Reply #91: I don't think he could have...and he's basically trying to thread the needle

[SoCalDem]

By claiming to be independent, he hopes to hang onto the saner republicans who do not like Rubio, and would NEVER vote for a dem...and with a wink & a nod, he hoped to claim the dem voters who know in their hearts that Meek could not beat Rubio.

As a stealth candidate, Crist hoped to win just enough in a three-way race to beat Rubio. While he would probably NOT declare himself a dem, once elected, he would probably have caucused with the dems because of the shabby way republicans treated him..

I think Kendrick Meeks is a fine young man, but it may not yet be "his time"..Perhaps after 2-3 terms of Rubio,the magnifico, he will challenge again, but when one is off the national stage, it's hard to command much attention. Meeks may have jumped in too soon, and maybe should have stayed in the house a while longer, to gain some national status...especially since his congressional races he won 4 times were unopposed.