FLORIDA LOOKS SOLID – AT 7:59 A.M. ET:  When Republican Governor Charlie Crist of Florida announced he was running for the U.S. Senate, he looked like a shoo-in for the GOP nomination.  Then, a young guy named Marco Rubio announced that he, too, would be running.

Rubio was laughed at initially, but later developed a commanding lead in the polls.  So Crist pulled a fast one.  He announced that, poof, he was no longer running as a Republican, but would run as an independent.  Some observers believed he had pulled off the most brilliant maneuver since MacArthur's landing at Inchon, Korea.  Indeed, in early general-election polls, Crist led in a three-man race. 

Not so fast.  Rubio was unshaken and simply continued to campaign.  Now, he has, as he did in the GOP primary, built up a lead that looks insurmountable.  Unless some disaster strikes, the Florida seat should be safe for our side.  Reuters has the story:

(Reuters) - Florida Governor Charlie Crist's strategy of taking the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans in his campaign as an independent for a Senate seat is failing.

The slight edge Crist held over Republican "Tea Party" favorite Marco Rubio in August has evaporated and turned into a wide deficit as he courts what appears to be a fast- shrinking moderate vote.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Wednesday showed Rubio far ahead in the three-way race to succeed Republican Senator George LeMieux, with support from 40 percent of likely voters. Crist had 26 percent while Democrat Kendrick Meek had 21 percent.

Florida's U.S. Senate election is widely viewed as a referendum on President Barack Obama's handling of the economy, and Rubio appears to be landing knockout punches bashing Obama.

COMMENT:  Rubio is a rising star, and would be the first Cuban-American to go to the U.S. Senate.  Watch him closely and think "national ticket."

September 16, 2010