Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) has confirmed that he is considering an independent campaign for Senate.Indeed, Republicans are lining up to take their parting shots at Crist, warning him that he's done if he decides to make this a three-way race and split the vote among conservatives. The latest: Mitt Romney giving Crist something of an ultimatum: stay in the primary and lose like a man, or drop out and endorse Rubio. Running as an independent is not one of Crist's options, according to the GOP.
"I can tell you I'm getting a lot of advice in that direction," Crist told ABC Action News in Tampa. "I'm a listener and so I'm certainly listening to it,"
"The law gives you until April 30 to make such a declaration," Crist added. "And I'm gonna take my time and be as thoughtful as I think I need to be, and it should be for the people before making that decision."
So that leaves Crist in an interesting position. All indications are he's going to bolt any time now given the fact he's down 25 points and nobody in the GOP is giving him the time of day. Everyone has come out for Rubio. I think here the Republicans have made a terrible mistake: they haven't given Crist any reason to stay in the GOP and take his lumps. In fact, the GOP has done everything it can to make Charlie Crist the poster boy for Republicans that need to be purged from the party altogether (ask Joe Lieberman what happens then.)
As I've said before, the guy most wanting Crist to do this is the Democrat in all this, Kendrick Meek. He stands to benefit greatly from such a close race. We'll see what happens, but my gut is telling me Crist will change his party stripes before the end of the month deadline.
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