Crist Makes it Official: No Party Affiliation

Gov. Charlie Crist made it official this afternoon: He is leaving the Republican Party and running for the U.S. Senate as an independent.

By doing so, he will bypass the Republican primary, where polls have shown he trails Marco Rubio by a large margin.

"It's the right thing for America; it's the right thing for Florida," said Crist, defending his decision in a speech in his hometown of St. Petersburg.