LeMieux Facing Sophie’s Choice

BY BUDDY NEVINS

I pity poor George LeMieux.

His best bud Gov. Charlie Crist — is about to put him between a rock and a hard place.

Best Buds For Now: LeMieux and Crist

Speculation has Crist toying with becoming an independent now that it appears he can’t win the Republican primary for U. S. Senate.

Although his campaign issued a denial Thursday that such a switch was in the works, just a day earlier Crist ducked the question.  The governor told reporters he was too focused on the legislative session to think about a party switch.

Playing both sides of the fence, are we Charlie?

I wouldn’t bet against Crist becoming an independent.  It doesn’t look like he can win any other way.

LeMieux is the potential loser in this.

Crist appointed LeMieux to be a place holder in the Senate.  The idea was LeMieux would stay until Crist could take over after the November 2010 election.

There is only one problem in this plan:  Marco Rubio.

Rubio came out of nowhere, riding Republican outrage against Crist’s cozying up to the hated (in GOP circles) Barack Obama.  Rubio now is posed to win the Republican primary.

Hence the talk that Crist will become an independent.

If that happens, LeMieux will have to pick between a horrible choice and an even worse choice:   

  • He can back Crist’s independent campaign and becomes a pariah to Republicans forever.  This is a politically difficult step to take for LeMiuex, who was once Broward Republican chairman.
  • He can abandon Crist and betray his closest friend in politics.  This is a personally difficult step to take for LeMieux, who was Crist’s chief of staff and ran his campaign for governor. 

Either choice complicates LeMieux’s own political future. There has been speculation he will run against Democratic U. S. Sen. Bill Nelson in two years.

I don’t envy LeMieux.



3 Responses to “LeMieux Facing Sophie’s Choice”

  1. Marco Is The Man says:

    We don’t see anybody defending Kendrick Meek in Broward County. Meek and Crist have already lost. Marco Rubio is our next Senator.

  2. Politico too says:

    George is good man. I agree that he may have a difficult choice. However, I am not so sure that he will ultimately have to make that choice.
    Charlie will stay and win.
    I suggest that you bet no more than $10 on this scenario though.

  3. Try This says:

    Perhaps Charlie will drop out altogether and tell George to run to keep his seat!