Marco Rubio - U.S. Senate - 2010

Pinellas County Republican Wilna Varney: “‘I volunteered for Charlie for nine years. I love Charlie as a person. If he was here, I would give him a big hug. He actually called me about this (straw poll) yesterday,’ said Wilna Varney of Largo, who voted for Rubio. ‘But I’m a more conservative person, and I’m going to support the more conservative candidate.’” (“Pinellas GOP Has No Love For Crist,” St. Petersburg Times, 1/11/10)

Even Before Last Night’s Straw Poll, Team Crist Has Been In Spin Mode. “‘Pinellas Republicans know Charlie Crist. They know his heart, they know the kind of public servant he is. I’m confident that in the end Pinellas County Republicans will support Charlie Crist countywide,’ said Crist campaign manager Eric Eikenberg, downplaying the significance of county GOP straw polls that Rubio has won across the state. ‘We have greater faith in Republican voters as a whole, not just a smaller group.’” (“Run Of Bad News Thwarts Gov. Crist’s Chance For Momentum In Senate Race,” St. Petersburg Times, 1/9/10) “Crist backers say the small number of party activists aren’t representative of the Republican voters. Crist campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said the campaign is ‘confident that on the poll that counts – Election Day – Charlie Crist will be the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate.’” (“Rubio Handily Defeats Crist In Local Republican Straw Poll,” Tampa Tribune,” 1/12/10)

While Downplaying The Results Now, Crist And His Supporters Personally Called Pinellas Republicans Asking For Their Vote In The Straw Poll. “Still, before Monday night’s nonbinding vote, Crist supporters worked phones to line up support and sent mailers to executive committee members touting Crist’s conservative principles.” (“Pinellas GOP Has No Love For Crist,” St. Petersburg Times, 1/11/10)

And In October, Crist Paid A Surprise Visit To Pinellas County Republicans. “Gov. Charlie Crist and state party chairman Jim Greer swept in the Pinellas County Republican Party meeting Monday night, surprising 150 people in the crowd. ‘I just wanted to say hello,’ a blue jeans and short-sleeve shirt clad Crist told the crowd, ‘and say how much I love you.’ It was lost on no one why Crist and Greer showed up for a few minutes. The county party will have a straw poll in January for the U.S. Senate race involving Crist and Marco Rubio.” (“Straw Poll Ahead, Crist Surprises Hometown GOP,” St. Petersburg Times, 10/12/09)

And In December, Crist Formally Addressed Pinellas County Republicans. “Addressing a hometown crowd at a Pinellas Republican Party meeting Monday night, the governor, facing a tougher-than-expected U.S. Senate primary, cast former House Speaker Rubio as someone whose conservative boasts should not be trusted. … But Crist never mentioned that he signed a budget this year that includes more than $2-billion in new taxes and fees. In fact, several times Crist made claims about his record that have been widely debunked or undercut by reality.” (“In Pinellas, Gov. Crist Takes Aim At Rubio’s Conservative Credentials,” St. Petersburg Times, 12/14/09)

In 2005, A “Different” Crist Was Endorsed By Pinellas County Republicans. “Charlie Crist won the official endorsement of the Pinellas County Republican Party on Monday night during the local GOP’s monthly meeting. That, of course, was no great shocker. … Crist, former St. Petersburg High senior class president, later spoke to the party faithful for 15 minutes, touting his pledge to never sign a new tax, and his challenge to fellow Republican candidate Tom Gallagher to hold a series of debates before the September primary. ‘I asked my opponent to debate. Actually, I’ve asked him to debate 12 times,’ Crist said.” (“Pinellas GOP Wows Crist,” St. Petersburg Times, 10/12/05)

What Has Changed In The Last Four Years? “It was after Crist won the governorship that he ‘grew in office,’ supporting all manner of costly moderate to liberal policies in order to show what an inclusive, big tent, bipartisan kind of guy he was. He whooped up global warming as a major threat and pushed for cap and trade and other costly measures to combat it. He appointed a liberal justice to the Florida Supreme Court. Perhaps most damaging, he campaigned for President Obama’s $787 Billion stimulus slush fund, then later said he hadn’t supported it when the program, and Obama, became unpopular among Florida Republicans. He’s been AWOL on conservative social issues.” (“Rubio Rolls,” American Spectator, 1/12/10)

What They Are Saying About Last Night’s Straw Poll Result

Tampa Tribune: “But coming in the county where Crist and his family have lived since his childhood, and where his political career began and grew into a statewide powerhouse, the Pinellas vote has strong symbolic importance.” (“Rubio Handily Defeats Crist In Local Republican Straw Poll,” Tampa Tribune,” 1/12/10)
Associated Press: “The fact that Crist lost in Pinellas County, which he represented in the state Senate and where he’s lived nearly all his life, can’t be a good sign for Crist.” (“Rubio Tops Crist In Pinellas County GOP Straw Poll,” Associated Press, 1/11/10)

Tampa Tribune: “… a stinging defeat for Gov. Charlie Crist in his home county.” (“Rubio Handily Defeats Crist In Local Republican Straw Poll,” Tampa Tribune,” 1/12/10)

St. Petersburg Times: “Among the many indignities Gov. Charlie Crist has faced over the last several rocky months, this one hit home. Republican Party activists in his own county of Pinellas, many of whom have been campaigning alongside Crist for years, on Monday overwhelmingly declared that they prefer Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate.” (“Pinellas GOP Has No Love For Crist,” St. Petersburg Times, 1/11/10)

American Spectator: “Last night’s straw vote, and those that preceded it, have demonstrated that Charlie’s talking a conservative game is not convincing many Republicans, but has succeeded in establishing a new charge against him, political opportunism. … The most active Republicans in the state reject him overwhelmingly.” (“Rubio Rolls,” American Spectator, 1/12/10)

FOX 13 Tampa: “Even though the ballots were cast and counted in his own backyard, Governor Charlie Crist suffered a lopsided defeat in a Republican straw poll held in Pinellas County Monday night.” (“Crist Loses Straw Poll At Home,” FOX 13 Tampa, 1/12/10)

Politico: “When you can’t win over Republican activists in your own home base, it doesn’t bode well for winning a statewide closed GOP primary in August, when the electorate is disproportionately made up of those same activists.” (“More Bad News For Crist,” Politico, 1/11/10)

NBC News: “There’s No Place Like Home? Charlie Crist suffered a symbolic blow yesterday, when GOP activists in his home Pinellas County overwhelmingly preferred Marco Rubio over Crist in a straw poll, the St. Pete Times reported.” (“First Thoughts,” NBC News, 1/12/10)

WDBO News: “… it demonstrates the growing defection of party loyalists from Crist’s camp to Rubio, who some consider a more conservative candidate.” (“Gov. Crist Loses To Rubio In His Home County,” WDBO News, 1/12/10)