Crist: Bubba Is Influencing the Election

Is Bubba the Love Sponge swaying next week's election?

Candidate Kendricks Meek

The syndicated radio host (Bubba the Love Sponge is his real name; he had it legally changed) has been encouraging his listeners, known as "The Bubba Army," to vote for his preferred candidates. Among them: Charlie Crist.

According to browardpalmbeach.com, Bubba's influence is no joke: He consistently ranks high in ratings, and when he ran for Pinellas County sheriff in 2004, he won almost 30 percent of the vote.

Crist, Bubba pointed out, left the Republican Party shortly after siding with teachers and vetoing a controversial bill that would link their pay to student achievement. That, Bubba said, is because he has "'nads." He also cited Crist's efforts to force insurance companies to insure autistic kids, to protect women seeking abortions, and his support for police officers.

Twice this week, Gov. Crist called in to the show, which airs in South Florida on 93.1-FM. He said that whenever the economy gets tough, people get angry, and that "my former party, the far right wing" is capitalizing on that anger. He alluded to the fact that Marco Rubio has a hold on an estimated 40 percent of the vote, with the other 60 percent being split between himself and Kendrick Meek -- to the detriment of both.

"Sixty percent of Floridians don't want Marco Rubio," Crist said. "We need to unite those of us who want common sense."

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