TRULY THE SUNSHINE STATE – AT 8:03 A.M. ET:  With all the inside talk about the Republican primary for U.S. senator in Florida, matching Governor Charlie Crist against Marco Rubio, we sometimes forget that one of them will face off in the general election.  How is that going?

Rasmussen reports that it's going very well for our side:

While Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio battle it out for the Republican Senate nomination in Florida, one thing is unchanged for now: Regardless of which GOP candidate emerges, the likely Democratic Senate nominee, Congressman Kendrick Meek, has a long way to go.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the state shows Meek trailing Crist by 16 points and Rubio by 20 in general election match-ups, margins that are virtually unchanged from a month ago.

While Crist, the state’s current governor, trails Rubio by the widest margin yet among Republican voters, he leads Meek 48% to 32%. Eleven percent (11%) prefer some other candidate, and nine percent (9%) are undecided.

Rubio now holds a 51% to 31% lead over Meek. Seven percent (7%) like another candidate, and 11% remain undecided.

COMMENT:  So the seat, currently held by placeholder George LeMiuex, appointed by Gov. Crist to serve out the term of resigned Senator Mel Martinez, is likely to stay in the right column.

February 24,  2010