Poll-itics: Both Crist and McCain leading

By GottaLaff

Those Tea Baggers just can't seem to find a winning candidate.

First a peppering of McCain:

A new DailyKos/Research 2000 poll in Arizona finds Sen. John McCain (R) leading primary challenger J.D. Hayworth (R), 48% to 36%.

In general election match ups, McCain leads Rodney Glassman (D). 48% to 35%. If Hayworth is the GOP nominee, he just edges Glassman, 43% to 42%.

Add a dash of Crist:

A new Mason Dixon poll in Florida finds Gov. Charlie Crist (I) leading a three-way race for U.S. Senate with 38%, followed by Marco Rubio (R) at 32% and Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) at 19%.

Now a splash of sour:

Key finding: "More than half of Crist's supporters are Democrats, who overwhelmingly approve of his defection from the GOP and recent veto of a controversial teacher tenure bill."

Pollster Brad Coker thinks these numbers will change, unless the Dems somehow turn on Meek. It's about name recognition.

And there we have it: A recipe for 2010 election fun. Stir it up, shake like crazy, bring to a boil, and bam!

So this is how the GOP makes money....

By GottaLaff

So this is how they do it:

Help the Republican Party of FL Get Our Money Back!

Click on images to enlarge:



Here's how they describe the painting. These are some hot selling points:

Privately Commissioned, High Quality, One of a Kind, Genuine Oil Painting on Fine Linen Canvas

★Canvas is naturally sensitive to changes of temperature and humidity, just as the Charlie Crist’s political convictions are subject to fluctuations in poll numbers.

★Depending upon variety of conditions, the stretch canvas may periodically lose and regain tautness, much like Charlie Crist periodically loosens or regains positions on a variety of issues.

★Ornate gold frame made of manufactured wood, similar to the fabricated conservative values of the politician depicted within.

Estimated Value – PRICELESS!

(originally commissioned and purchased by the Crist/Greer RPOF administration)

H/t: Taegan

Poll-itics: Crist Grabs Lead in Early Poll

By GottaLaff

The Tea Tantrumers will start their whining in 5...4..3...2...:

A new McLaughlin & Associates poll in Florida shows Gov. Charlie Crist (I) leading the U.S. Senate race with 33%, followed by Marco Rubio (R) at 29% and Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) at 15%.

Interestingly, the poll shows Crist taking more votes from Meek than Rubio. Crist actually does better with Democrats than Meek, with 41% of them saying they would vote for him compared to 31% for Meek.

However, the Dems will whine, too. Okay, Kendrick, start kicking some serious butt, stat!

AUDIO: Could Charlie Crist be reminding us he's... pious?

By GottaLaff

Going independent... Charlie Crist makes his announcement. Photo: AP

Charlie Crist sure rammed his holiness down our throats during his "I am now running for Senate as a Not Really Independent, but okay, yeah, I'm an Independent" announcement. He used the God name in vain nine times.

A friend of mine generously edited this audio for me to share with you. Exhibit A:



Thank God that speech is over.

VIDEO- Crist Switcheroo: "Our political system is broken"

By GottaLaff

Via The Daily Beast:

It's official: Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida will be running for the U.S. Senate as an independent. "[The people have] had enough of political fighting," he said. "They're tired of the games and the name-calling and the politics of destruction." CNN

Sources: Crist to run as Independent

By GottaLaff

Via an e-mail alert from Fox. So far, this is all they are reporting:

Charlie Crist to Run as Independent in Florida Senate Race, Sources Tell Fox News

But will it do any good....

U.S. attorney, IRS, FBI investigating Florida GOP, including Marco Rubio

By GottaLaff

Mmm, I love the smell of corruption in the morning.

Back in March, I posted about Marco Rubio's Code Red status. Let's reminisce:

Code Red:

Marco Rubio was barely solvent as a young lawmaker climbing his way to the top post in the Florida House, but special interest donations and political perks allowed him to spend big money with little scrutiny.

About $600,000 in contributions was stowed in two inconspicuous political committees controlled by Rubio, now the Republican front-runner for the U.S. Senate, and his wife.

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald did a blow-by-blow analysis of Rubio's expenses and wow. A must-read. Here's a teaser:

• Rubio failed to disclose $34,000 in expenses — including $7,000 he paid himself — for one of the committees in 2003 and 2004, as required by state law.

• One committee paid relatives nearly $14,000 for what was incorrectly described to the IRS as "courier fees" and listed a nonexistent address for one of them. Another committee paid $5,700 to his wife, who was listed as the treasurer, much of it for "gas and meals."

• He billed more than $51,000 in unidentified "travel expenses'' to three different credit cards — nearly one-quarter of the committee's entire haul.

Now it seems it's Code Scarlet. The U.S. Attorney's office, the FBI, and the IRS are involved:

Federal law enforcement agencies have launched a criminal investigation into the use of American Express cards issued by the Republican Party of Florida to elected officials and staff, according to sources familiar with the inquiry.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Tallahassee, the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service are all involved in the inquiry, which grew out of the state investigation into former House Speaker Ray Sansom.

