WASHINGTON (CNN) - Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is on the verge of announcing his bid for the U.S. Senate, which would provide a significant boost to Republican recruiting efforts for the 2010 elections if he decides to take the leap.
Several sources tell CNN that Crist is seriously leaning towards a run, and could declare his candidacy as early as next week – perhaps Monday. The timing would provide Crist with enough distance between the close of Florida’s legislative session and staking out his own day to declare his future political plans.
Crist has been talking up a Senate run with friends, a source close to the governor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, tells CNN. Another source, close to the Crist family, said that the governor’s wife has been telling friends her husband is going to run for the Senate. And a third Crist source tells CNN all indications are that he is in, but cautioned it was not 100 percent and noted there was still a chance for the governor to pull the plug on a Senate bid.
So far, Crist has been coy about his political plans, only saying publicly that he would make an announcement once the legislature gaveled out of session.
Crist is a very popular governor in the Sunshine State and his entrance into the Senate race would take huge financial pressure off of national Republicans to help fund a campaign to save this Republican seat currently held by retiring Sen. Mel Martinez. An April Quinnipiac Poll showed that registered Republicans would vote for Crist over potential primary rival Marco Rubio, 54 percent to 8 percent. But the poll also found that more people overall and Republicans specifically would rather see Crist run for re-election as governor than seek the Senate seat.
Rubio is a former state House speaker who announced his candidacy earlier this week and is seeking to align himself with the conservative wing of the state party.
"Some believe that the path to security and prosperity is a larger government involvement in our economy," Rubio said. "That what we need is a government that spends more money ... a majority of us don't agree with that view, and we deserve a voice in American politics."
Among the issues Rubio said he will emphasize are tax reform and a balanced budget amendment.
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Crist, who supported President Obama's stimulus package, is considered to be a centrist Republican.
CNN's Kevin Bohn, Mark Preston, John King, and Jessica Yellin contributed to this story.
From CNN Politics
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I am a life long Floridian who actually likes Gov. Crist but sorry charile I'm voting for the other guy.
Is there REALLY such a thing as a centrist Republican? We'll have to research a little more on this. Frankly, while Christ seems ok, I really don't trust ANY Republicans anymore.
Is Florida ready for a gay republican senator?
@ "Rufus Leaking"........... Interesting comment. If Crist is gay, I feel for the guy, the GOP will throw him under the bus!
lol.... go for it Crist. ought to be great seeing the fundamentalist right wing christian taliban go nuts on you for the duration of the campaign.
I really think Crist is handsom, i think he would make a great senator.
OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH will Rush approve??
He might want to wait to see what the fallout from the movie "Outrage" is before he announces anything.
he also should change parties before the republican party blows away in the wind
it would show his state that he can think outside the box . and move forward and not go down the tubes with the rest of the idiots
I think he probably could do a good job as a senator . but not as a republican puppet boy
Listen Crist..I'll get lots of 25 yrs. old to help you campaign if you'll do this one favor...........
Charlie Crist is a complete zero as the Guv of Florida. He has done nothing and accomplished nothing except to provide us all more taxes and not solve any of the many problems that exist in this State. He is a total undesirable.
Go Charlie, Go!!
OK, so what if he is gay? He, like many, stay closeted because when we are high profiled, we are villafied for being who we are, in this country.
It will be great for the republicans to have an openly gay member running for such a high status position. Congratulations!
Karen from Missouri,
Take off your blinders. Not every Republican is a Bush Republican. Many are Reagan Republicans and many are, Yes, centalists.
There are many Republicans equally angered over the destruction of our party by George Bush and are ready for someone to finally stand up and take back our party and bring back the good ol' conservative, small government values of old.
And for your sake "conservative" does not mean "non-inclusive." Many people are under the assumption that all Republicans hate minorities, gays, women, etc.
There are many of us who simply like small government, low taxes, local governance (states rights), and other things that have been forgotten over the last eight years.
We want our party back and hopefully Crist can help get us there.
And by the way, it is Crist and not Christ.
Leave it up to a Liberal to screw that up.
Please turn it down Charlie and go for the gold and rescue the republican party in 2012 this man can be the next president because
he really cares about the people and he won't spend like the democrats and the republican party will not rule him the people will.
Woo, Charlie Crist! Nice jersey!
Go Tampa Bay Rays!
I like Crist, he's a moderate conservative.
Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that he said he's the Gov. of Florida and that's what he going to do, period? Oh, I forgot, he's a republican and they have an awful hard time telling the truth.
Wife? Am I reading this correctly? Maybe a tiger does change his stripes. I've been away from Florida too long.
I like Gov Crist and I am liberal. I feel badly he has had to hide in the closet IF he is gay. We don't know for sure. He has a beautiful new wife
I'm a liberal, but I like Charlie Crist. He's rational, not overtly political. He's a Meghan McCain Republican (economic/ defense centered; not socially repressive). I can respect that. If the GOP is going to make its much needed come-back, Crist for Senator is a step in the right direction.
