(CNN) - MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, is leaving open the possibility of running for outgoing Florida Sen. Mel Martinez's seat in 2010.
The host of "Morning Joe" told the Sarasota Herald Tribune he's been fielding calls from several Florida Republicans urging him to run. "I haven't closed it off," he told the paper in an article published Monday. "I've been getting some calls from some fundraisers in Florida."
But Scarborough added he may have more influence now as a cable talk-show host than as Florida's junior senator.
Still, the race may be among the most high-profile and hard-fought Senate battles in 2010. Since former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced earlier this month he was not interested in running for the seat, state Republicans have been looking to field another high-profile candidate. Democrats are also scrambling to find a well-known candidate after Alex Sink, the state’s chief financial officer, said she would not run.
But Scarborough, who served as a congressman for six years in one of Florida's most conservative districts, angered many in his party during the 2008 election for not appearing to support the GOP more enthusiastically.
"I have been bashing my party more than the Democratic Party because I want to make sure that I am fair and down the middle," Scarborough said last year.
From CNN Politics
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Anybody but that RINO Charlie Christ!
Rush Limbaugh II
Lush and Joe have much in common, they should do lunch.
Winning an election with this hot-head, not so much.
what a sad commentary to our government "Scarborough added he may have more influence now as a cable talk-show host than as Florida's junior senator." Just goes to show why the republicans in Washington get their marching orders from Rush.. sad sad sad
yeah right....just another disgruntled Rep. Go for it big boy...you'll get beat!
poor florida.....what an idiot this man is.....lets hope the people of florida are smarter than most people give them credit for. wake up america this man is an idiot.....a white obama he is!
So does he think people forgot about his fisaco in Florida where the intern got killed by somebody and the inept ME said she committed suicide. You know like, she bashed her own head against something not once......BUT TWICE.
Joe is one of the few Republicans from the Contract with America era with scruples. I started out hating his guts, and now I kinda like him.
If I were a Floridian conservative, I'd vote for him.
You people in Florida better think, and think clearly. You have just made a great decision by going blue this last election even if you weren't dems, and the last thing you need is to go backwards. I don't care how known Joe scarborough is, or how conviencing he might be to you that he challenges his party, and that there "mad at him", and all that crap. It's just politics. In a time where republicans are in the dog house, the plan is make people think they have candidates who are more moderate, and not so hardline, so they got people like Joe, and charlie crist who lie and say they go against there own party, and are fair and balanced, just so when they do get elected, can be the republicans you and everyone else hates again. This conservatives could never be trusted, so please, don't you start doing it now. Just you remember bush, and cheney and those horrible 8 years for a while, then make your decision. Do not let this republican war cry guide you, just look at our country now, and remember that they did this to us.
Just what Washington needs, another giant, pompous head in the Senate...
The only time I watch his show is when he is absent. He is outspoken, arrogant, obnoxious and has a BIG MOUTH. Scarborough isn't even entertaining or insightful. Just a has-been with a talk show. Now he is a has-been wanna-be. Dangerous combination.
Joe Scarborough seems to be a middle of the road person. The republican party needs more people like him. If he really can be honest and not play politics as usual, I wish him well. The country needs more middle of the road people in power. The extremists of both party have done enough damage.
If it gets Joe off of "morning joe" it might be worth it. That program would be soooo much better without him.
DON'T DO IT JOE, this is NOT the 80s and 90s anymore. You are just asking for another butt-kicking in the 21st Century.
Please don't give up your day job. The Senate is NOT for you anymore. You've had your chance and it's time to let it go.
This guys seems like a hot head. Somthing he said makes him seem racist also. Not too sure about morning Joe.
Seriously? Who cares?
A free thinker on cable, will he be going to Rush for his marching orders?
Well that's just great, another slime-bucket running for the Senate. No wonder he was so hard on Barack on "Morning Joe". I mean, I could tell he was jealous, but I didn't think he had an ulterior motive. Now I know, he's RUNNING FOR OFFICE, the snake.
I watch his show for the GUESTS only. Joe Scarborough is a tool. He whines all the time and says just enough to keep the Dems at bay. But he's really a wanna-be-Rush. Well we're on to him.
Also, he was so jealous of Barack, but at the same time you knew he wanted to be Barack. Now he's running for the Senate because he's thinking about being president. He's a SNAKE in the worst way.
Good, get him off Morning Joe. I'm tired of his endless, senseless whinings
Oooo, maybe Olbermann will run in New York in 2010.
