Another Republican Disses Crist

U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Pensacola, isn't mincing words about the increasingly nasty Senate battle between Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist.

In an op-ed in the Miami Herald, which Miller also excoriates, the congressman from Florida's First District, stated:

"Let us be clear: This entire AmEx story is a ridiculous sideshow; a distraction manufactured by Gov. Charlie Crist's campaign in an attempt to smear Rubio. Crist has fallen far behind in the polls. His staff is starting to quit his campaign. And there's even talk of Crist himself quitting the Republican Party. He is getting desperate. And he's on the attack.

"Marco's American Express statements had to have been taken from the Republican Party of Florida by former RPOF Chairman Jim Greer and likely leaked to The Miami Herald by the Crist campaign.

"What the statements show is that Rubio worked hard to advance the goals of the Republican Party, and he did it as frugally as possible. He spent less in two years than Crist's handpicked RPOF staff spent in one month...

"It is disappointing that Crist has talked more in the past week about Rubio's haircuts than he has about fighting the Obama agenda. But it's also not surprising. Because on issue after issue, Crist actually supports the Obama agenda. From the stimulus to tax increases to cap and trade, Crist walks in near lock step with the White House.

"There are lots of folks in Washington who walk in lock step with the White House. They are called Democrats. Republicans don't need to send another Arlen Specter to Washington. Floridians don't need another typical politician who will borrow, tax and spend our country into mediocrity. What we do need is a senator who will work side by side with his fellow conservatives to stop the liberal Obama agenda. That is what this election is about. And that is why we are supporting Marco Rubio."