Charlie Crist Thursday afternoon officially announced that he is leaving the Republican race for U.S. Senate, and we'll instead run as an independent against Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek in the fall.
Speaking for a relatively short seven minutes in front of friends and family at Straub Park and an estimated crowd of around 250 in his hometown of St. Petersburg, the governor confirmed what has been the source of speculation in political circles throughout Florida and the nation when he said that his decision to leave the GOP "says more about our nation and our state, than it does about me."
(You can hear Crist's speech here – it begins about seven minutes into the sound after introductions by Crist's sister and former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco and another official).
the report here.
Discussing his 15 years plus in Florida public life, the governor said "unfortunately, our political system is broken." Boasting his populist credentials, he said that he has never embraced ideas because they were Republican or Democratic, but because they were good for the people."
He said the public was "tired of the games and the name-calling and the politics of destruction, and they're tired of things not being done for them. For you."
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2010.