Club for Growth Readies Crist Refund Push

The Club for Growth announced today that it is preparing to launch a refund-facilitation effort to encourage donors to ask Gov. Charlie Crist for their money back, should he leave the GOP and run for Senate as an independent.

The Club, a DC-based economic-conservative group that works to support conservative Republicans in both primaries and general elections, launched a similar effort after Sen. Arlen Specter left the GOP to become a Democrat in the spring of 2009. (Specter was, and is, a political enemy of then-Club President Pat Toomey, who is now challenging Specter for his Senate seat for the second time.) The Club says Specter ended up returning a total of $1.2 million in campaign contributions after his party switch.

Here's the statement from Club for Growth President Chris Chocola:

"Candidates who switch parties in the middle of a campaign have an obligation to return contributions on request," said Club President Chris Chocola.  "If and when Charlie Crist leaves the Republican Party, we will contact his contributors and help them make formal refund requests to his campaign."