Welcome to

Charlie Crist, Alex Sink and a host of other candidates gave up safe seats to pursue higher office at a time of extreme voter anger. Now, many party activists are second guessing their decisions. “I believe I can best serve the people of Florida, if they’re willing to allow me, as their next United States Senator” said Crist at the time.

Crist became the first governor to fore-go a second term. against the advice of Longtime advisor George Lemieux. “I wished he would stayed as Governor and I wish he would have stayed in the Republican Party’ Lemieux said on the television program Facing Florida. “and I gave that advice to him, and he chose to follow his heart on that, and you can’t begrudge the decision’s he’s made.”

Had Crist heeded that advice, he might have appointed Marco Rubio to the Senate setting up a one on one face off against Kendrick Meek that might have given Democrats a fighting chance. It also would have avoided a total turnover in state leadership.

Instead, Alex Sink, just three  years into the CFO’s job jumped into the open governor’s race. So did Attorney General Bill McCollum. No one had yet heard of Rick Scott.

Then 7 others jumped into  Sink and McCollum’s empty seats. Opening up 2 State Senate Seats, one of which turned GOP and increased the party’s grip on the legislature.

Crist this week was upbeat about his trouncing and seem to have no second thoughts.

“But you know, it was time to move on, and I’m happy having made that decision. And now I am moving on” said Crist.

For Florida Democrats, Crist’s decision was a disaster. With no bench the party fielded weak candidates in four of the 5 statewide races. Now, democratic party insiders are calling for new leadership.

Christ says he has not thought about running for another political office, but most observers think he will seek a congressional seat in 2012