 36% are opposed.

Crist also declined to say on CNN which party he would caucus with if elected. Oh really, even though he has hinted that he was open to caucus with democrats.  Crist and his lack of transparency to the voters should be a red flag for Republicans and Democrats to never vote for this political opportunist.

“I’m going to go the way that is best for them,” Crist said, referring to Florida voters. “I don’t have to say I’m going to caucus with the Democrats or the Republicans.”

CRIST, YOU GUTLESS POLITICIAN … GET OFF THE FENCE AND MAKE A CHOICE. CRIST IS THE POSTER CHILD FOR POLITICIANS WHO WANT IT ALL WAYS, NEVER MAKE A STAND SO THAT HE THINKS ALL THE VOTERS WILL LIKE HIM.

Presently, Republican Maro Rubio has a 10% point lead over Crist,  Rubio (R) 40%, Crist (I) 30%, Meek (D) 21%.

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.

Florida Senate Primaries: Democrat Meek Wins … BIG WINNER Tonight is Republican Marco Rubio & GOP Voter Turnout

The real winner tonight in Florida was Republican Marco Rubiowho ran virtually unopposed in the GOP US Senate primary. Think its not about voter turnout and who is more highly motivated to vote in 2010, think again. Voter enthusiasm is going to play a big roll this November and Democrats are on the wrong side of the poll.

Tonight in the Sunshine state, Florida US Senate candidate Kendrick Meek won the Democrat primary over billionaire Jeff Greene in a rout. This sets up what should be one of the most hotly contested and most watched Senate races of the midterm elections and a three way race between Marco Rubio (R), Kendrick Meek (D) and so-called independent Charlie Crist.

Prior to tonights primary wins Marco Rubio was gaining traction in the polls and in a recent PPP poll had surged into the lead, Rubio 40%, Crist 32%, Meek 17%. Just what had been predicted is starting to play out in the polls. Crist’s poll numbers are dropping as Democrats are backing their candidate and the GOP distances themselves away from the “independent man”.

Democrats will get their stronger candidate if Kendrick Meek wins the Florida Senate primary tonight as expected- but the biggest winner coming out of the primary may be Marco Rubio. PPP finds he would begin the general election in the lead at 40%, followed by Charlie Crist at 32%, and Meek at 17%. If Jeff Greene were somehow able to pull off the upset tonight it would be much closer with Rubio at 37%, Crist at 36%, and Greene at only 13%.

Democrats, be afraid, be very afraid. Massive GOP turnout in Florida tonight spells doom for Dems in 2010 midterm elections.

However, the huge winner tonight in Florida was not Meek who trounced his Democrat opponent. It was Marco Rubio who ran basically unopposed and actually received more votes that Meek. According to election results Rubio received over 1 million votes. The Republican voter turnout in FLA was simply amazing, a precursor of things to come this Fall in the 2010 midterm elections as Republican voters are much more highly motivated to vote than Democrats. Meek picked up a little over 500,000 votes and all the votes cast in the Democrat primary for US Senate did not equal the number of votes received by Rubio, who ran all but uncontested … look at Crist and Meek this November. One would suspect that there will be an even greater turnout for the midterm elections, can Rubio keep such momentum up with mass appeal by voters in such large numbers … the Magic 8 balls says, signs point to yes.

Look for the polls to widen with Rubio taking a commanding lead and Meek pealing off Crist votes following the primaries. Rasmussenpresently has the race Rubio 38%, Crist 33% and Meek 21%. RCPhas Rubio ahead in most every poll as well. A Meek victory was the worst thing that could happen for Crist and Democrats. Meek will hold on to the black and liberal vote in the Sunshine state as opposed to them wondering off and voting for Crist if Greene had picked up the Democrat nomination. Power Democrats are now going to have to campaign for Meek. Is Obama going to leave Meek out in the cold and abandon a fellow Dem? It would appear that all the hand shakes, hugs and praising of Obama by Crist were all for naught.

Come this November, the wide gap in the enthusiasm divide between Republican and Democrat voters is going to play a critical role in who wins the House, Senate, Governor and State Legislature races.