A Grand Illusion

So Charlie Crist was apparently on CNN today to talk about the Democratic victory in NY-23.

This is what he said, according to Naked Politics:

“I don’t know we if can really tell exactly what that race meant,” said Crist, himself the party-annointed candidate for the Senate. “I mean that was kind of a funky situation to put it mildly. And i think it’ll take a little time to analyze what happened there.

Funky situation? Huh? Yeah, not much there, but then he brought his point home.

“But what did happen there, is unfortunately a Democrat won in a district that’s been represented by a Republican for over 150 years. The good news is from last night, these two gubernatorial candidates ran grat campaigns, articulated what the people want, what is important to them and it’s jobs, jobs, jobs. Making sure that that we’re fighting for a better economy and lower taxes.”

He’s being very subtle but there is no mistaking what his message to the GOP is: You go with the teabaggers and you’re going to lose safe Republican seats; you stick with me and we have a chance to win big states like Virginia, New Jersey, and Florida.

The AP seems to think so:

Unlike the traditional early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, Florida will test the candidates’ ability to compete in a large and ethnically diverse state.

Nearly 20 percent of its 17.7 million residents are Hispanic, and more than 15 percent are black. The state has several large cities as well as vast agricultural areas, while the condo communities that dot the coastline are brimming with newly arrived retirees.

Politically, the state remains nearly as divided as it was during the contested 2000 election, when Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore by just 537 votes. Registered Democrats slightly outnumber registered Republicans, and the ranks of independents are growing.

Republicans have scored big in Florida in recent years, thanks to a muscular political operation developed by the president’s brother, former Gov. Jeb Bush. But Democrats picked up two House seats in 2006 and gained ground in the state Legislature.

More here.