GOP Senator: Crist ‘irreparably’ damaging himself as Independent

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is “irreparably” damaging himself
by choosing to run as an Independent for the Senate, according to the chairman
of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Crist, a Florida Republican, is expected to withdraw from
the race for the GOP Senate nomination and announce his Independent candidacy
during a press conference Thursday evening in St. Petersburg.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Thursday that Republicans encouraged
Crist to either stay in the GOP primary or drop out and run again in 2012
against Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

{mosads}“Staying in the primary and dropping out and running in ’12
are preferable, much more preferable, than running as Independent,” Cornyn said
Thursday at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.

“His future electoral prospects are irreparably damaged by
his deciding now to run as an Independent.”

Cornyn admitted he hasn’t been able to speak with the
governor directly about his decision. “I’ve played a lot of phone tag with
him,” Cornyn said. “I’ve sort of given up out of frustration.

“But I know that message has been communicated, both by my
staff and by other people close to the governor,” Cornyn said. “He’s a smart
guy he can see what his choices are.”

Should the governor switch his party affiliation, “it will
end our support and we will throw our support enthusiastically behind the
Republican nominee, Marco Rubio,” Cornyn said.

Cornyn wouldn’t quantify the amount of money Crist would
have to refund if he launches an Independent bid. But he did say he would
request  Crist return the $10,000 his leadership PAC donated.

After Crist’s announcement, the primary is effectively over
and Cornyn said the committee’s focus will turn to the Democrat in the race,
Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.).

“Once we get by this drama of today, it’s going to be in
essence a general election campaign and people are going to begin focusing on
Kendrick Meek. A guy who voted for half-a-trillion-dollar cuts in Medicare,
which Florida’s senior population may take a dim view of,” Cornyn said.

Cornyn said he initially tried to recruit former
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) to run for Senate before moving to recruit Crist.

“When Jeb Bush told me he wasn’t going to run, I looked around
for the most popular Republican in the state, and it was pretty clear who that
was,” he said.

“At the time we made the endorsement, Gov. Crist was one of
the most popular governors in America. It’s been a breathtaking change of
circumstance to see him now contemplating this course.”

Cornyn admitted the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s endorsement of Crist didn’t
help his campaign.

“In this political environment, it’s not necessarily helpful
for candidates running in states to have the national party chairman endorse them,”
Cornyn noted. “That’s been a learning experience.”