The Florida Republican Party has put a portrait of Gov. Charlie Crist on eBay, hoping to recoup some of the cash it spent on the painting under former Chairman Jim Greer’s tenure.

Crist’s former party uses the auction to hammer the newly-independent U.S. Senate candidate as an unprincipled, poll-driven politician. Here’s their description of the painting:

★Canvas is naturally sensitive to changes of temperature and humidity, just as the Charlie Crist’s political convictions are subject to fluctuations in poll numbers.

★Depending upon variety of conditions, the stretch canvas may periodically lose and regain tautness, much like Charlie Crist periodically loosens or regains positions on a variety of issues.

★Ornate gold frame made of manufactured wood, similar to the fabricated conservative values of the politician depicted within.

Gov. Charlie Crist confirmed today he will drop the Republican classification from his voter registration card, something he does not have to do to run as an independent.

“If you’re going to do it, do it,” Crist told the Post.

But going without a party affiliation means he won’t get to vote in the party’s U.S. Senate primary, which includes his nemesis, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, and three other lesser-known Republicans.

Crist laughed at the suggestion that he’d want to keep his affiliation to vote in the race.

“Who’s all in it?” he said. “No, I don’t need to do that.”

Crist said his communications director, Andrea Saul, will transition off the campaign now that he’s no longer running as a Republican. Crist said he has not heard the same from his campaign manager, Erik Eikenberg, who is also expected to also leave the campaign.

Crist said he hadn’t read the statement from U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, his one-time confidante, who said today that his loyalty to the party trumps his friendship with Crist.

“It’s unfortunate,” Crist said.

We also told Crist of the quote from Mac Stipanovich, a GOP strategist who blasted LeMieux’s statement. Stipanovich told the St. Petersburg Times that, “George LeMieux is a Mount Everest of ambition shoehorned into a molehill of a man.“

“Is that what he said?” Crist said, before disappearing into his office.

Gov. Charlie Crist said he hopes to decide whether to run for U.S. Senate as a Republican or as an independent by Thursday. He must file his formal election papers by Friday at noon, or 12 hours before the legislature has to complete its work.

“I’d like to go ahead and get that concluded then look forward to the last day of session,” Crist said.

Crist says he hasn’t made up his mind yet. But it looks like he’s likely to abandon the GOP.

Asked if he thinks the Republican Party has changed, he said, “Things ebb and flow and that’s true of parties and other institutions. And certainly that’s part of what’s happening in Florida.”

The Republican forcing Crist’s hand, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, is planning to file his election papers today. Rubio’s campaign ridiculed Crist for suggesting he’s “listening to the people” about his campaign decision.

“If Crist was truly listening to Floridians, he would hear concerns about increased spending, mounting debt and policies out of Washington that are leading our country in the wrong direction,” Rubio spokesman Joe Pounder wrote to reporters this morning.

“Marco has been listening and as he has throughout this campaign, will be speaking to those critical issues at today’s event. We have yet to hear Floridians express concerns about how Charlie Crist can extend his future as a career politician.”

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