Alex Sink’s much talked about comments to the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday were well-timed given the growing resentment of Charlie Crist’s seemingly inevitable candidacy among Democratic activists. Reaction from the Jefferson-Jackson dinner among activists has been one of consternation as party elites push Crist’s possible candidacy. It is worth noting that Senator Nan Rich continues to gain support throughout the state among members of DECs and other grassroots activists. Rich’s candidacy has momentum and energy not yet apparent to pollsters but certainly apparent on the ground in different parts of the state.
But back to Sink, who is a potential candidate for Governor. Her campaign in 2010 was poorly run and she proved to be a poor candidate. But all indications are that she has grown from the experience and would likely be a more seasoned campaigner should she run in 2014.
One issue Sink had in 2010 was that she failed to connect with party activists and the Democratic base in urban counties where her performance numbers were substantially lower than those of Barack Obama’s 2008 statewide victory (though in contrast she ran substantially ahead of Obama’s numbers in many rural north Florida counties an area where Democrats must run well if Rick Scott is to be defeated.) Not having a primary in 2010 prevented Sink from connecting with base voters and understanding how to appeal to them. Her learning curve has been steep since her loss but as her comments to Adam Smith ( below in bold) indicate, she understands the frustration of activists in the party.
The campaign against former Gov. Crist would be brutal, she said, noting the job losses during his term, flip-flops on issues, “plus all the stuff that hasn’t been written about yet, about the Republican Party fiasco, about Jim Greer, about the party in the Bahamas,” she said, referring to Crist’s hand-picked GOP chairman, now in prison for stealing party funds and who was accused of hiring prostitutes at a fundraising retreat Crist attended.
The discussion of Crist’s scandals has begun to peculate among Democratic activists. In particular the discussion of Harry Sargeant has become a more regular topic among Democrats throughout the state.
Many of the elected officials in the Democratic Party tend to be comfortable with Crist. This was true when he was Governor as well and owed more to his personality contrasts with his predecessor Jeb Bush than to any real policy or ideological considerations. Where Bush was prickly and abrasive, Crist was soothing and comfortable to deal with. This actually helped the GOP legislators as it served to disarm some of the Democratic opposition to Crist in the 2007-2009 sessions. In reality, Crist was only marginally more moderate than Bush was, and Rick Scott is ideologically in about the same place Bush was.
But those elected officials who have forced bad nominees (including Sink in 2010) down the throats of activists in the past are not being given the leeway to dictate this selection as they were in the past. Sink herself wisely senses the mood in the party has shifted against Crist and has decided to speak out. This could also serve as a trial balloon for Sink’s potential candidacy.
Many Democrats are concerned about the unwillingness of party elites to embrace the need for a values based party. The FDP has lost 13 of the past 14 races for Governor and Cabinet running a mish-mash of candidates without a clear strategy or ideology. At one point it was hoped by some activists Charlie Crist could help shape a new direction for the party, but instead he seems to be running an insider campaign and avoiding all discussion of issues with those at the grassroots level.
What many partisan activists are concerned about is a continuing drift away from sensible party building. Since party discipline is almost non-existent among many Democratic elected officials and Tallahassee insiders continue to try and dictate events despite being almost completely aloof from the grassroots level, the party lacks any kind of coherent direction. The weakness of most local DEC’s has for years promoted a free-for-all among elected officials to accrue influence and in many cases to cut deals with local or Tallahassee-based Republicans. A Crist nomination many feel would only further these problems and create more long-term issues for the party.
Alex Sink’s comments have struck a chord with activists. Now it will be critical to see if party elites understand the groundswell developing against Crist and change course, or answer some of the tough questions sure to come the former Governor’s way.
The Florida Squeeze 
KRISHNAIYER claims to be a loyal democrat but he is obviously working for Rick Scott as is Alex Sink and possibly Nan Rich.
You people are being used against the most powerful potential candidate. If Crist is the nominee we win. If he’s not we lose. It is that simple.
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It seems to me that you are the one working for repubs if you want Crist as Governor.
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Morning Star…you are on drugs. Maybe they should drug test you. Crist. No one wants him. The only people that want him are those that have something to hid. Sorry Charlie and MS. Crist is going to run for US Senate. He does not trust you boys and girls…and the Ds don’t trust Crist.
Sink should run!
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Crist is a crook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No one wants him!
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Mr. Crist will NOT be supported by central & northern voters of either party. His fiascos with the RPof F, Jim Greer, gun control, women’s reproductive rights, switching parties, etc. will cause folks to vote AGAINST him. If he is the candidate, WE LOSE!!!
Nan Rich for Governor.
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If they Democrats are dumb enough to nominate someone fortunate to not be in jail they’ll get what’s coming. Scott and the RPOF have seen Crist’s entire rap sheet and will expose it.
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Who anointed these so-called “party elites?” Most important, who are they? That term makes most of us at the grassroots level suspect. You don’t get elected from top down. The work is done from the bottom up.
