Both Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio, the two leading candidates for the Republican nomination for the US Senate seat previously held by Mel Martinez, appeared last night at the Ronald Reagan Black Tie and Blue Jeans BBQ held just outside Gainesville. Local coverage can be found here in the Gainesville Sun and here in the Independent Florida Alligator. The Alligator even goes so far as to provide photographic proof that Crist is now married (to a woman!).

The Sun article points out that Crist received "a small smattering of boos", presumably stemming from a failed attempt to prove he is a true conservative. An audio file provided by the Alligator gives us Charlie’s wistful ode to Reagan that follows his insistence that he is conservative.

Although the Alligator article claimed that Crist and Rubio did not bicker, they did appear to be working hard to highlight their differnces, and the Sun article’s headline even portrayed the two as sparring. Both articles referred to excitement, and Larry Cretul, Speaker of Florida’s House was quoted as saying "When Republicans gather, there’s a sense of urgency." I presume he was referring to the MIchelle Bachmann teaparty earlier in the day where the Republicans were so urgent they screwed up the Pledge of Allegiance.

The most entertaining quote of night comes from Rubio and the Alligator is kind enough to provide us with the audio to prove this is what he really said:

Never have we needed a Republican Party that will stand up to these voices and offer a clear alternative to the American people.

Way to go, Marco. Yes, we don’t need your party, but it probably doesn’t help your cause to admit it.