Scott has too much invested at this point to step aside (and for whom would he do so ? Jeb Bush ?). The big question is whether Democrat pols in FL are just going to sit by quietly and allow Crist to be handed the nomination. The guy is a world class opportunist.
As for the Sununu situation in NH, the question would’ve been then as it is now: who else would’ve run ? Drafted an unknown person who was sure to lose ? Of the first-tier candidates in NH, there were next to none. Look what happened to Ovide Lamontagne, who was all but expected to waltz into the Governor’s office last November, and he was blitzed in a painful replay of his race against Shaheen in 1996.
Indeed, had Sununu simply dropped out after a single term and had someone else taken his place, he’d have been rightfully crucified for pulling a Paul Trible or Dan Coats. It’s doubtful even the most well-regarded Republican could’ve won in 2008 against Shaheen. It appears now they may try to have Sununu, Jr. run yet again in ‘14. As with before, if only because we have no farm team.
I agree that the NH GOP had no one who would run as strongly as Sununu in the 2008 Senate race, but the same cannot be said for the FL GOP regarding the FL GOP. Off the top of my head, there’s Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, Commissioner of Agriculture (and former Congressman) Adam Putman, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer (and former Senate Presdient) Jeff Atwater, and former Congressman Lincoln Díaz-Balart.
Governor Scott barely won with the wind at his back in 2010, and he’s done nothing but taken lumps since then. I think that before he spends $100 million on his reelection he should ponder whether it will make a difference, and whether it would be wiser to step aside and allow a conservative Republican with a better chance of winning run for governor.