LeMieux Considering His Own Future
As FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R) considers his political future as an independent candidate, he's putting Sen. George LeMieux (R) in an awkward spot.
LeMieux, who ran Crist's past campaigns, served as his chief of staff at one point and has largely been seen as Crist's top political advisor, now has his own political career to consider. Appointed to replace ex-Sen. Mel Martinez (R) last year, LeMieux is said to be taking a serious look at challenging Sen. Bill Nelson (D) in '12.
But LeMieux now has a choice to make: If Crist bolts the GOP and runs as an independent, LeMieux will have to decide between backing his old friend and angering the very GOP primary voters he'll need in '12, or sticking with the party and throwing his pal overboard.
Sources close to LeMieux said they believe he has made his decision, and that he will stick with the party over the person. LeMieux has talked the decision over with his advisors and staff, and they believe LeMieux would endorse ex-FL House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) if Crist makes his switch official.
"He's made his position pretty clear. He's been a life-long Republican," said one source who asked not to be named revealing internal discussions.
LeMieux is said to feel bad about the decision personally, but it won't come as a surprise to Crist. LeMieux has counseled Crist to remain a GOPer, and as recently as last week he urged Crist to continue his underdog bid against Rubio, he said on a conference call with reporters.
In fact, LeMieux maintains he has not even spoken with Crist about the possibility of an independent candidacy. Sources confirm that Crist has never brought the subject up; they believe it is because Crist has a tendency to ask for advice only if he knows the answer he'll get, and only if he will like that answer.
Sticking with the GOP candidate is LeMieux's only choice if he hopes to preserve his own future in elective office. He would have faced a public rebuke from the FL GOP if he didn't go with Rubio; a memo from the state party's top lawyer, another former Crist aide, sent yesterday said party bylaws require members to abandon Crist for Rubio if the former leaves the party. More damaging, LeMieux would have faced anger from the same party activists who have bolstered Rubio, while simultaneously undercutting Crist's bid.
Already, LeMieux will face an uphill climb if he decides to challenge Nelson in '12. Nelson won 60% of the vote during his '06 re-election bid, albeit against weak GOP contender Katherine Harris. And Nelson already has $2.4M in the bank, while LeMieux has yet to even open a federal campaign account.
But by sticking with the party and backing Rubio over Crist, LeMieux may win the gratitude of a grateful conservative base -- one that would make him the GOP front-runner, all at Crist's expense.
Dance with the one that brung ya., LeMieux loses more looking disloyal to his mentor than he gains by jumping on the party bandwagon.
At the very least, pull a Rahm and stay neutral (Rahm Emanuel was close to Clintons and to Obama, so he didn't endorse anybody in the 2008 Dem primaries).
Sorry, the Emanuel example doesn't apply. He didn't choose between two people from the same party during the primaries. If Charlie jumps ship all bets are off. LeMieux's loyalty belongs to the party not to a RINO.
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