How the GOP schism in Florida will let Meek slip through the cracks?

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Miami Liberal Examiner
Joseph Marhee
November 21, 12:30 PM

Despite both GOP candidates, in recent Rasmussen polls, projecting victories over Democrat Kendrick Meek in the November 2010 election, one thing could keep that from being a reality; the GOP base becoming over-concerned with how "conservative" our conservative officials are. Kendrick Meek receives an estimated 34 and 31 percent of the total vote against Crist and Marco Rubio, respectively, however, the divisiveness of the Florida GOP could make this scenario difficult to imagine. Marco Rubio, backed by such ultra-Conservative figures as former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former Senate Majority Leader Dick Armey, Karl Rove, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and most of Florida's "tea-baggers" in the Florida Legislature.

Charlie Crist, on the other hand, is backed by the type of allegedly moderate Republicans the increasingly-right-leaning GOP seems to want to distance itself from: Former Bush-official and Senator Mel Martinez (who vacated the seat being run for), Senator Mitch McConnell, Senator John McCain, Senator John Cornyn, and many other Republicans who, in theory, could lend Crist some legitimacy as the "Conservative" that he needs to be to crush Rubio.

Meek is running a quiet, but solid campaign, and isn't facing any major challengers in the Democratic primary, but has been a vocal opponent of Crist's "shenanigans" regarding the Stimulus funds and the adverse effects of the refusal. With the State's Democrats supporting Meek, the question comes down to this: Will Rubio's supporters stand behind Crist if he is nominated, or will Florida see a repeat of the NY-23 special election, where a third-party candidate suddenly became viable?

More: http://www.examiner.com/x-30685-Miami-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m11d21-How-Kendrick-Meek-will-become-a-US-Senator

I hope he is right!