Will Lincoln Pledge to Serve The Full 16 Months If Selected?

Will Lincoln Pledge to Serve The Full 16 Months If Selected?

On August 7th, when Sen. Mel Martinez announced his resignation, Chair Thurman said, "U.S. Senate seats should not be political footballs… so it is critical that Charlie Crist not play political games with the public's trust."

Unfortunately that is exactly what is happening, with Charlie Crist's personal political ambition leading to Crist adding Lincoln Diaz-Balart to the short list. As the Miami Herald describes Crist's posturing:

Florida Democrats suggest this scenario: Diaz-Balart is appointed senator, opening up a congressional seat for Crist GOP primary rival, Marco Rubio, to run for Congress in a special election. That could prove a tidy solution, allowing Crist to score points with the Hispanic community and dispatch his pesky rival. It would also allow the GOP to give Rubio, its young Cuban American star, some love.

Then yesterday, the Miami Herald added this wrinkle to the Hail Mary pass Charlie Crist is trying to call as an audible, attempting once again to get Rubio out of the Senate race, since Jim Greer's bullying and offering a clear path for Rubio to become the Republican Attorney General nominee didn't work:

Wait there's more: What if Fidel dies and the Castro brothers lose power in Cuba? Would Diaz-Balart skip out of the Senate seat to become the democratically elected president, requiring a second appointment by Crist?

So, while Charlie Crist decided once again that his political ambition is more important than the public trust, the least Crist can do before hiking the ball is force Lincoln Diaz-Balart to pledge that he will serve the full 16 months left on Mel Martinez's term.