Joe is entertaining on his show........but it would be hard to take him seriously as a candidate for the senate. He's a little hot headed at times, and has said some things on the air that would come back to bite him in the butt if he ran for office again.
Let's call a spade a spade. This man is a racist, and if you listen to him you see what I mean. He's also an egotistical pig, but a racist is bad enough.
I can't stand him and I will be sending money to his opponent, whoever that might be.
I put him in the same catogory as Huckabeast, and Limbreath. So now I'm naming him Joe Scarboil the Racist Pig.
Marge, what does Joe Scarborough have to do with your comment? How was that "his" fiasco?
"Morning Joe" is one of the most negative commentators on the news. This guy still worships Gingrich. I hope that he does run, so his boring morning show gets canceled. Morning Jerk is a more appropriate title for his show.
I thought the wicked witch of the West or in this case East was Dead?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz We need Joe in the Congress like we need a hole in the head.
Racist Joe Scarborogh–what a laugh. Tell him to go sign up with David Duke and leave decent people alone.
Although he'd definitely "fit in", I think rehab would be more beneficial !
This lipless wonder doesn't deserve to be on TV, much less in the Congress. He's a spineless, lipless Frank Burns who gets on my last nerve. I hate it when he's on the show, and it's his show. I think his casts and guests are so much better than this fool. I can't stand his guts, he makes me want to puke. I wish his wife would have another baby so he would leave the show for another two weeks.
Hey Joe, go find some lips and don't come back.
What's going on? We've got porn starts running for offices, eBay execs, and now T.V. hosts? This isn't a popularity contest, or see who has the most money to buy a seat contest, it's people's lives. How can these folks possibly understand how to help the economy, seriously?
Another liberal just what we need.
no...
You are kidding right? (rolling on the floor laughing so hard it brings tears to my eyes!) This guy doesn't even have influence as a commentator let alone a Senator...good luck Floridians.
I l enjoy watching good morning Joe. However, you are neither a democrat or a republican. I don't think you could take a firm stand in the senate as a republican. You may want to keep your day job.
This Joe The Dumber could not represent my frog. He is racist and the biggest pig around. His parents must have been the biggest racists on the block because Joe talks like he's living in the 1950's. What a tool.
Joe hates people of color, big time.
morning joe is a idiot and racist i can't stand him the only reason i watch morning joe is to see any of my Presidents stories.
Just have Rush Limbaugh run for it...
"Say it ain't so, Joe"?
I don't see Joe as a Rush Limbaugh II. I thought the Republicans rolled him out like an old wagon wheel for not just going along with party politics. If memory serves me, he seemed to feel that he was there to do a job as a public servant. You know, kind of like President Obama sees himself as a public servant.
I have watched Morning Joe, and don't agree with him always. But, when he seemed to be appalled at Rush Limbaugh saying he wanted President Obama to fail, I figure Joe can't be all bad.
If the Repubs ran him out of Washington, he must be okay.
Keep in mind this is the guy who quit congress mid-term causing his district unnecessarily to spend a lot of money replacing him. He says he quit to spend more time with his family yet took a high profile job with a large prominent Florida law firm and then started his TV career. When he ran for congress it was all apple pie, baseball and family values yet that didn't stomp him from finding another wife. Joe only does what is good for Joe.
I don't agree with Joe much, but I watch his show everyday, he has excellent guests and numerous opinions from both sides.
Run Joe Run!!!!!
Great. He can run for the presidency and have the following people in his cabinet:
Vice President: Rush Limbreath
Sec of State: David Duke
Dec of Defense: Sean Hannity
Sec of Energy: The Unibomber
Sec of Housing: Huckabeast
Sec of Commerce: Anita Bryant (He needs a woman to pretend he's diverse)
Reading these comments the people are a bunch of morons. It shows big time. If he chose to run as a Democrat , the same people that made comments would praise him. It shows how peopple hate the Republicans and not the man for what he is.
Joe would make a great Senator as a Democrat or Repuplican.
He's witty, intelligent and speaks well. That's more than I can say of some of the yoyo's we got in congress tyoday. Go get em Joe.
Why not Limbo?
Draft Rush!
Let him put his money where his mouth is.
Oh no, not another whiner. Poor Joe, all he ever does is whine about this or whine about that. That's all Republicans need. He will fit right in.
Would Joe stop Bloomberg and the MTA from increasing fares ??!!
