A group of Florida Democrats have been urging the White House to abandon their own Senate candidate, Rep. Kendrick Meek, in all but name. And they appear to have succeeded.
The Wall Street Journal reports that President Obama is seriously considering offering only half-hearted support to his party’s nominee, the only serious black candidate for Senate in the United States this year, so as to help Republican-turned-Independent candidate Gov. Charlie Crist win the seat.
The White House told the Democrats that the president is supporting his party’s likely nominee, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek. But the Democrats came away from the conversations thinking that the White House might be open to discussing the level of passion that it would put behind Mr. Meek’s candidacy, according to people familiar with the conversations.
Mr. Crist’s path to victory would become easier if the president refrained from singling him out for criticism or from making Mr. Meek’s election a top priority during the busy campaign season. The White House officials speaking with the Democrats included Mr. Obama’s political director, Patrick Gaspard.
Mr. Crist’s path to victory would become easier if the president refrained from singling him out for criticism or from making Mr. Meek’s election a top priority during the busy campaign season. The White House officials speaking with the Democrats included Mr. Obama’s political director, Patrick Gaspard.
Crist also appears to be speaking with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. This should be taken as a sign of where he will caucus if he makes it to the U.S. Senate.
In another potential sign of Democratic interest in Mr. Crist, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, Nev.) called the Florida governor late last week to wish him well, according to people familiar with the conversation. Allies of Mr. Crist saw the gesture as an overture to potential cooperation. A spokesman for Mr. Reid declined to comment.
