Governor Charlie Crist Seeks U.S. Senate Seat
Florida Republican Sets the Stage for a Historical Election
Crist announced that he will seek the U.S. Senate seat vacated by fellow Republican Mel Martinez via written statement rather than during a press conference. The governor’s office was trying to project the image of an executive whose main priority is running the state and who will not be distracted by his campaign.
This may well be a valid concern, as his announcement has unleashed a whirlwind of discussion and served as a catalyst for two out of the three Florida Cabinet members to announce that they will run for his seat, setting the stage for a historic election season.
Historical Implications of the Florida Elections
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, a Democrat, and Attorney General Bill McCollum, a Republican, have both begun campaigns to replace Crist. Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson is term-limited but he announced on May 21 that he will not be running.
This marks the first time in Florida history that all three Cabinet seats are open at the same time, as well as the first time that a Senate and governor’s race will not include any incumbents. The 2010 elections are also unique in that it will be the first Florida election since 1916 in which both the governor’s and Senate seats are open.
GOP Divided in Support of Crist
As soon as Crist made his announcement, he became the clear Republican frontrunner, ahead of Marc Rubio, former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Minutes after releasing his statement the National Republican Senatorial Committee, chaired by John Cornyn of Texas, endorsed him.
Republican support for Governor Crist is not uniform, however. He has been widely criticized by fellow members of the GOP for openly supporting President Obama’s federal economic stimulus package. While some Republican governors, including Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal, and South Carolina’s Mark Sanford, were extremely critical of the stimulus bill, even going so far as to reject some of the money directed towards their respective states, Charlie Crist eagerly accepted the money to attempt to plug some holes in the Florida budget in areas such as education and human services. Crist even campaigned with Obama in South Florida in the President’s attempt to boost public support for the stimulus bill.
He has also received criticism for putting his personal political ambitions ahead of the needs of the state of Florida, as well as those of the Republican Party. He was considered by many to be on the short list of potential running mates for Senator John McCain during his campaign for President, before he chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
In the past, Crist has supported limited stem cell research and opposed drilling for oil off the coast of Florida, positions which have put him at odds with many members of his party, but strengthened his position as a moderate Republican with broad appeal across party lines.
Crist’s announcement that he is running for Senate has opened up discussion as to whether or not he will be able to serve the rest of his term as governor without being distracted by his campaign. Some critics have argued that he should resign as governor because he will not be able to give Florida the attention that it needs in a time of crisis when the state is faced with enormous budget deficits, education spending that is ranked 49th in the U.S., one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation, and a homeowner’s insurance nightmare in which many Floridians have had their coverage dropped or their rates increased dramatically because of the state's history of devastating hurricanes.
References:
St. Petersburg Times, May 16, 2009
Associated Press, May 12, 1009
Charlie Crist's Official Website
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