ITS MY BEST WISH HE RUNS. HES JUST LIKE ANOTHER GOP. COUNTRY SECOND . HE IS GONNA LOSE IT FOR SURE. FLORIDA'S SMATER
To "tag"
They're not. Floridians are the dumbest voters on the planet. The further north you are from Miami, the further south you get, and weirder too.
Yeah, we really want Joe the lipless doughboy wonder for our Senator–NOT.
Forget about it, Joe!
You can continue to take swipes at the president on cable tv.
I like Joe. That is hard for me to say, since I am a democrat. What I like about joe is that he seems not to be a ideologue. He would do what would be in the best interest of Florida, not what would be in the best interest of the Republican party or himself. He could have me fooled though,.
Hasn't he been there done that, while it may be nice to get some new moderate blood in I'm not sure Joe would like the pay cut. And Mika, with her ever changing opinions would be jobless. Anyway Florida your state looked so good in Blue on election night, go all the way and elect a democratic senator.
Joe WHO?!? Sorry dude – Mickey or Minnie Mouse have a better shot at getting elected than Joe "Dopey" Scarborough!
Yes, anchoring MSNBC morning news analysis program has raised Joe's stock.
Now the question is whether Joe Scarborough will forego all that well earned credibility to hang out with a bunch of Republican losers. I would suggest Joe don't do it.
The Republican Party's colossal fall from grace is not over. Things won't get better for the GOP until after their next two shellacking in 2010 and 2012. This is because the Republicans won't learn the reason they are failing until after 2012.
it does my heart good to read these comments. i thought i was the only one who despised Scarborough with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns.
Truth Commision Yes
He's one of the biggest racists on air. Please Floridians vote NO. I'm sure all of my family members down in the sunshine state will NEVER vote for him.
Am I the only liberal who likes Joe? At least when he speaks his right wing jargon he makes a little sense. Some right wingers make stuff up as they go along, Joes not that bad. Plus, I think he's always high when he's on the air...that make's me like him a little more...ya know?
While I wouldn't vote for him myself, at least here's one celebrity TV candidate who has some experience.
Traitor! I highly doubt anyone from MSNBC will have the support of any Republicans.
The last time this joker made headlines it was when he let fly with the f-bomb during the morning news.
Cant wait until Joe gets "Limbaugh-ed" and shamed away.
I guess any old elohssa can run for office, but this is a joke and will be a disgrace to the office if elected. I'd say that after all the crooks who have been in the U.S. Senate it takes quite a bit to disgrace the office.
I'm sick of hollywood icons with no more common sense than my goldfish turning to politics as a step to further their careers. This guy is useless.
Well, if stupid democrats can vote for an idiot like Al Franken, and ACORN can register Mickey Mouse to vote, it seems like Scarborough has a shot.
Good. That means the American people won't be forced to listen to him bully Mika and his guests. CNN is 100 times better in the morning.
Great, all we need is another arrogant jerk in the senate in Florida. Hopefully, his obnoxious television show will stroke his ego enough to keep him from running.
Not a chance Joe, Martinez is going to resign and Crist is going to appoint himself. Then Alex Sink will become Governor and Martinez will have a losing attemp to become governor. Then Florida will again become a thriving state with prosperity for all and not just GOPER"S.
You can call the Morning JOkE a lot of things but "fair and down the middle" ain't one of 'em.
Fascist...
The last person the state of Florida needs representing them is Joe Scarborough! You are telling me Florida can't come up with someone better than that!
Scarborough wouldn't know the TRUTH if it bit him in the #ss.
Good luck with that! Poor Florida.
Joe needs to take a leave from his MSNBC job.
This revolving door between the news media and public is destroying what little is left of the credibility of the news media. They are too cheap to hire real investigative journalists and instead pay the talking head, politician wanna-bes to fill up their air time.
Chris Matthews is running for the Senate from Pennsylvania, now Scarborough is running from Florida. Bill Bennett is a phony and major Republican hack but he is on CNN as some sort of respected commentator. Patrick Buchanan has run for President I don't know how many times... and the news media just takes him back, puts him on the air, and lets him grind all of his axes.
And, folks, by the way, all this stuff about "everyone is putting pressure on me to run" is a huge lie and faux journalists are playing us for fools when they repeat this. These guys have huge egos. All this "pressure" they are getting comes from a buddy who says "Yeah, dude, that would be cool if you were a senator."
Is it me or is there a blur between entertainment and politics?
