Josh Goodman is a former staff writer for GOVERNING..
E-mail: mailbox@governing.comTwitter: @governing
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is expected to announce his decision on the 2010 Senate race by May 5 with several informed sources suggesting to the Fix that he is a near-lock to run for the seat being vacated by Sen. Mel Martinez(R).
A Crist adviser said that the governor will not make any announcement before the legislative session ends this Friday. An impasse over how to close the state's budget gap could extend the session, however, or even force a special session. It's not immediately clear how that sort of delay would effect Crist's time line.
If Crist announces soon that he is running, the timing of the move will surprise me. Florida's gubernatorial primary isn't until August 2010. By announcing, Crist would be turning himself into a lame duck for more than a year. Even for a politician such as Crist, who has succeeded at charming Democrats and Republicans alike, the road is likely to get a bit bumpier when lawmakers know they no longer have to curry favor with the governor.
Perhaps, Crist is worried about giving Marco Rubio too much of a head start in a Republican primary. Or, perhaps he simply doesn't want to keep the entire Florida political world frozen as every politician in the state awaits his decision.
Josh Goodman is a former staff writer for GOVERNING..
E-mail: mailbox@governing.com 
GOVERNING Politics is the place for news and analysis on campaigns and elections. If there's a ballot measure in California, a legislative election in Alabama, a mayoral election in Anchorage or a governor's race in Rhode Island, GOVERNING Politics probably is writing about it. We love everything about state and local politics, from polls and campaign ads to policy debates and demographic trends.
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