Jim Greer, Florida’s GOP chairman and a top ally of Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, will resign his post, the Miami Herald reports.
Greer will step down Feb. 20, more than three years after Gov. Charlie Crist hand-picked him to run the state GOP. In recent weeks, major party donors and other leaders have called for his resignation, citing questionable party spending, lackluster fundraising and division among party loyalists.
Up until New Year’s Day, Greer had been resisting calls to resign. He has come under much fire from conservative supporers of former state House Speaker Marco Rubio, who is challenging Crist for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. Greer had attempted to prevent a party primary in the race, which has in recent months drawn closer and closer in the polls. In one December poll, Rubio appeared to have overcome a large deficit to draw even with Crist. Other polls have been less dramatic, but suggest that the race is very competitive.
