Independent Crist now leads in Florida Senate race with 38%; Rubio 34%

The Florida Senate race appears to be a whole new ballgame with Republican Governor Charlie Crist’s decision to run as an independent.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Voters finds Crist earning 38% support to Republican Marco Rubio’s 34% and Democrat Kendrick Meek’s 17%. Eleven percent (11%) are undecided.

Two weeks ago, before Crist announced his decision to run as an independent candidate, Rubio held a seven point advantage in the race.

Since then, Crist has gained eight (8) percentage points in the poll while Rubio and Meek have each dropped three (3) points. It remains to be seen if this is a temporary bounce or a lasting change in the race.

Crist, who announced his decision to run as an independent last Thursday, is now once again embracing President Obama’s economic stimulus plan, a move that first got him in trouble in the Republican Party. He’s also clearly courting Democrats who have been less than enthusiastic to date about Meek’s candidacy