Charlie Crist has dropped out of the Republican Party to run as an independent for the U.S. Senate. If everyone were really in a rush to get no faxing payday loan to fill his opponents’ coffers they already have, as not a soul was surprised. (Maybe they will?) Crist has a long service record in Florida, and he is fairly popular there.
Charlie Crist and also the Republicans have broken up
In the wake of the Charlie Crist announcement, some Republicans are insisting he give any campaign funds he received when a Republican back to the party. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) made pleas within the press for Crist to return any funds from the PAC (Political Action Committee) which were given for his potential Senate campaign, and any requested funds back to donors, as outlined by USA Today.
Independent is a gamble
Running independently can backfire. Name recognition is the biggest asset Charlie Crist has, as outlined by the New York Times. He’s already well known to Floridians, whereas the other two candidates don’t have his lengthy record or popularity. His Republican opponent, Marco Rubio, has popularity among tea party types, but is thought to be a bit moderate for their taste. He also allegedly used party funds for personal expenses. (Misuse of funds by a Tea Party person? That could not happen!)
Independents do not always fare too well
Independent candidates don’t have the best track record historically. You will find two current independent Senators, Bernie Sanders and Joe Liberman. There are only 3 independent governors ever (Jesse Ventura ran with a party and doesn’t count) and one President. (There was no party affiliation of George Washington.) History doesn’t side with independents. However, branding does – and that’s what Charlie Crist has. 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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