Please dont be stupid.People of Florida,stop the insanity,his genes tell a story and an awful one at that.He could be related to limbaugh, the born loser.
Is it possible he can afford to become a senator after making millions as a political pundit (albeit not a fair one).
I am not a registered Republican, but if Scarborough runs I will sign up to work for his campaing.
I use to watch Morning Joe every morning.....but I am now so SICK of the negative comments from Joe Scarbrough.....I'll watch any other news morning show......I remember someone telling me years ago.... If you can't say something nice....better you say nothing at all
That was close. When I saw TV host in the headline, I originally thought Oprah was thinking of running for something. Whew!
Of course, he can't run as a Republican. According to Obama's supporters, they'll be extinct like any day now. Blink, and they'll be gone. Supposedly.
LOL!! I'm sorry but I soooooo see Florida electing this blowhard!
Obama for 8 years!
to many skeletons in the closet
Morning Joe is a watered down version of the GOP's image. He will not please the rabid base. He try's to clumsily to play the part of a centrist and he might actually fool his own base into believing he's a RINO. Bad if your senator but handy if your cable talk-show host. On TV he can act as a bridge for right leaning independents.
No Joe, you don't deserve the senate seat, as long as you are in favor of OLD theories like TAX CUT Fixes everything. We need new blood and we need new ideas in Washington.
No more OLD FASHION REPUBLICANS with OLD IDEAS. They belong to a regional party: either uneducated mainly white folks who can be fooled by Right-wing Radio/TV Show Hosts or Big Fats Rich folks that want all the tax cut in US
I don't want him to do that.
Nice.
Pump yourself up as a candidate then take the high road by "serving" the people without really doing anything (staying on TV) or having any accountability.
Joe won't run because the last thing he wants is to be a part of an even larger Republican minority than there is now.
Not one ounce of substance in any of these comments. The democrat vitriol continues. And you say you want bi-partisanship. Bah.
@tag... February 9th, 2009 6:32 pm ET
I dare you campare That Racist Rush Limbaugh #2 to President Obama !!!!!
Morning Joe is the only MSNBC segment I refuse to watch. Only one person on his show is good and that is Mika. Joe is too arrogant and full of himself – and one sided!
Scarborough is a figment of Newt Gingrich's imagination.
This St. Petersburg Democrat would do anything so that our Republican Mayor Rick Baker is defeated in whatever he pursues after his term as Mayor expires in January 2010.
Residents of St. Petersburg are tired of the "our City Finances" and "our City is Safe of crime" that we hear from the Mayor. The lack of respect our Mayor has for the safety of the citizens of St. Petersburg is deplorable.
I would support a Republican if they would bring back non-partisan politics to our great City.
He worships Gingrich?
who do you think ran Gringrich out of town?
You could be a nice guy who wants the best for Florida and USA, but if you are using proven not to work methods and idaluogies, there is nowthing new you bring to the table., Sameold same old, just with a smile instead of a scream. The results are the same.
Good – now maybe Morning Joe will get cancelled.
Injun Joe...go back to your teepee and smoke some more of whatever you're smoking .
That is all we need another Sarcastic Egotistical Disrespectful know-it all in Washington. Charlie Christ, I would consider. Joe can go blow!
He is the most negative POS commentator ever. Good riddens.
I watch his show every moring because I do like who he have on there, but him personally I consider him a Rush Limbaugh II as well. He rarely have any thing nice to say about Presdient Obama. He is too far to the right and we have enough of them in key states. No way!
Mika Brezinski should be running and Scarborough should find a job on a merchant marine ship where he can talk all he wants without torturing the public with his idiotic mentality in full every morning. I love when Mika's Father, the brilliant Zbigniew Brezinski was on recently and he put Scarborough in his place for making his usual uninformed ignorant comment about an international topic. You could see his face redden and Mika skwirm, but he had no option than to shut his mouth and get taken to the woodshed. He should have apologized, but he is just too dumb. If this man is so arrogant that he actually thinks he belongs in the Senate, let him go for it. Maybe he can find a tie in the back of his closet and show up for work now and then on the campaign trail. Anything to get him off tv.
I won't watch him. he is a creep
Oh no, no, no, no!
I wish he would run, and win. In that case MSNBC would have to find a new host for the mornings.
He's a perfect candidate for the Republicans. He's a bloviating narcissist who never lets the facts interfere with his lies. He is so absoute in his opinions and prejudices, so demeaning of women and anyone not in total agreement with his opinions and stunningly superficial (at least according the Zbigniew Brzexinski) that it makies him the poster child for the Grand Old Party!
