New Quinnipiac: Confirms more Democrats supporting Charlie Crist for Senate (Rubio's lead down to 7)

[seafan]

Mitch Perry at Creative Loafing reports:


New Quinnipiac poll confirms more Democrats supporting Charlie Crist in Senate seat: The guv is now down by 7% to Marco Rubio


October 28, 2010

A new Quinnipiac poll released Thursday morning confirms what a Zogby poll showed back on Monday — that as Election Day nears, more Democrats are peeling away their support (in the polls, anyway) from their standard-bearer in the race, Miami Congressman Kendrick Meek, and defecting to independent Charlie Crist, who they obviously feel is the only man that can possibly stop Marco Rubio’s coronation as the next U.S. Senator from Florida.

According to the survey, Rubio is at 42%, Crist 35%, and Meek down to a lowly 15%.

.....

This trend confirms what Democrats have been speculating for weeks — that for whatever reason, the polls haven’t reflected what they have been saying amongst themselves — that more and more of them, including those who do believe in Kendrick Meek’s message more than they do what some would call the opportunism of the governor, nevertheless will bite the bullet and vote for Crist, as the fear of a Marco Rubio victory appears more likely each and every day.

.....

The poll also shows that only 11 percent of voters have not yet made up their minds — which isn’t good news for Crist, though again, with the perception that he could actually win gaining a tiny bit of momentum, perhaps those locked-in Meek supporters may think again.

The poll also shows that incredibly, 28% of those surveyed said they still don’t know enough about Kendrick Meek. Quinnipiac has been asking this question of the Miami Congressman for exactly a year, and, as I’ve written about before, that number didn’t change much from last October to this spring. Yes, the Crist-Rubio battle was epic for months and never included Meek in the conversation, but it seems to be that even among some discerning voters, he has always been an afterthought. Don’t know enough about him? How can that be?

.....

This new poll is reflected in the numbers at Real Clear Politics. showing a clear shift by Democrats over to Crist.



Monday's Zogby poll is now substantiated by today's Quinnipiac poll, in revealing this shift toward Crist by Democrats.


Buckle in. It's going to be a wild ride.

[bluestateguy]

1. Somebody has to drop out, Meek or Crist

I don't care who it is, but somebody has to step aside.

I'll continue to wait.

[kysrsoze]

2. Yeah, I think Meek needs to endorse Crist and drop. I think Meek would lose to Rubio.

I'd rather have a reasonable ex-Repub than Rubio, and I think Crist would be more apt to side with Dems than McConnell and Boner. They already consider him a traitor anyway, so it's not like they would buddy up with him... perhaps threaten though.

[seafan]

4. No one really needs to step aside now. Simply vote for the strongest candidate to defeat Rubio.

The fate of Florida hangs in the balance here.

Not to mention national politics as well, if we allow this horde of screaming fanatics and forked-tongued smooth talkers into power.

[joeybee12]

5. It may be too late, but that's the only chance of defeating Rubio...n/t

[seafan]

3. Governor Crist to appear on Olbermann's Countdown tonight. (Oct 28)

Orlando Sentinel:


October 28, 2010

Gov. Charlie Crist, who spent years telling folks he was a rock-ribbed Republican, makes a decidedly un-Republican like appearance tonight.

Why the snark?


For the record, the Orlando Sentinel recently endorsed Rubio.

Unfortunately, as we've witnessed, the moderate Republicans of recent history have been marginalized and cannibalized by the radicals. This is no longer your father's/grandfather's Republican Party. For Governor Crist to climb out of this cesspool is a sign of mental health.

He’ll be a guest on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, the MSNBC vehicle that makes conservatives’ blood boil.

The appearance comes on the same day a Quinnipiac University poll shows Crist, who’s running as an independent, pulling within 7 percentage points of Republican Marco Rubio. Democrat Kendrick Meek has fallen to 15 percent, 27 points behind Rubio.

Wednesday, Crist released an ad that argues he is the only candidate with a shot at defeating Rubio. Given the “Q” poll results, look for him to hammer that argument home tonight with Olbermann.

Go get 'em, Governor.