Crisped Crist

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) is contemplating an independent run for the U.S. Senate.  Down in the polls and likely to lose to the more conservative Marco Rubio in the primary election, Gov. Crist is unready to release his dreams of becoming a Senator.  Red Elephant welcomes him to run as an independent if he withdraws from the August Republican primary election.

It is unacceptable for Gov. Crist to somehow engineer a way to stay in the GOP primary while laying the groundwork for an independent candidacy in the general election ballot if, or when, he loses to Mr. Rubio. Just as it was poor conduct by Doug Hoffman to run as an independent for the U.S. House of Representatives after losing in the GOP primary in NY's 23rd congressional special election, so would it be in bad form for Gov. Crist to replicate the actions of a sore loser.

Primary elections exist so that voters may chose in which direction they want their party to go, and in which candidate they entrust to lead their party.  Gov. Crist may have decided he cannot lead the GOP.  If that is the case he should step aside in favor of Mr. Rubio.  If Gov. Crist thinks he can lead the state as an independent U.S. Senator he's free to make that choice, so long as he does not try to have his cake and eat it too.  Gov. Crist does not deserve to be a Republican candidate and later an independeant candidate after the party rejects him at the polls.

Why Gov. Crist finds himself in this predicament is another matter.  The situation he finds himself is what it is. What Gov. Crist does next will define him as a politician.  Given it is unlikely he wins the GOP primary election, Gov. Crist may need to come to terms with the fact that the career path he desires is out of reach for the moment, but forever out of reach by making the wrong decision.