Teamsters endorse Crist

In a switch from normal politics, five Teamster locals announced that they would support Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in his bid for the state's vacant U.S. Senate seat.

Unions are reliably Democrat, but they are eschewing Democrat Kendrick Meek to back Crist, who bolted from the Republican Party when it became clear he could not beat Marco Rubio. While Crist is running as an Independent, the union support suggests he probably falls closer to bigger government liberal than smaller government conservative.

Local 79 based in Tampa, Local 173 in Bradenton, Local 385 in Orlando, Local 974 in Jacksonville, and Local 991 in Mobile, Ala., which serves several members residing in Florida's panhandle, will all support Crist.

Ken Wood, president of Local 79, said his group is backing Crist because he “cares more about people than party."

"He stood up for President Obama's stimulus package when he thought it would help working families in Florida, even though he took a lot of flak from his own party for doing so," Wood explained in a release.

Wood also agrees with Crist's view that pension funds hurt by recent market turmoil deserve relief.