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Krishnaiyer is clearly working for Rick Scott. May some illness or something of the sort afflict him or this site in the near future allowing us, the real Democrats the opportunity to carry on, support our chosen leader Charlie Crist abs actually win this election.
This website is inventing issues. Crist would beat left-wing Nan “nobody knows me” Rich by 50 points if the ejection were today. She should be FORCED to drop out by the party. No one is supporting her except republican shills paid by the GOP who is scared shitless of losing power.
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Andre, Burt and their minions can go to hell. Wishing a disease or illness on someone is absolutely wrong, classless and says a lot about all of you.
And what is your obsession with CharLIE’s abs?
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Alex Sink, in 2010, was on the wrong side of same sex adoption and medicinal marijuana. Many of the Progressives I know are not excited about her candidacy. She couldn’t beat a man who stole over a billion dollars then, why would she win now?
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You people are MORONS that will cost an election that is basically already won on your phony principles, intolerance and personal prejudices. It is amazing how liberals always pontificate about diversity and tolerance and yet are the most judgmental, maniacal and intolerant people of views that may conflict with your own.
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it is unreal that so many Ds are clammoring for Crist. With a race between two Republocans why not choose the real one? Also why cannot we be civil accusing anyone of opposing Crist a lifelong Republican as a plant working for the Republicans?
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Those of you pushing Crist are the ones sending the party over the edge.
You should be ashamed about it.
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Go Alex go!!!!
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Christian she changed her mind just like Obama and Nelson on adoption. The only reason why you all are pushing the pot is because you realize that for Crist to win we must get a kids to be high.
YOU are NOT MY DEMOCRATIC PARTY!
VOTE SINK! NO MORE SORRY CHARLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sink accuses Crist of flip-flopping, but she doesn’t address the fact that she refused to take positions on many issues and she was a conservative Democrat on the issues she did take positions on.
Sink’s campaign was focused on the north and partially ignored the south. Central Florida, is guess, is home turf. It was like nobody cared about Sink in South Florida. We focused on local races and still took a tremendous beating from the Tea Party.
So, what now? The article is correct. What is best for us is to have a value based Party and to reward real Democrats with out support. Charlie Crist has not proven himself to be a Democrat at all, not yet anyway. Nan Rich has been a stalwart Democrat over the years. We should all be supporting her.
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This whole dialogue is very distressing and leads me to believe Scott will win again in 2014 because Democrats are in the process of assembling a circular firing squad again. For those with short memories uninformed voters will key on is jobs and Scott is doing everything he can to obscure his ruthless approach to education, voter suppression, infrastructure, and the list goes on.
Sink lost by 61,550 votes (About 1%). Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 500,000 voters. Stay home and lose because the candidate isn’t perfect.
I’m an Independent but registered as a Democrat. Why don’t we open the Democratic Primary to NPA and Independent voters to see if we can create a coalition of voters that reaches out to people like me that are disgusted with both parties.
Florida Independent Voting (www.fivorg.com ) is actively seeking a change to Florida’s closed primary system. Top 2 Open Primaries are a way of life in California and Washington State. Let’s pull together.
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Come on, Kartik, no one is talking about Charlie Crist and Harry Sargeant.
wp.me/pShRp-qCj
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Harry Sargent?
Isn’t that a Pentagon scandal?
He is a Crist buddy though.
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You can not be all that smart. when you have people saying no one is talking about Crist and Sargeant…now they are. I think Sink can sink Scott…I dont think Crist can…..for one to say no one is talking about it..well they should. When you have Crist get $ from Harry Sargeant the former chairman of RPOF and making money off of the war ..fyi from a leader of the Democratic Party……you should be ashamed! They ALL need to talk about it! http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/meet-harry-sargeant-florida-republican-money-man/1276970
All one needs to do is research it through the state to see how much money he donated. It is not rocket science…it is the truth.
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Usually I do not read post on blogs, however I wish to say that this write-up very pressured me
to try and do so! Your writing style has been surprised me.
Thanks, very great post.
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naturally like your website however you have to take a look
at the spelling on quite a few of your posts.
Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very bothersome
to tell the truth on the other hand I’ll surely come again again.
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I think we should have Wexler and Crist give all the money from their awful books to our troops. They tool all that money its time to give back.
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Peter…people are talking about Sargeant. It is sick! http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42668435/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/us-oilman-accused-bribing-jordan-official-win-contract/
Tell Robert Wexler and Charlie Crist its not just big brother that is watching them.
Get the hell out of our party you damn war profiteerers!!!!!!! And talk Scott with you!
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Does anybody else see the irony of Crist selling his book while campaigning for governor. Is he using his gubernatorial campaign to hawk his book sales? Why couldn’t he wait until after his campaign was over? If he wins, more sales, if he loses, no sales. Hmmmm.
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