Childish Lunatic v. Experienced Statesman

Florida voters go to the polls this November to choose their next US Senator. The choice, emblematic of politics across the nation, is one between an experienced moderate and a neophyte "Tea Party" lunatic.

Sadly, the outcome is far from certain.

Governor Charlie Crist, for a long time considered the Republican Party's inevitable candidate, recently quit the party in the face of Marco Rubio's insurgent campaign for the Senatorial nomination. The implications of his move are nothing short of staggering for politics in the United States.

And while many view this a sad testament to the power of extremism in the current political environment, it is, perhaps paradoxically, also a great opportunity for real renewal and optimism.

Crist, the moderate (formerly Republican) governor of Florida, remains popular, averaging a 70%+ approval rating in his state. His appeal crosses party lines, with high levels among Democrats and Independents as well as Republicans.

And for Marco Rubio supporters, that's the problem. In the surreal world of Tea Party politics, the fact that Charlie Crist has a moderate image that appeals to voters across the political spectrum makes him a traitor to the cause. As such, he must be purged.

The madness behind such reasoning is simply astounding. By creating a litmus test for candidates, and punishing those that compromise and work with their opponents, the Republican party will only implode with time. But that wisdom is lost on Rubio, who both cynically manipulates and caters to the childish antics of the hard-right members of his party.

What exactly are Crist's perceived sins? He supported the Obama administration's stimulus package to assist Florida's economy; opposed offshore drilling (even before the recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico); supports a cap and trade plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and generally supports conservation of environmental wildlife sanctuaries.

And what makes Rubio so attractive to his conservative supporters? Well, he encourages doing "whatever it takes" to gain information from "terrorists" as Guantanamo Bay (read between the lines); speaks masterfully against "out of control" government spending but offers no details on how to stop it; continues to support offshore drilling and opposes any greenhouse gas reduction plan; and wants to repeal Obama's healthcare law, saying an undefined and amorphous "free market" approach is needed instead.

To his short-term credit, such tactics have worked. He was leading Crist by over 20 percentage points in the closed Republican party primary before Crist switched to run as an independent. Polls in a hypothetical statewide match, among all voters, now give both candidates a chance of winning.

For those of us who favour centrist candidates who are pragmatic, sensible and capable of uniting the electorate behind them, Charlie Crist is the future. We need more candidates like him who are not afraid to put principle above party politics even if there is risk to their career involved. Supporting the opposite party, when appropriate, as he did in working with President Obama, is a sign of maturity and intelligence.

Rubio's lack of real world experience or any sound grasp of policy details is frightening. He may be superficially attractive to conservatives in that he says what they want to hear - but when pushed, he can never explain how any of it will actually work.

And that's the problem with the whole Tea Party movement. When the details have to come out, they bury their heads in the sand. Coming up with slogans is fun and easy; actually governing and weighing the evidence for hard decisions is difficult and challenging.

This November, Florida voters have a chance to show that the electorate still understands this.