The Next Hoffman Effect: FL-Gov

Rick Scott's Republican primary win for Charlie Crist's job as Governor of Florida may be rather Pyrrhic as Scott has made a lot of enemies spending $50 million of his own money buying the candidacy.

Scott spent $50 million on the race to take down the party establishment's choice, state Attorney General Bill McCollum -- much of it on attack ads against McCollum. And so far, McCollum is not endorsing Scott. His campaign said that McCollum's endorsing Senate nominee Marco Rubio and other GOP candidates, but isn't mentioning Scott.

In fact, McCollum's written concession statement didn't even name Scott -- McCollum only acknowledged his own defeat, and thanked everyone who supported his campaign. "This race was one for the ages. No one could have anticipated the entrance of a multi-millionaire with a questionable past who shattered campaign spending records and spent more in four months than has ever been spent in a primary race here in Florida," McCollum wrote. "While I was disappointed with the negative tone of the race, I couldn't be more proud of our campaign and our supporters for fighting back against false and misleading advertising when we were down by double-digits."

The problem is Scott's history with his company paying a nearly two billion dollar fine for medicare fraud in a state like Florida.

There had been hints of this before primary day. In an interview last week with the NBC affiliate in southwest Florida, McCollum was asked whether he would endorse Scott in the event that the businessman won the primary. "I would sit down with him. I won't say I won't endorse him," said McCollum. "But I've got more questions about him and his character, and whether he's suitable to be governor than anyone I've ever had participate in any election in the years I've been running for public office."

And oh yes, there's already an independent in the race and in the general, Scott is losing to Democrat Alex Sink.

The TPM Poll Average has Sink leading Scott by 38.8%-30.5%, plus 11.0% for independent Bud Chiles, going into the general election. Should be a fun race.

Indeed.   Rick Scott may have just Hoffmaned his way to putting Sink in the Governor's mansion.  More power to her.

Republicans, what were you thinking?