Al Lawson, Top Democrat In Florida's State Senate, Endorses Charlie Crist Over Kendrick Meek

Rep. Kendrick Meek, Florida's Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, received some discouraging news Thursday when a top Democrat in the Florida State Senate chose to endorse independent Charlie Crist over him.

Al Lawson, the Florida State Senate's Democratic minority leader, said that Crist has "always been there for us" and had supported state employees, rural counties and universities as Governor.

"Florida desperately needs an independent senator in Washington who will fight for good jobs and economic opportunity, a quality education for every child, and Social Security for all of our seniors regardless of what the political party bosses want," Lawson said in a statement, according to CNN. "Charlie Crist will be exactly that Senator, and I am proud to endorse his candidacy."

But Lawson's decision to endorse Crist instead of Meek may not be so straightforward.

Lawson, the only black state Senator representing Northern Florida, suffered a defeat in a Democratic primary last month in Florida's 2nd Congressional District, thanks in part to a heavy effort by both the Florida Democratic Party and Obama's Organizing for America for his opponent, Rep. Allen Boyd.

And Lawson wasn't hesitant to admit his new found exasperation with Democrats.

"After they supported Allen Boyd, I have serious doubts about my relationship with this party anyway because of what they did to me in my election," said Lawson, according to Florida Capital News. "They were not fair."

The Meek campaign responded to Lawson's endorsement of his opponent, saying that his decision seemed rather personal:

"This is all about Al Lawson," the campaign statement said. "We stand firm with our Big Bend supporters who need a strong Democrat like Kendrick Meek to fight for the middle class in the U.S. Senate."

The Crist campaign released their own statement Thursday, regarding Lawson's endorsement:

"I am honored by the support of Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson," said Gov. Crist. "Sen. Lawson has been a champion for working families for his entire career, whether it be fighting for jobs, the environment, or good schools. I look forward to working with him when I'm elected to the United States Senate."

According to the Florida Capital News, Crist also gave another interpretation of Lawson's selection:

"What's really important is, friendship matters and it shows that in Charlie Crist, I'm the kind of guy who's willing to work with Democrats, independents and Republicans," Crist said.

The latest polls show Republican Marco Rubio leading Charlie Crist slightly, with both having a significant lead over Kendrick Meek.

Comments

[MrUniteUs]

11:36 PM on 09/10/2010

Check out Meek's commerical, and let us know what you think.

http://www.kendrickmeek.com/index.php/content/video_splash/

[GloriaY]

11:13 PM on 09/06/2010

This is what's wrong with Democrats. He supports a republican who was thrown out of his party and became not a Democrat but an Independent, and this Democrat is supporting him? Crist is still a republican at heart, and WILL caucus with them if he is elected. He will not be getting my vote.

[ConjureMan]

10:48 AM on 09/06/2010

Thought on the election from a SoFla Sr. Citizen: I have waited all my life for a chance to vote for Mr. Meeks to be a Senator. I would do just that if I thought he had a chance in hell to win. However I think that a vote for him is actually a vote for Rubio to win the job. That prospect makes me want to hurl. So with some degree of reluctance I plan to vote for Charlie Crist, I will probably even send $$$ to his campaign. He can not be more of a flop disappointment than the current occupant of the W.Hse is.

[blueballs]

08:01 AM on 09/06/2010

So, how can the man be a "top Democrat in the state" if his party supported his opponent? He might be a top political figure, but the party -- which is kinda the determinant of whether you are one of its leaders -- doesn't seem to want him.

Of course, the headline isn't nearly as sexy if correctly stated so I guess we can figure out WHY it wasn't accurate in substance.

[Andy Manor]

08:30 PM on 09/05/2010

Crist will go wherever he'll get elected. I'm very suspicious of him because he refuses to state who he'll caucus with if he wins. He'll say and do anything to win.

[wirelessmom]

10:02 PM on 09/05/2010

You've hit the nail on the head. Crist ran away from the Rep Party because he saw he hadn't a chance to win the primary. Suddenly, he's an Independent. Next, he will come out and announce he is now a Democrat. He will do anything to continue in some kind of govt job, since he couldn't make it in the private sector.

[ArjenBoatsma]

02:47 PM on 09/06/2010

funny that you're talking about "coming out" in the same sentence in which you refer to Charlie Crist......

[PJ M]

01:39 PM on 09/06/2010

I doubt the Republicans will welcome Charlie Crist ....

[Fretchen]

02:14 PM on 09/06/2010

nor the Democrats

[blueman00009]

08:24 PM on 09/05/2010

The dems should cut a deal with crist and meeks should bow out. Meeks doesn't have a chance and only sucks votes away from crist, which might make the bagger rubio a senator.

Cut a deal with crist so he votes with the dems for organizing the senate. In any event, crist is more of a dem then ben nelson or some of the other blue dogs. He will do what is best for his constituents, which means that he will be voting with the dems most of the time in any event.

[h23154]

09:50 PM on 09/05/2010

Lawson is clearly a racist.

[Fretchen]

02:15 PM on 09/06/2010

and your evidence is? Constant and ill advised use of that word has caused it to become meaningless. Basically it now means anyone with whom you politically disagree. What a shame.

[Suzanne Graves]

12:02 PM on 09/06/2010

you are exactly right.....needs to happen now.

[Bostontru2u]

05:14 PM on 09/05/2010

I was talking to jtt.

[Tyger79]

04:12 PM on 09/05/2010

Can you feel that? That's the feeling of the country drifting yet further to the right.

[rextrek]

03:27 PM on 09/05/2010

As Long as Florida is Under GOP rule and Extremely Anti-LGBT - I will NOT be going there / nor spending any tourism money in that state.

[ConjureMan]

10:37 AM on 09/06/2010

How can you not want to rush to visit the state that gave us Anita Bryant?

[Fretchen]

02:16 PM on 09/06/2010

Thank you for your absence.

[norepublicanleftbehind]

01:59 PM on 09/05/2010

Mr. Lawson---HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!!

[storeyy]

11:41 AM on 09/05/2010

Why can't a democrat win in Florida? Why is Meeks unelectable? Are u the same people that said Meeks wouldn't win the primary?

[Cowboylove]

11:18 AM on 09/05/2010

Charlie Crist is the best choice for Florida for Senate - regardless of your party affiliation. He is simply head and shoulders above his competitors.

[bannorhill]

08:58 AM on 09/06/2010

Really?

What does he stand for? Today? How about tomorrow?

[Bruce vain]

09:45 AM on 09/05/2010

Christ will not win..Meeks will win Obama will help him and African Americans will come out in droves...after the first debate..Rubio will be exposed Christ will look like the weak candidate he is..Meeks has done well just wait and see..funny they said the same thing about the skinny black man from Chi town with the funny name...Go Meeks

[laland69]

11:11 AM on 09/05/2010

Meeks is not going to win. Democrats are idiots this year. FL still is a southern state. This is a Rubio and Crist race.

[bwenston42]

12:02 PM on 09/05/2010

Florida is a southern state. Does that mean that Florida is as backwards as Alabama, Texas, South Carolina, Arizona, or any other bid got state in the south and west?

[Monsi]

11:55 AM on 09/05/2010

Naive, should I say?

[Clevelandinwi]

07:45 AM on 09/05/2010

Excuse me again - Can anyone see and 'effective' legislator among this years candidates for the Senate? I was just looking through the list and, to be honest, I can't find one.

[Clevelandinwi]

07:43 AM on 09/05/2010

Crist should win in Florida even though he'll probably be an ineffective Senator ala his hero, joeyLIEberman. He was a jedbush type of Governor, well-liked but for the most part, not very good.