Could Charlie Crist make a comeback?

[Donerail]

Yes. PPP tested him as a Democrat for 2014 and he'd beat Scott by like 54-38.

In all fairness, I (or any living person, and some dead ones) could run as a Democrat and beat Scott. But Charlie's not done with politics yet, writing opinion pieces like this one (http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/article1224203.ece. His wife's switched to the Democrats already, he's done public events with Alex Sink, Bob Graham, Al Lawson, and Kathy Castor, and he's donated to Patrick Murphy. Florida does need an independent thinker a la Lawton Chiles or Claude Pepper, not another partisan like Rubio, Scott, or Meek, and Charlie's gonna be better than Scott. With his current favorability rankings (42%-33%), he has a real shot at a comeback, especially with Nan Rich and (presumably) Alex Sink in a Democratic primary; Sink/Rich would split the Democratic base, and Charlie'd run up big margins among African-Americans, teachers, conservative Democrats, and Tampa Bay. He can, and will, return.

[Donerail]

Yes. PPP tested him as a Democrat for 2014 and he'd beat Scott by like 54-38.

In all fairness, I (or any living person, and some dead ones) could run as a Democrat and beat Scott. But Charlie's not done with politics yet, writing opinion pieces like this one (http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/article1224203.ece. His wife's switched to the Democrats already, he's done public events with Alex Sink, Bob Graham, Al Lawson, and Kathy Castor, and he's donated to Patrick Murphy. Florida does need an independent thinker a la Lawton Chiles or Claude Pepper, not another partisan like Rubio, Scott, or Meek, and Charlie's gonna be better than Scott. With his current favorability rankings (42%-33%), he has a real shot at a comeback, especially with Nan Rich and (presumably) Alex Sink in a Democratic primary; Sink/Rich would split the Democratic base, and Charlie'd run up big margins among African-Americans, teachers, conservative Democrats, and Tampa Bay. He can, and will, return.

Crist had some conservative views as Governor, and I think if push comes to shove, the more liberal Democrats in the race could easily expose those issues, alienating him with many Democrats. If what is going on now stands in 2014, why would Democrats nominate a Centrist when they could win just about as easily with a liberal?

In order for Crist to comeback, he'll have to get a break in the primary (weak opposition) or run as an Independent. And I'm saying this as someone who supported him in 2010.

He did have some conservative views, which could endear him to conservative Democrats up in the Panhandle/North FL. As for the teachers, as one who's been taught by these teachers, they still remember the veto of SB6. And as a Tampa Bay resident, we still remember and like Crist. His basic coalition doesn't need the liberal Democrats. The Democrats have nominated centrists before (Sink) over more liberal candidates (Moore), and are likely to do it again.