There's a Reason the White House is Not on Florida Avenue

During Hardball today on MSNBC, Chris Matthews, Chuck Todd and Chris Cillizza talked about the possibility of Gov. Charlie Crist running as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate and what it would do to his presidential ambitions. Theres also talk about a Marco Rubio presidential campaign in 2012 and, of course, there are always whispers about Jeb Bush's presidential hopes.

History is against Crist, Bush, Rubio or any Floridian seeking the White House. While Florida has beena statesince 1845, residents of the Sunshine State have failed miserably when looking at national executive office. Sen. George Smathers made a favorite-son bid for the White House in 1960 but nobody took his campaign seriously on a national level, including the candidate himself. Gov. Claude Kirk toyed with the idea of higher office in 1968 but his backing of New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller doomed whatever chance he may have had for being vice president. Gov. Reubin Askew did not fare any better. He turned down the chance to be George McGoverns running mate in 1972 and fared badly in his 1984 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. While mentioned for VP in 1988, 1992 and 2000, Bob Grahams campaign for the Democratic nomination for 2004 did not even get to Iowa.

And if you really want to go far back, Gov. Napoleon B. Broward failed in his bid to become William Jennings Bryans running mate in 1908, and Gov. Thomas Brown flopped in his bid to become the Whig vice-presidential candidate in the 1850s.

Floridians have not even done well getting Cabinet jobs. The first Floridian to sit in the Cabinet was Alan Boyd who was President Lyndon B. Johnsons transportation secretary for two years. No, Stephen Mallorys service as Jefferson Davis secretary of the navy doesnt count.

Could Rubio or Jeb end up on the Republican ticket? Sure, but history offers little consolation for them or any Floridians looking at the White House.