WASHINGTON (CNN) – Even in a slumping economy, Charlie Crist is justifying his reputation as a master fundraiser.
The Florida governor raised an average of $86,000 a day since jumping into the race for Mel Martinez's Senate seat in May, his campaign reported Thursday.
Crist collected $4.3 million in donations in the second fundraising quarter of 2009, despite entering the race on May 12 - 41 days into the quarter.
He has so far raised nearly 13 times as much as his Republican primary rival Marco Rubio, who announced last week that his campaign has raised $340,000.
Though Rubio was never expected to be able to match Crist dollar-for-dollar in the money chase, that cash deficit will likely be thrown into stark relief once Crist starts airing television and radio ads throughout the state.
Rubio's campaign responded by painting Crist as a big-spending liberal.
"Charlie Crist will need to spend every last cent trying to convince voters that his support for wasteful stimulus spending, cap-and-trade schemes, tax increases and liberal judges are acceptable Republican practices," said Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos.
The cash haul is yet another show of political muscle from the Crist campaign, which has trotted out endorsements from prominent Senate leaders in Washington like Mitch McConnell, John McCain and Mel Martinez, who is vacating the seat now being pursued by Crist.
Earlier this week, Crist nabbed a pair of endorsements in Rubio's backyard when he landed the backing of two Cuban-American GOP congressmen from South Florida - Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart.
From CNN Politics
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Rubio is going to end up choking on his words. The stimulus so far has saved jobs, helped refinance mortgages, extended unemloyment benefits and slowly but surely loosening up credit. These Party of NO politicians are going to be out of a job in 2010 and they'll be needing some unemployment benefits.
I hope Rubio will run for governor of FL and get some more experience there. He is a good guy.
The last thing that this poor nation needs is another Conservative Senator. Haven't these people done enough damage to the nation already. And Florida, in particular, has a lot to make up for. It was that state that, more than any other, put us in the mess we are in now.
is he gearing up for 2012 ? is Romney ?...
Charlie Christ is a shoo-in for the Senate seat of Mel Martinez. He is widely known and broadly popular across the state. That answers Mr. Rubio's questions about why he would support stimulus in Florida and environmental protection issues. He has cross-party support. That does not explain to me, however, why he is leaving the Governorship which it would seem to me is a better jumping off point for Presidential office, but probably he wants national security experience.
yeah probaly all our property tax money (developers, Crist, Property Appraisers, and tax collectors) are common thieves.
Kinda wanna try my hand at mindless, meaningless criticism akin to the GOP's right now:
Hey, didn't anyone ever tell this guy it's not nice to point? What a commy!
tah dah
so what,can he beat the democrat in florida, i dont think so,he supported the stimulus,and the gop will never let him live that down. there will be a senator of african american to win that seat,do the math (cnn) charlie crist will lose,he is wasting his time. the power of of the president will prevail.(cnn) do your homework and reveal who that is to defeat (charlie crist)?
Guess the Orange growers are making a big profit this year.Just goes to show you hes in the pocket of big business and not the working man and woman of Florida.Dont get fooled by this yokel,he doesnt give a spit about the middle class.
Atta boy, Christ! Surprisingly, GOP has some sane ones who can engender a marriage between hard-line ultra-right wingers, and loosey-goosey liberals, and take a middle course, until atleast the problem is being addressed.
He's going to need every penny and LOTS more to win. Republicans LOVE to brag about what they raised and then when the Democrats out RAISE them, then the whining and accusations start flowing from the Republicans.
Crist needs to be happy he raised what he did, however, thanks to Palin, Sanford, Vitter, Ensign, the 2010 elections is promising to be another defining moment in our history when the GOP gets another butt whooping.
Another empty gas bag...bidness as usual!
It's all about the money people..it's not about us or our country..who has the most money has the most say and the most votes..what a bunch of dirt balls
Crist can really give the Democrats a run for our money. He's got the right package as far as political charisma is concern, and he wasn't all about saying NO when the rest of his party was going down that road. That will carry him a long way.
Why does all of this money has to be raised. Are they buying these offices and our votes are just camoflouge. I don't understand why they need to raise millions of dollars for a job that does not pay no where near there. what happens to that money after the race is over. I think we are being completely ripped off.
he raises alot of money and his last name is crist? he will be running for president DEFINITELY!!! the gullible base of the republican party will follow this guy off a cliff!
Oh look, another politician is selling his soul for money.....
Why is it that these candidates can raise so much money for their elections and not be able to come up with a simple budget once they are in office? Am I the only one who is wondering where all these contributions are coming from and what this guy is going to do to pay all the contributers back if he gets elected?
Why do they think this is big news.
We all know The Repubicans Party-GOP have the backing of the Greedy Corporations CEO of the Healthcare Industry, Bank Industry, and the Oil Industry.
It is not surprising Charlie has raised huge sums of money. He signed legislation gutting Florida's growth management laws, then he transferred complete power to move water around the state to politically-appointed water managent directors. Then he made sure that decisions did not have to go through any public scrutiny, and that the decisions could not be challenged by anyone opposed to the decisions. Talk about gifts to fat cat developers! Charlie should be able to raise huge sums with friends like these. He has totally capitulated to the pave Florida now crowd, and is nothing short of a Bernie Madoff in the Governor's mansion. What a coward!
Does not matter, crist favors obamas tax and spend so me and mine will vote Rubio.
Why do people compalin of having no money yet they give it to these fundraisers? Tho Im sure for both sides alot of the funds came from rich friends...
GO DEMS! Get another seat. Are you listening GOP?
Gov Crist, Good raising voting money. I'm a Obama/Bidlen "12", but you will have my "Pres Crist 2016" Vote!
the war chest that politicians need to compete is so out of hand
Bridgette July 9th, 2009 2:18 pm ET
Why does all of this money has to be raised. Are they buying these offices and our votes are just camoflouge. I don't understand why they need to raise millions of dollars for a job that does not pay no where near there. what happens to that money after the race is over. I think we are being completely ripped off.
____________________________
Bridgette, you've pretty much described the major flaw in party politics – the very flaw that Jefferson and Franklin warned.
With respect to the money... well, they spend it on their campaigns. TV time, radio time... paying campaign "volunteers". And as far as the job not paying much... well, it's not the pay, it's the speaking engagement fees and all the other bennies that motivate them. It certainly isn't their desire to help out the citizenry, that's for sure.