AT THE RACES: Crist Rumored To Run For House Seat In 2012 If He Loses Senate Bid

At 79, Florida Rep. Bill Young is the senior most Republican in the House. He's something of an institution in the St. Petersburg area, having represented the eighth district since 1971. As with all aging politicians, rumors of his retirement abound.

Rumor has it that Charlie Crist has his eye on Young's seat. This rumor isn't confirmed, but it's credible, and it's worth contemplating while Crist falls further and further behind in his Senate race. If Crist loses his current Senate race, he'll simply wait for Young's retirement — strong-arming it doesn't seem beyond the realm of possibility — and make another attempt at gaining office.

The whole scenario initially seems somewhat implausible. Why would a governor, who ran for Senate, lower himself to running for the House? There's a few good explanations: Crist makes his home in St. Petersburg, and likes it there. He wed his wife in St. Petersburg during his term as governor. The eighth district is a Republican stronghold, for the most part — an easy place to kick back and enjoy local politics, especially after he's desperate for some political validation after a failed Senate campaign.

This rumor won't flesh itself out for some time, I'm sure, but it's worth keeping in the back of your head as we consider how desperately Charlie Crist wants to hold public office.