Crowley Political Report

Despite countless appearances claiming credit for Florida's growing economy, and a steady barrage of anti-Crist efforts by his campaign and the Florida Republican Party, Gov. Rick Scott remains in a deep hole behind former Gov. Charlie Crist.

Quinnipiac Univerisity released its new poll this morning showing Crist leading Scott 46-38. While Scott has somewhat chipped away at .Crist's lead, Republicans must be worried.

Perhaps the worst news is this: Only 41 percent of those surveyed believe Scott is doing a good job while 49 percent believe is not doing a good job as governor.

And this is an important note: 53 percent think Crist did a good job as governor while only 36 percent should not.

Finally, the poll found that 54 percent of those surveyed believe Rick Scott should not get a second term as governor.

Democrats will feel very happy this morning.

See more poll results below:

CNN says the new documentary "Mitt" on Netflix reveals that in 2008, then Florida Republican Governor Charlie Crist stunned Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney by endorsing John McCain in the Florida primary.

According to CNN, the documentary to be released Friday shows an "anquished looking" Romney hearing the news that Crist was backing McCain. 

Romney complains that Crist lacked the courtesy just to call and offer a heads up.

“You do something like this, you call and say, ‘Look I made a decision,” Romney says. “By the way, we have all talked to him and we said, are you going to endorse somebody? And he said no.”

CNN also reports that: The Giuliani campaign later claimed that Crist had outright promised to support the former New York City mayor before betraying him down the final stretch.

It will be interesting to hear Crist's explanation. 

This week in Florida we have learned that – some folks, including at least one legislator, are still fighting the Civil War insisting that a monument to Union soldiers should not be built at the site of the Battle of Olustee.  A law suit was filed in an effort to overturn Florida’s ban on gay marriage.  And polling suggests most Floridians support legalizing medical marijuana.

 That gentle swooshing sound you hear is millions of non-Floridians shaking their heads in wonder. They can be forgiven for not quite understanding how so many Floridians can support gay marriage and medical marijuana while some are still fighting the Civil War.

 One of the sad truths about Florida is that many of the folks who moved to the Sunshine State over the past 25 years, settled in places like South Florida and have never traveled further north than Disney World. They know little, and care less, about North Florida. To be fair, many folks in North Florida view everything south of Orlando with great suspicion.

 It also explains why running for statewide office is very complicated. As Florida tops 19 million in population and edges past New York to become the third largest state, the politics in this swing state continues to bewilder those in the other 47 states.

 Imagine what folks reading the New York Times must have thought when they learned that some Floridians are still fighting the Battle of Olustee.

Former First Lady Barbara Bush told C-Span that Jeb should not run for president. She believes other families should take a crack at the job and that presidential politics should not be limited to handful of prominent families.

While his mother thinks he should stay out of the race, it is not likely that Jeb disagrees. As Crowley Political Report has said in the past - Jeb is not going to run in 2016 or any other presidential year. He is just not that interested in the campaign.

Did no one pull Carlos Lopez-Cantera aside and warn him? Being Florida's lieutenant governor is  a jinx on political careers.

Lopez-Cantera, or CLC as some call him, may find that being LGCLC is not the beginning but the end of his political career.

Since the adoption of the 1968 state Constitution reinstating the office of lieutenant governor, not one of Florida's 10 previous lieutenant governors have been able to win higher office. Not one. Some have tried, all have failed. 

Jim Williams, Tom Adams, Buddy MacKay - each ran for governor and lost.

Toni Jennings considered running for governor and decided against it.

Jeff Kottkamp ran for attorney general and lost.

Two did become governor. Wayne Mixson was governor for three days - January 3-6, 1987. Mixson took office because Gov. Bob Graham needed to resign to be sworn in as Florida's new United States Senator.

Mixson, who is now 91, retired from politics after those three days. Perhaps there is a message there for ambitious LGs.  Mixson did get an official portrait leaving many to wonder - who is that?