Charlie Crist backs Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in Florida

By Richard K. Barry

Hope that was a really good hug.

Remember when former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's campaign for the U.S. Senate was pretty much destroyed because he once hugged Barack Obama? And then he strongly supported the federal stimulus package. These are apparently just not the kinds of things done by any self-respecting Republican, so that was the end of Crist, and the beginning of Marco Rubio, who has been called the "crown prince" of the Tea Party movement.

Crist had been a Republican but became an independent during his unsuccessful Senate bid in 2010, losing to Rubio. And now Crist is supporting Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson and even attending an upcoming fundraiser for him.

Here are a couple of relevant paragraphs from The Miami Herald on the matter:

Republican Connie Mack IV is the heavy favorite to win the Republican nomination during the Aug. 14 primary. Crist's decision not to support him is at odds with a long history he's had with the Macks that started when Crist worked to get Connie Mack III elected to the Senate in 1988. Throughout his career, Crist has called the elder Mack a mentor and has often quoted him. Both Macks were longtime Crist supporters.

But that changed when Crist ran for Senate in 2010 and dropped out of the Republican primary and instead ran as an independent. Mack III quit his role as Crist campaign chairman and both Macks withdrew their support and endorsed eventual victor Marco Rubio.

Not that it's unusual for old friendships to die because of politics, but it is interesting to contemplate how much damage has been done to the old GOP because of the general nastiness of the Tea Party insurgency.

It's common for people within the same party to get over hard-fought battles. Look at Obama and the Clintons. I just wonder how many wounds have been caused by the blind radicalism of the Tea Party right that will never heal.

(Cross-posted at Lippmann's Ghost.)

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/01/2925138/former-fla-governor-to-support.html#storylink=cpy