Not so long ago, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s bid for the Senate was written off and his chances of winning seemed so remote that he needed to switch parties and run as an independent to have a chance at victory. Now, though, he has gained momentum and is campaigning with one of the most unusual teams ever assembled.
His third-party bid is staffed by a collection of misfits who run the gamut from longtime loyalists to out-of-state hired guns. They have worked for Democrats, for Republicans and even for prominent independents. As with Crist, ideology appears to take a back seat to winning office.
“The personalities are neither Republican nor Democrat. They are fans of Charlie’s and devoted to winning. No real ideology to get in the way of tactical decisions,” said Brett Doster, a Tallahassee-based GOP strategist who ran President George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign in Florida. “Charlie is firmly in control of his own campaign with no one to hold him back from saying or doing whatever it takes to win.”
Full Story: Band of others: Charlie Crist retools his bid – David Catanese – POLITICO.com
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