Charlie Crist Will Run as an Independent

I am not surprised to hear Charlie Crist is going to run for the Senate as an independent. His decision was pretty obvious the moment he said he would announce his answer publicly on Thursday. He will make it official tomorrow.

What I cannot see is his strategy. There is no compelling reason for him to mout an independent campaign other than to suit his bruised ego for certainly losing the GOP nod to Marco Rubio. There is no sense he is going to lose the nomination because petty, partisan politics like Joseph Lieberman. This is all about Charlie Crist being a sore loser.

It is not going to work. An independent run based on ego is not going to inspire enough people to support him even if he is currently popular among independents and Democrats. When it comes down to it, Democrats will abandon him for their party’s nominee and independents will fear voting for the man without a party will be throwing their vote away. At best, he will tip a close election to one of the two major party candidate who would probably lose if he were not running. There is a good way to win friend sad influence people in politics, no?

If any of my Florida readers care to weigh in, please do. I do not claim any particular insight ito Sunshine State politics, so I welcome yours.