Divisive politics are so 2007. Attitudes are changing. Try driving a car looking in your rear-view mirror the entire time. Trust me, you'll crash. The GOP is crashing (gay marriage, contraceptives, the list goes on). Stop allowing Rush and Palin to steer your party's future.
I live in Florida now, I used to live in Texas. Crist cut all property taxes that left a huge budet deficit. Where does he think the police, fire, teachers, and city workers pay comes from. The schools down in south florida are cutting teachers and all programs such as art, PE, music. The only thing that is saving us is the Recovery Package that the President signed. He also needs to realize that most of the economy is tourism. If we drill off of the coast here it will look like the gulf in Texas. God I miss the grey sand and tar balls.
I like Charlie Crist I think he is decent and I think that he is strong minded and has good principles. But If Kendrick Meeks decide to run I will back him and even campaign for he as hard as I did for President Obama!!!!
This is good news. We need a moderate person who is willing to work with Obama. It is OK with me if he says he's a republican. He sure is not a John Cornyn or John Boehner or Rush Limbaugh – he seems to have common sense.
Crist would be a decent Senator specifically because he's the exact sort of Republican that Rush and Cheney hate-a moderate.
Still, I'll likely be voting Democrat unless their candidate is a moron.
I hope the Republicans reject him and the Democrats take him in. He's a good guy who puts the people of FL above party ideology and if he defects, the GOP will look like a bunch of idiots, again.
and join the dems
as most neo-cons have done
as soon as GW ran out of his usefulness as a front.
@Rufus Leaking - Well said.
In reality, what exactly has Charlie done for us here in Florida as Governor?
Nothing!!
I'm kind of disappointed with this news. I was really looking forward to this election and was hoping that the Dems would pick up another seat. The Dem. primary here looked really exciting. We have a black guy, a Jewish guy, and a gay guy in the mix. Doesn't really matter who wins it now because Christ is all but guaranteed the seat. My only hope is that a Dem. becomes the next governor, but I would also bet against that since Florida seems to overwhelmingly support the Rep. candidate for governor each time around. Well at least we voted Dem. when it counted most...for Obama!
Floridians: bring in some new blood. Vote for someone totally new!
if he really wants to get in, all he has to do is suggest we resume trade, travel and foreign aid to Cuba, and bingo..elected..
This man will never make it he is gay as they come, also whats up with republicans and those fake tans. Maybe if he was a democrat he might have a change but with those religious nut cases he can hang it up.
Remember intellectural in a certain party is a no no at the top. Said enough.
Go Crist go!!!!!!!!!!
He'd best wait and see if he's in the movie "Outrage" ... if he was "out," his orientation wouldn't matter that much; but if it's discovered that he married solely to maintain a facade and further his political ambitions, he's going to be in BIG trouble on the Left AND the Right.
Isn't it funny that Republicans who were against President Obama's stimulus bill are now the ones excited about Crist running? And if he truly is gay, isn't it funny that those that are so anti-homosexuality would support Crist? Sounds like desperation. Welcome Republicans to the other side. Yes, GOP. It is o.k to support the President and it is o.k to be gay.
Hey Mike, I've never heard of a CENTRALIST. But, I have heard of a Centrist.
I lived in Florida for quite a while. Crist is a good guy. I'm a hardcore Dem, but this man is reasonable, cares about the citizens of Florida, and will not (I hope) be a rubber stamp for the Repub machine!
to mike,
ugh...what the hell was sooo great about Regan?
Of course Crist plans to pursue higher office – that's why he got married.
Go for it. Senate is the best place to hold more of " that one" in place. Honesty is the best policy. Just say it .
Although you're a pretty good Gov. I'll never vote for you!
Those of you that are not Floridians need to be careful what you wish for. This is the one of the worst governors in Florida's history. He will say anything to get elected, having no intention of following through on these promises. Heck, we would be happy if he showed up for work. His political positions change like the wind, examples of this are his stance on off shore drilling and insurance rate cuts.
If you are looking for an honest Senator that actually wants to go to Washington for the right reasons, this is the wrong man. And for the few of you that based that endorsement on his looks...are you really that shallow? He is married, and yes, rumored to be gay...but so what, I could care less what his sexual preferences are. I do care about his positions on matters that are important to us, such as fiscal responsibility and ethics. The Republican party deserves better!
Sorry, Crist, you might be better doing a re-run as governor.
Your pro-choice stance and your moderate views will bring out the Rushholes complete with hoods and sheets! They will never stand for a moderate repub, just ask Specter, Snowe and Collins.
Charlie proved himself very shallow indeed by giving tax dollars to the pathetic parents of Martin Lee Anderson BEFORE a decision was rendered against the boot camp guards, thus his political grandstanding could have tainted the jury here in NW Florida! Fortunately, ALL the guards were found innocent. This incident demonstrated to me and a lot of other folks that Crist id just another RINO that would throw his mother under a bus if he could get ahead! So, if Charlie runs, I'll be voting for the "lesser" of the Democrats!
