Florida Senate Race Heats Up as Rubio and Meek Seek to Overtake Crist

Incumbent Governor Charlie Crist's Senate candidacy has ignited a fierce competition between his Democratic challenger Kendrick Meek and Republican Marco Rubio. Despite Crist's current high polling numbers, strategists for both Rubio and Meek predict that voters will increasingly gravitate toward their respective parties, potentially leaving Crist unable to sustain his lead. Meek's campaign manager, Abe Dyk, has expressed confidence that Meek will surpass Crist once the governor's support begins to collapse. Rubio's pollster, Whit Ayres, concurred, stating that Crist's inability to grow his support beyond his current level is due to Meek's consolidation of the Democratic base on the left and Rubio's campaign squeezing Crist from the right.

Key Takeaways:

• Both Rubio and Meek predict that voters will increasingly gravitate toward their respective parties, potentially leaving Crist unable to sustain his lead.
• Meek's campaign manager, Abe Dyk, believes that Meek will surpass Crist once his support begins to collapse.
• Rubio's pollster, Whit Ayres, states that Crist's inability to grow his support beyond his current level is due to Meek's consolidation of the Democratic base on the left and Rubio's campaign squeezing Crist from the right.
• Crist's Senate candidacy has ignited a fierce competition between Meek and Rubio, with both candidates actively courting Democratic and Republican voters.
• Meek has appealed to Democrats by highlighting his primary campaign efforts and touting his conservative credentials.
• Crist has received endorsements from five traditionally Democratic-leaning Teamsters locals, but this has sparked concerns that he is actively competing with Meek for Democratic support.

Statistics:

• Most polls show Crist and Rubio within a few points of each other for the lead in the race, with Meek a distant third.
• Crist has courted Democratic voters and drawn considerable Democratic support in polls, but reminds voters that "partisanship is one of the reasons Washington is "broken."
• Crist has taken "the best ideas -- whether they come from Democrats or Republicans -- to get results for the people of Florida."

Sources:

• George Bennett, "Rubio and Meek Predict Voters Will Flock to Parties Leaving Crist Behind," Palm Beach Post, undated.
• Meek campaign statement, undated.
• Rubio campaign statement, undated.
• Teamsters Local 79 press release, undated.
• Tampa Bay Times, undated.
• Boca Raton News, undated.
• Palm Beach Post, undated.