Republicans are so power hungry and Joe just want to get back so he sing with the choir and sing the song No. The party of No is sinking Joe.
As a Republican, Scarborough is a NEO-CON shill idiot. The sooner the GOP can rid itself of morons like him and the "Bushie" ideology altogether, the sooner we can rebuild on principles which we used to stand for- individual liberty, social liberalism, and limited government fiscal conservatism.
"Morning Slow!" He always thinks he know better than everyone else. Like this morning he was saying that the Senate version of the stimulus bill was compromised on Saturday and that the Repugs will only have a day or two to review the bill before the vote on Tuesday. Only problem with that is that the Senate bill is 90% the same as it was before the compromise and the five things that were taken out can be read in a copy of any newspaper, as Chuck Todd pointed out shutting up Slow Joe in the process. If he wants to run I say go for it. Maybe then MSNBC can then really compete against American Morning.
Great news Scarboroughhas always spoke his mind even against his own party.
Joe is a joke on MSNBC, I have no idea why they keep him. Besides being an idiot, self serving, semi-racist, wanna be voice of Republicans, he's no commentator and certainly no reporter. He thinks he's in the middle?!? Once again, the word idiot comes to mind. MSNBC should let him go so he can run, then FL should say thanks, but no thanks.
Amen Sally!
I hope he loses BIG!
Oh I can hear his campaign talking points now....
"Only tax cuts can spur the economy and create jobs"
"Taxpayers know how to spend their money better than the politicians"
"Capital Gains tax must be cut in half"
"We must prop up Wall Street first"
"We must have smaller Government"
"Family Values"
"No Abortions"
"No Stem Cell research"
"Only Conservative Judges on the Bench"
"No Stimulus plans, it only adds to the deficit"
He will ne the easiest opportunity for the Dems if he run. There is so much out there he already said that will come back to haunt him if he run. SCARECROW NEEDS TO RUN!
Who does he think he is–Al Franken?
Oh, come now.... you lost Florida, Scarborough, to Obama.... what makes you think that you can win as an extreme republican? That is exactly what we voted against!
Oh, go on, Scarborough.... RUN... after this Bail Out, the middle calls cannot help but recall how you fought against it when you were so eager to bail out yourselves and Wall STreet! This article is a HOOT! I am stunned that Republicans still feel that their opinions are the least bit relative to anyone, but themselves!
Secretary Brezinski shamed Joe a few weeks ago on his ignorance; whenever I have watched him, I couldn't tell if he was drunk or just an ignoramus.
I enjoy watching his show, mostly for all of the supporting opinions and the debates each morning. But too often, his stubbornness and "Irish" temper hinders his credibility of being that so called independent thinker.
No respectable republican (or sane human being) would work for that loonie network.
All of these people coming out of the woodwork to run for some office are just wanting not to pay their taxes and get away with it. Politicians are exempt, you know.
MSNBC: The left-wing-sex-sting-prison-network.
Anyone who works there needs his or her head examined.
I would vote for Joe if I could!!!!
Go JOE!!!
He is the only thing balancing MSNBC. If it wasn't for him, MSNBC would be a ridiculous left wing station. I hope all you bloggers that are trashing Joe, don't beleive everything Olberman and Rachel Maddow have to say.
with our luck this Joe would be replaced by Joe the Plumber just to keep the name Morning Joe for the show. I think they are both about as equally qualified to do it.
Great now he will LEAVE.
No to Joe
God I want him to run so bad so I can see his whiney little butt get pummeled!
Will he take Mika with him?
Just what the state needs another republican Idiot.. I say go for it.
He's a tool.
Go for it Joe you like to talk the talk I like to see if you can walk the walk.
How can they expect Joe to run for office again when they almost killed him in Washington the first time? Wrecks, accidents...you know how washington gets its point across. Play along or wend up dead. If Joe values his life he will stay out of politics. He's too honest and straight forward to survive the good ole boy politics.
He needs to move to Fox News first, like Glenn Beck did, in order to rally up his GOP base. Bash his former employer MSNBC a little, throw some red meat to his dear Republicans, and maybe then he's got a chance with them. Not with everybody in Florida, but hey, it's a start...
If it gets Mika off the air, I'm all for it. I like the show when she isn't talking or trying to look cute. They need to find another co-anchor besides her. I don't care who her dad is!