Gov. Crist Makes Pitch To Voters On Election Eve

ST. PETERSBURG (CBS4) - After 18 years in public life, Governor Charlie Crist faces the culmination of the fight for his political life on Tuesday.

That will be the day - 18 months after Crist began his candidacy for the U.S. Senate as a Republican - that Crist will learn if Florida voters will catapult him to victory over frontrunner Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek.

Polls show Crist trailing Rubio by double digits and Meek running a distant third.

In the final day of campaigning, Crist jetted across Florida - visiting seven cities on Monday, including a stop at Miami International Airport.

He ended his whirlwind tour back home in St. Petersburg at a rally at Albert Whitted Airport.

He arrived to dozens of cheering supporters and volunteers.

"We're gonna win," Crist exclaimed. "We're gonna win."

Crist continued his attack on Rubio, calling the Tea Party darling "extreme" and trying to paint him as out of touch with mainstream voters.

"If Marco Rubio becomes our next United States Senator, we will literally have a Senator who wants to overturn Roe vs. Wade," Crist told supporters.

Crist says if he is elected, he will protect a woman's right to choose, keep Social Security as is and - as an Independent - be a voice for the people not a party.

But if Crist loses he might look back to one moment as the moment everything changed.

In February 2009, Crist - then a Republican -- stood onstage with President Barack Obama in February 2009 in Ft. Myers. He embraced the President and the stimulus package.

It was at that moment Rubio saw an opening. Rubio eventually denied Crist the Republican nomination, forcing Crist to flee the party and begin his Independent bid.

A subplot developed over the past several days, as stories swirled that Crist and former President Clinton urged Meek to drop out of the race, clearing the way for Crist to go up against Rubio. Meek refused.

When CBS4 asked Crist on Monday to confirm that he repeatedly asked Meek to quit, Crist sidestepped the question.

Now Crist must hope the polls are wrong and that voters will swing his way Tuesday.

"All common sense Republicans, Democrats, Independents have got to come together and unite," Crist said. "We have to unite behind the candidate who can win. It's the man that stands before you."