Oh, but it gets more interesting. Let's play a game. I shout, "Marco!", you answer, "Rubio!" every time you smell a scandal. Ready? Marco!

The IRS opened the so-called "primary'' investigation into Rubio, the leading Republican candidate for Florida's open U.S. Senate seat, and the two former state GOP officials to see if there's enough evidence to support a full-fledged criminal inquiry, according to a source familiar with the IRS examination.

Rubio!

One more time... Marco!

At this stage of the IRS investigation, agents are looking at federal tax records, state financial disclosure forms and other documents to see whether Rubio, Greer and Johnson may have personally benefited from using their GOP American Express cards without reporting or paying taxes on additional income.

Rubio!

Between Crist and Rubio, Florida's getting all kinds of free publicity.

H/t: Markos

Sources: Crist Will Run as an Independent

By GottaLaff

The "big tent" Rushpublic party is very skilled one thing: pushing members right out of that big tent. You're either far right or you're wrong... except in the states in which being a not-extremist pays off.

Apparently Florida isn't one of those:

"Reliable sources" tell the Southern Political Report that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) "is preparing to announce sooner rather than later that he will leave the GOP and continue his run for Senate as an independent. Sources add that the speech Crist will use in his announcement is now being drafted."

"The only thing that likely would stop a Crist independent run now is for the pressure from disillusioned Republicans and longtime Crist supporters to put so much pressure on him not to run at all that he relents. That pressure is mounting almost by the hour. Or that pressure could only speed up his party switch."

Maybe he can initiate a Florida for Crist Party. I'm sure Joe Lieberman would be more than happy to give him a few pointers.

Rubio's "special interest donations & political perks allowed him to spend big money with little scrutiny"

By GottaLaff

Why what have we here? Marco! Polo! Keep waving that flag!

Ahem, calling all Marco Rubio opponents: Code Red:

Marco Rubio was barely solvent as a young lawmaker climbing his way to the top post in the Florida House, but special interest donations and political perks allowed him to spend big money with little scrutiny.

About $600,000 in contributions was stowed in two inconspicuous political committees controlled by Rubio, now the Republican front-runner for the U.S. Senate, and his wife.

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald did a blow-by-blow analysis of Rubio's expenses and wow. A must-read. Here's a teaser:

• Rubio failed to disclose $34,000 in expenses — including $7,000 he paid himself — for one of the committees in 2003 and 2004, as required by state law.

• One committee paid relatives nearly $14,000 for what was incorrectly described to the IRS as "courier fees" and listed a nonexistent address for one of them. Another committee paid $5,700 to his wife, who was listed as the treasurer, much of it for "gas and meals."

• He billed more than $51,000 in unidentified "travel expenses'' to three different credit cards — nearly one-quarter of the committee's entire haul.

Ouch, this is painful. But in a good way.

Rubio's high-roller political spending belies his image as an outsider riding a wave of antiestablishment fervor and gunning to knock off Gov. Charlie Crist for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination. A Times/Herald review of other legislators' committees shows they typically contributed far more to other candidates and reported vastly fewer credit card payments.

This can't end well, I just know it.

Campaign adviser Todd Harris:

"Marco put his on a credit card and the other guys put theirs on a debit card. So sue us."

Don't tempt us.

Um, not so sure he can. Not any more.

No back wax for Rubio

By GottaLaff

See? Now this is whatcha call "real news":

Florida Senate hopeful Marco Rubio never charged a back wax to his Republican Party of Florida credit card, his campaign spokesman told CNN Tuesday, rebutting Gov. Charlie Crist's curious allegation about his Republican primary rival's grooming habits.

HairGate solved! Or is it BackGate? Or WaxGate? GateGate? WaxWax? Oh stop...

Rubio's spokesman Alex Burgos has the details:

"Marco paid $20 for a haircut with a razor on the neck, and he bought some items that went into a silent auction, including gift certificates," he said.

Whew! What would we have done had we not known that?!

I think what we need is a good old fashioned suh-nap! Why, here comes one now!

As for the back wax claim: "Charlie Crist's obsession with making up things about other people's grooming habits is bizarre for anyone, especially the sitting governor of Florida," Burgos said.

"It's also a shame he cares more about what's in Marco's personal bills than what's in the stimulus bill he supported."

Crist Ready to Leave Republican Party?

By GottaLaff

Independents are all the rage this year. Just ask Michael Smerconish:

The Hill makes the case that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R), trailing badly in a tough Republican primary, is more and more likely to run for Senate as an independent.

Crist has recently stood up for President Obama on Fox and Friends and is beginning to defend the stimulus once again. He has also "parted ways with some key campaign staff" over the past few weeks.

Wave bye bye to the Party of No, Charlie.

