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Is Crist Interested In Senate Seat? 'Not Much'

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By JOE FOLLICK

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Published: January 15, 2009

Asked his level of interest in entering the U.S. Senate race in 2010, Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday that it was "not much."

In an interview, Crist said he has been giving most of his attention to the state's budget crisis and a review of the Legislature's recent $2 billion-plus in cuts and borrowing.

"That's really where my focus is," he said.

Crist has been repeatedly mentioned as a potential candidate to replace Republican Mel Martinez in the Senate. Martinez will not seek re-election in 2010. Wednesday, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the Republican Party's U.S. Senate campaign group, said the group is recruiting Crist to run for the seat.

But Crist and those closest to him have all but ruled out a run.

Crist also spoke to the inaugural meeting of the new Energy and Climate Commission today. Crist said the economic downturn should ignite, rather than dampen, deeper interest in pursuing alternative sources of energy.

"I think that exploring new energy opportunities, climate change initiatives, creates more job opportunities," said Crist, specifically mentioning solar and tidal energy. "I see them as great opportunities for new economic growth in our state. If ever there was a time to be innovative, to be entrepreneurial in a new way that we haven't really ventured in before, this, it seems to me, would be the time to be doing that."

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