Florida Governor Charlie Crist (R) is expected to announce today that he is running for the US Senate seat being vacated by Senator Mel Martinez.

On the surface this should be good news for the GOP as Crist has been popular with voters and would help them to hold a potentially vulnerable seat. But the right wing of the pary, seemingly determined to destroy anyone who is not pure, has a candidate in State Representative Marco Rubio.

Conservatives are mad at Crist for supporting the President’s stimulus package. Even if Crist wins the primary a challenge could force him to spend time and money that would otherwise be saved for November.

Democrats do not appear to have a clear list of candidates yet but I doubt they will pass on the seat entirely.

Crist’s move also means that most of the statewide offices will be open in 2010 and if the Democrats manage to pick off the governors seat that would give them some influence over redistricting in 2012.