GOP Moderates Head For The Doors

Charlie Crist has left the republican party to run for senate as an independent in Florida. This is just another case of the republican party expunging the moderates of its party.

"The more complicated truth, say top GOP officials from both wings of the party, is that an ornery conservative base is expressing its disgust for Republicans who have both flagrantly defied the party and represent a distrusted political establishment."

What is sad is that the GOP is a party of "if you are different, get the hell out." So many moderate republicans are on the verge of extinction. And the trouble for the GOP is that with the "anti-incumbent" atmosphere right now, the gains they get in november will only embolden the radicals. So come 2012, they are going to nominate, in their primaries, radicals that are unelectable.

Florida GOP Senate Primary Put Into Perspective

Great quote on the GOP senate primary.

"I expect a scorched earth, smoking, radioactive wasteland, a postapocalypic Mad Max hellscape. That's what I expect,"

That would be par for the course with repubs.

Florida Senate Takes a New Turn

For those who haven't been watching too closely, the repub primary for the open Florida Senate seat just got more interesting.

First, Repub Governor Charlie Crist anounced his candidacy for the open senate seat. Crist is not liked by a block of the Florida conservative base because of his endorsement of Obama's stimulus plan. Crist even had a press conference with Obama in support of the stimulus.

Second, very conservative candidate Marco Rubio anounced he would also run for the seat. This pitts a moderate conservative versus a die-hard conservative. Just what the GOP doesn't want. (Why? Because moderate repubs have left the party in droves leaving only die-hards behind to vote in the primaries.)

Third, just this week Mike Huckabee and uber popular former gov Jeb Bush endorsed Rubio over Crist. Why is this importat? Well, Huckabee has national conservative street cred because of his presidential run and Jeb was hugely popular before he was ousted by term limits.

With these two biggies in Rubio's corner, they can turn out repub voters in droves to get the more conservative elected during the primary. This is good for dems because the overly conservatives have not been getting elected in moderate states.

Crist Annouces Candidacy for Florida Senate

Popular Florida Gov Charlie Crist has announced his intention to run for opening senate seat. The seat became vacant with Repub Mel Martinez noticed his party's future eternal minority status in the senate so he decided to get out. 

This is good news for repubs considering their horrible ability to recruit good candidates for the past 2 election cycles. He's popular and has got money. It is also bad. It opens up the governor just before the next census. 

Crist does not have an easy nomination. He angered the repub conservatives by supporting Obama's stimulus package and they are out to get him. 

I think this is not a good move for Crist. The repub part in washington, especially in the senate, has not reached rock bottom. The national repubs are not a popular bunch right now and especially in the senate. They are seen as obstructionists and the party of "No". He will be subjected to that type of politics where you has to tow the party line.

If he were to stay as governor for another 4 years, he can do a lot more from Florida. He has more control and say over an agenda. In the senate, he will be the Freshman senator with no power or seniority. He loses his independence in DC and will get dragged down as the repubs still squabble over where their party goes.