Charlie Crist, after weeks of speculation, will run independently for the U.S. Senate. If anyone were really in a rush to get instant cash loans to fill his opponents’ coffers they already have, as nobody was surprised. (Or possibly not?) Crist has the advantage of a long service record and greater recognition with the voting public in Florida.
Charlie Crist and the Republicans have broken up
In the wake of the Charlie Crist announcement, some Republicans are insisting he give any campaign funds he received while a Republican back to the party. Senator Jeff Cornyn(R-TX) is asking Crist, from USA Today, to return any political action committee funds to the GOP.
Independent is a gamble
Running as an independent can go several ways. According to an analysis by the New York Times, the biggest advantage Charlie Crist has within the Senate race is his name recognition. The other two candidates aren’t as well known. The Republican candidate Marco Rubio is a Tea Party preferred, but is seen as slightly moderate. He also is alleged to have used Republican Party funds for personal expenses. (A tea party person misusing funds? Never!)
Independents don’t always fare too well
So far, independent candidates haven’t had the greatest success. Bernie Sanders and Joe Liberman are the only current Independent Senators. You will find only 3 independent governors ever (Jesse Ventura ran with a party and doesn’t count) and one President. (George Washington had no party affiliation.) Third parties and independents don’t always fare that well. What does fare well is branding – and Charlie Crist is a fairly solid brand in Florida. This can be worth watching.
Resources for the article
USA Today
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2010/04/cornyn-to-crist-give-back-gop-campaign-cash-/1
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/us/politics/29cristcaucus.html
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