Meek: Charlie Crist's independent bid helps me

Senate hopeful Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) believes Charlie Crist's independent bid will help him win a seat in the upper chamber.

"I think [Crist's bid] will eventually [help]," Meek said.

In a brief interview, Meek told The Hill many voters in Florida "don't know I'm running" because he hasn't gone up with campaign ads yet. He said Crist and Republican Marco Rubio will split the GOP vote, noting there are 750,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in Florida.

Meek, who was a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton in the 2008 presidential Democratic primary, said the Obama White House has been very supportive of his campaign.

Asked if the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has been helpful enough, Meek said DSCC Chairman Robert Menendez (N.J.) recently helped him raise funds for his campaign in the Sunshine State.

"Of course," Meek said with a smile, "they could always do more."

In a recent St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald/Bay News poll, Crist attracted 30 percent of the vote, with Rubio at 27 percent and Meek at 15 percent.