There’s one name that you won’t have to kick around anymore. At least not in 2016.
On his Facebook page this afternoon, Charlie Crist said he will not be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Florida in 2016.
“As members of the Florida Democratic Party, we stand for something — fairness, growing the middle class, and policies that strengthen future generations.
I will not be seeking office in 2016, but I will be working alongside you. Too much is at stake for our beautiful Florida to be on the sidelines.”
It’s fair to say that Crist was not exactly being overwhelmed with open arms to run for another big office in Florida, not after his narrow loss to Rick Scott last year for governor, which came four years after he lost to Marco Rubio running as an independent for U.S. Senate.
And unlike that run, there are already several Democrats who have indicated interest in running for Rubio’s Senate seat next year, whether or not Rubio himself runs for re-election.
Patrick Murphy, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Alan Grayson are all reported to be strongly considering a run for the Senate. All have a much longer run in the Florida Democratic Party than does Crist, who only became a Democrat in 2012, two years after he left the Republican Party once it became apparent he couldn’t beat Rubio out for the 2010 Senate seat.