He would be a good senator as would Mark Rubio, who has already declared his candidacy.
seems like a nice guy....TOO nice to be a GOPer and I'm sure once known Rush will deem him not to be a REAL Republican and the far right will toss him aside. In fact they would probably prefer "Joe the Plumber" to Gov Crist.
Why does he always look orange?
I think any Republican is going to have a hard time in 2010 and I don't think Christ is on Limbaugh's good side.
That assumes Rush has a good side.
Charlie Crist actually married after a breif encounter with his now wife. But then again, to play in the political world you must have a partner, I mean a wife.
In 2010 many incumbants will be booted out of the Senate. I for one WELCOME the certain changes to come. Hopefully the liberal stranglehold we find ourselves in now will be broken by the Charley Crists of the world.
The republican party keeps talking about Reagan, they cannot get out of the 20 century. That is their biggest problem, they think we are still living in the 1980's and that controls their thinking, their ideas, their outlook on life.
I will never vote for a person who keeps talking abou the 20 century and all its glory. The best thing in last 40 years was Clinton who balanced a budget which he inherited with a 290 billion dollar deficit and we had the best eight years of economic growth and job creation ever and when he left office he left a 226 billion dollar surplus that the idiot spent in the first year and still had to average borrowing 1.9 billion dollars a day for every day he was in office.
He must be tired of living next door to Limbaugh.
Okay, we are going to take a Florida Governor and make him a Senator. He is really undesirable. Not just republican. He has not done anything for us in Florida. Look at property tax and actually read between the lines, homeowners insurance. You guys have to be kidding.
I'm with Elaine on this one.
He's a usless as a cypress knee. He's not only raised taxes, he's also raising insurances for homeowners. The insurance industry is way out of control in this state and he's done nothing about it. They're probably funding his election campaign.Reducing insurances was one of his "promises" and the reason I voted for him. Sorry I did!!!!!!!!!
It's no wonder so many are leaving this state and heading to the Carolinas where there are many more incentives to do so. I would if I could ever sell this house.
Yes, let Charlie putz run in 2012, that will gaurantee an Obama victory. You people outside of Fla. have no idea what a loser he really is.
Has he got Rush's approval??
A centrist Republican more than likely will be another that party head Rush Limbaugh will deem to be not a REAL Republican thus causing the far right wing to shun him tel him to become a Democrat. Plus he actually said YES to something President Obama had suggested. I like him but not a good sign for you Gov in today's GOP.
Florida voter checking in here – Crist is nothing more than a savvy politician, he knows how to play the game very, very well – while doing little to help ordinary Floridians. Developers own this state – our public education is amongst the worst in the country. Gov Charlie may run for the Senate, but those voters that sent Obama to the White House will rally up again to ensure we have TWO democratic Senators in DC. And before he decides, Charlie better consider his fellow Floridian, Boss Rush... Rush HATES centrists!
As a teacher in Florida I'm absolutely dumb-founded by this man's popularity. He supported only merit-pay bonuses rather than pushing to make sure school districts had funds to continue instruction (yes, I'd prefer books for my kids over a subjective raise), he pushed for property tax decreases that sent revenue plummeting - now local governments are inventing outrageous fees to make up the surplus just to function. Those against taxes tend to gain a following. That is, until you want safe streets, good schools, and reliable public service. Crist talks a good game on the national stage, but those who actually live here should know better. You can't have it both ways. It seems so-called conservatives and Republicans are anti-tax - but they are the first to whine when they want something for nothing.
Sorry, but I think we have quite enough self-loathing closeted gay men in Congress, thank you very much.
If Gov. Crist were honest and open about who he is, and was willing to put forward an agenda of equality for ALL Americans, it would be a different thing, but then of course the GOP wouldn't support him.
As things stand, one of three things will happen:
1) The GOP powers-that-be will decide they don't want to run the risk of a gay candidate, and will throw him under the bus;
2) The GOP powers-that-be will use the ~threat~ of hurling him under the bus to get Crist to sign on to every hare-brained bit of neocon-wet-dream legislation they can come up with; or
3) The Democrats or the Media will Out him.
He's absolutely got it, easily.
Why?
Because he's a 'tool' and a puppet like all the other political jokers from Florida. I live here, I know how it is. This state is corrupted through and through and has been for decades, gotten much worse thanks to Bush.
And now Crist is T O O L .
Oh GEE Lucky us.
When he finally announces his candidacy, it will be the end to the worst kept secret in politics ....this week that is. But in order to get anything done in Washington, he's going to have to tone down the tanning salon appointments.
Karen from Missouri
You do not trust any Republicans anymore?? Go jump off a bridge you idiot. The Democratts have now controlled Congress for over 2 years and the Country has go to hell. I know, I know it is all Bush's fault. I pitty my childern who will have to pay the burden of Obama and his endless budget deficeits, I call this generational theft.
I am certain you are one of the ones who is waiting for Obama to pay your mortgage and pay for your kids to go to college. You and those like you are a joke. I could go on an on but you will simply never get it because you want someone to do all your thinking for you. Tell you what go call Chris Dodd or Barney Frank I know you can trust them.