AUDIO: Charlie Crist Recording Sends Callers to Sex Line

By GottaLaff

Don'tcha just hate when that happens?

In a message callers hear when they get put on hold after calling Gov. Charlie Crist, Crist transposes a couple of numbers and turns the phone number for Florida KidCare into the number you’d call for “hot, horny girls.”

The Family Values party strikes again!

Crist v. Crist

By GottaLaff

Oops. Short memory, eh Charlie?

"It's getting harder every day and we know that it's important that we pass this stimulus package."

-- Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R), at a rally with President Obama on February 10, 2009.

"I didn't endorse it. I didn't even have a vote on the darned thing."

-- Crist, in a CNN interview yesterday.

Poll-itics: Charlie Crist Approval Plummets in Florida

By GottaLaff

::elevator doors shut:: Going down, puh-lee-uz... lingerie... sundries... Crist...

A new insiderAdvantage poll in Florida finds that Gov. Charlie Crist's (R) statewide popularity has dipped below the halfway mark for the first time. His job approval is now 48% after months of having ratings in the 60- to 70-percent range.

Pollster Matt Towery said he "was somewhat taken aback" by the numbers. [...]

Meanwhile, the St. Petersburg Times is hearing interesting "buzz" about an unreleased poll that may show Crist's lead shrinking in the Republican Florida U.S. Senate race.

... basement....

Crist will not appoint himself to Senate seat

By GottaLaff

FYI:

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday he would not appoint himself to fill the remaining time left in Sen. Mel Martinez's, R-Florida, Senate term.

Crist, who is running for Martinez's seat, would not speculate on who he might appoint to fill the remaining term, but the governor also noted that "there is not a long list of candidates" for the position.

There ya go... See what Sarah the Quitter started?

Florida senator Mel Martinez to resign seat immediately

WTF?

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Florida, will announce that he is resigning his seat, three Republican sources have told CNN.

Earlier this year, Martinez said he would not run for re-election in 2010. Under Florida law covering a Senate resignation, Republican Gov. Charlie Crist will get to appoint a successor until the next general election. Crist himself is running for that seat.

VIDEO: "Quitters"-- DSCC ad links Palin, Crist, Ayotte

By GottaLaff

The DSCC has a new ad:

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, and New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte all have something in common: they all promised to serve the people of their state, and they've all reneged on that promise to advance their careers.

Sarah the Quitter: The gift that keeps on giving.

Jeb Bush, Huckabee to endorse Rubio for Florida Senate seat

Huge slap in the face for Crist, but good for us. Anything that will keep pushing out the moderates makes me happy.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has rolled out a succession of endorsements from national Republicans since announcing his entrance into the 2010 Senate race.

Now his Republican primary rival, former Florida House speaker Marco Rubio, has a national endorsement of his own from a conservative heavyweight: Mike Huckabee.

The former Arkansas governor will formally endorse Rubio in about two weeks, according to a Florida Republican familiar with the plans. The details of where the endorsement will take place have not been decided.

(snip)

Huckabee's political action committee accidentally revealed the endorsement plans in an email to supporters on Tuesday evening that solicited donations for "candidates for Senate Huck PAC endorses."

"Candidates such as Marco Rubio of Florida," the e-mail said.

Rubio's campaign picked up another endorsement closer to home on Wednesday, that of Jeb Bush, Jr., the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

It’s War: Conservative Candidate Uses Image Of Obama To Attack Moderate GOPer

The Republican cannibalism has started! Nummy. Via Greg.

Fla. Gov. Crist to announce Senate bid Tuesday

By GottaLaff

Crist almighty:

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will announce Tuesday in Tallahassee that he will run to replace retiring Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), sources tell The Hill.

Crist will become the instant front-runner in both the August Republican primary and the general election in November. He is also one of two top-tier recruits the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has landed for an open seat, giving chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas) a weapon in the arsenal he can use to woo other strong candidates into other contests. GOP strategists are also excited about ex-Rep. Rob Portman (R), who is running for an open seat in Ohio. [...]

But Crist is unlikely to skate through the GOP primary unharmed. Though widely popular throughout the state, Crist has irked conservatives throughout his career, most recently by supporting President Obama's economic stimulus package. [...]

And Crist already has repair work to do; a poll conducted in early April by the independent Mason-Dixon firm showed 18 percent of Republicans would definitely not vote for Crist, just five points shy of the 23 percent who said they definitely would vote for the governor. [...]

Florida political watchers warn Rubio is not someone to be taken lightly. A protege of former Gov. Jeb Bush (R), Rubio has a strong base in South Florida among Cuban Republicans, and he is likely to get help from some more conservative organizations in Washington and around Florida who see Crist as insufficiently on their side. [...]

If Crist does win the Republican primary, he will face the winner of a Democratic contest that so far features Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) and State Sen. Dan Gelber (D). Most observers believe Meek leads the pack, given his strong fundraising performance in the first quarter, when he reported $1.6 million cash on hand.