With Florida’s Governor Charlie Crist making giant waves by switching from the Republican Party to an NPA (No Party Affiliation) he has created a big brouhaha about the possibility of winning a statewide election without the endorsement and support of a major political party.
Of course, it has been done before…a couple of times…but not in modern times (think George Washington) or not a major State like Florida (think Ventura and Lieberman). The two biggest hurdles for NPAs are name recognition and money…two mountains really…Grand Teton size. A big media market State like Florida demands political war chests of tens of millions of dollars to win a statewide race. So, how do you get those two critical commodities when you don’t have a political machine to do it for you?
Rick Scott, the totally unknown Republican running for Governor, has a boatload of personal money that he has been blowing on television for a month now. The polls show that he is getting traction despite the small fact that no one has a clue who he is except via the TV ads. He is defining himself with his money and so far is doing okay. While he does not have the backing of his Republican party (they endorsed AG Bill McCollum) he would certainly get it in the general election if he could take out McCollum in the primary.
So, Scott is an example of one way to get name ID if you have your own stash of cash. Of course, at some point he will have to come out of the TV screen and start defending who he is and what he has done. Baggage exists…editorial boards await…opposition research will surface if he get much more traction…but, it could happen. Financing your own campaign works if you have deep pockets….Mayor Blumberg of NYC is a prime example…an NPA also.
Back to Charlie. In addition to a sizable campaign account and mega name recognition he also is the sitting Governor. A Governor who has a stage made larger by budget woes and BP’s mess in the Gulf. Both of these are playing extremely well for him right now. His earned media numbers (as a Governor solving problems) are out the roof and growing by the minute. This race for U.S. Senate is going to be very entertaining.
Republicans are beside themselves. Name calling has commenced and it is not a pretty sight. A man who has won office after office…his entire life as a Republican…has the audacity to continue running as an NPA because his party was rushing…stampeding…to support his more conservative opponent. How dare he do such a thing. Really?
Which comes first, a desire to serve the public or picking a brand that defines who you are? Is the “party” central to the individual or is the individual central to the “party”? Chicken or egg issue here. Did Charlie first run for office because he “believed so deeply in the Republican ideology” or because he wanted to serve the public. And…if that party abandons him for another candidate who more closely fits today’s definition of the party ideology…is he supposed to roll up his tent and head home? Did Charlie abandon the party, or did the party abandon Charlie? Passionate arguments on both sides of that question.
Yes, Charlie Crist can win this U.S. Senate seat as an NPA. He has the money, the name recognition and the bully pulpit of a sitting Governor. His opposition is strong, well-funded and has the enthusiastic support of the Republican Party…he too can win. In the end, the winner will be decided by the decision of the voters as they think about the central question: Do I vote for the party or the individual? A question as old as political parties themselves.
I’ve said in this column before that I like both these men. I will make my choice based on how I feel about their individual ability and skill to run the traps in the U.S. Senate. My vote in the general election will be about my confidence level in the candidate…not a political party.
Very liberating….
