Comings and goings in Florida as Charlie Crist says goodbye to GOP

It’s been quite a day in Florida politics, with two partings (neither of which involved sweet sorrow) and the announcement of one arrival.

The first parting: The state GOP got rid of sold an oil painting of Gov. Charlie Crist, who parted from the party to wage an independent campaign for U.S. Senate. Crist has been trailing Marco Rubio in one poll after another. The painting sold for $7,700.

The second parting: Crist formally escaped left the GOP, changing his party affiliation to "none." “For me it was a no-brainer,” Crist told reporters who chronicled the exciting drama of the governor filling out the paperwork. “It was just the right thing to do.”

The one arrival: Republicans have decided to hold their 2012 national convention in Tampa. This is not likely to cheer Democrats, considering Florida’s 27 electoral votes. On the other hand, the last Republican convention in Florida was in 1972, when the nominees were President Richard Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew. And we all know how well that pair turned out.

-- Steve Padilla  

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Photo: Associated Press