The Crist and Rubio campaigns continued to trade barbs in the Republican Senate primary in Florida today — specifically, over the continued gossip that Crist might bail on the primary and run as an independent.
“To put these rumors to rest once and for all, as we have said countless times before, Governor Crist is running for the United States Senate as a Republican,” said Crist campaign manager Eric Eikenberg, in a statement put out by the Crist campaign. “He will not run as an Independent or as a No Party Affiliation.”
Eikenberg also added that this statement should “completely and utterly put to rest any of the unfounded rumors coming from the Rubio campaign that Governor Crist would run as anything other than the Republican that he is.”
Not so fast, though. The Rubio campaign put out their own statement, continuing to question Crist’s party loyalty.
“The Crist campaign has no one to blame but Charlie Crist for the uncertainty he has caused regarding his future in the Republican Party,” said Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos. “Whether it’s Charlie Crist’s well documented history of breaking promises or his abandonment of Republican principles on key issues, it should come as no surprise that so many people are no longer willing to take him at his word. Floridians know they can’t rely on what Governor Crist says anymore, but have to watch what he actually does.
“The fact that his campaign, not Charlie Crist himself, issued today’s latest denial is telling in and of itself. Nonetheless, Charlie Crist has an opportunity to put all this to rest by officially filing for the Republican Primary as early as April 26.”
