- Florida GOP candidate Charlie Crist took cash from the wrong crowd. Insets: Scott Rothstein, Alan Mendelsohn, Harry Sargeant, all under investigation for corruption
Florida Governor Charlie Crist is under a cloud of suspicion as three of his close allies and top fundraisers are under investigation for fraud and possible illegal political fund raising activity.
Charlie Crist was anointed by the GOP Party elite. But many rank-and-file Republicans are uneasy with Crist who is seen as a colluder, corrupt, anunprincipled sell-out who will say anything to get elected,and cut unscrupulous deals that would make Florida constituents uncomfortable.
Like the 23rd congressional district in New York, this Florida race is creating controversy within the top ranks of the GOP. For an alternative, Florida Republicans are looking toward former Florida HouseRubio, a first-generation Cuban-American for this senate seat.
- Florida Republican senatorial candidate Marco Rubio
Indeed, Rubio received endorsements from Karl Rove, former political strategist for President George W. Bush, as well as from Senator Jim DeMint, Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey. Rubio also received endorsements from talk show hosts Mark Levin and Laura Ingraham, and from former Governors Jeb Bush Jr. (R-FL) and Mike Huckabee (R-AR) among others.
The primary election will be held August 24, 2010. Florida is a "closed" primary state, meaning that only voters officially registered as Republicans may participate in the Primary election between Crist and Rubio. Independent voters who want to influence this primary election must register as Republicans before theregistration deadline of July 26, 2010. Independent voters may then re-register as Independents for the general election as long as they do so before the general election registration deadline of October 4, 2010. If Crist wins the primary, Independents may then choose to vote for the Democrat Party nominee in the general election on November 2nd.
