Kendrick Meek Death Watch: the Media Narrative

The media is now portraying the Florida U.S. Senate general election as a two man race between Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio. Crist released an internal poll showing Kendrick running a distant third behind Crist and Rubio. Alison Morano explains to a reporter that people should not pay any attention to the Crist internal polling numbers by Frederick Polls. Normally, I would agree. However, the Frederick Polls numbers match other polls.

Frederick Polls

Charlie Crist 35%
Marco Rubio 34%
Kendrick Meek 17%
Undecided 14%

National poll numbers averaged out by TPM Poll Tracker



The endorsement by Florida State Sen. Al Lawson doesn't help matters for Team Meek.



As the race continues the media will focus on Crist and Rubio. Meek will become the also ran candidate. Team Meek staffers can keep telling people their candidate will soon catch on fire. It is a narrative by Team Meek that is getting rather old. Team Meek is the political equivalent of all talk and no action.

Update: the Miami Herald runs a story the possibility of Meek supporters turning to Crist to keep Runio from winning. Beth Reinhard cites Democrats nominating Bill McBride as an example of why backing Crist is bad strategy.

The Anyone-But-Rubio logic recalls what Democrats said about Janet Reno in 2002. She can't win, they said. No way this controversial former U.S. attorney general with Parkinson's disease can beat Gov. Jeb Bush. So they nominated a little-known, politically unseasoned Tampa lawyer named Bill McBride -- and he got trounced.

The so-and-so-can't-win logic becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The Crist/McBride comparison is faulty. Crist has name recognition, won state races and has more money than Meek or Rubio. The more likely scenario is Crist and Meek splitting the Democratic base and providing Rubio with an easier path to victory.

The Beth Reinhard article continues the trend of the media openly wondering if Meek can win. Team Meek can spin things all they want but until the polls show they are in the lead the narrative will continue.