Carol Roberts became a national celebrity in 2000 when, as a Palm Beach County commissioner, she fought vociferously, if unsuccessfully, for every dimpled, hanging and pregnant chad to be counted as a vote for Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore. Now, however, the die-hard Democrat has turned her back on the party's U.S. Senate candidate. While she likes U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, she likes Republican-turned-independent candidate Gov. Charlie Crist better. More importantly, she said, she fears GOP candidate Marco Rubio and what his conservative agenda could mean to U.S. policies. That fear, she said, is driving her vote. 'I believe Charlie Crist has the best chance and best opportunity to beat Rubio and that's why I'm supporting him,' she said. The belief that Crist has the name recognition and charisma to beat Rubio is an oft-mentioned reason why Democratic regulars are abandoning Meek and lining up behind Crist, who until six months ago was a GOP standard-bearer who was pro-life and pro-drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. If Meek doesn't do something dramatic in the next two weeks -- certainly before early voting begins on Oct. 18 -- he may face a mass defection within the Democratic ranks, political observers say. 'Meek is looked at as a pretty weak candidate,' said Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida. 'Democrats really worry that he can't win.' Sean Foreman, an assistant political science professor at Barry University, voiced similar views. 'Kendrick Meek has experience in politics but he comes across as a lightweight,' Foreman said of the Miami native, who was a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and served in the Florida Legislature before going to Congress in 2002. 'I think outside of South Florida, people still don't know Kendrick Meek.' Both said Meek has to do something soon to shake up the three-way race and, in the process, improve his poll numbers. 'He has a couple of weeks,' Jewett said. 'If he's running in the low-to-mid twenties, it will reinforce the impression that he just can't win.' Meek spokesman Adam Sharon countered that it's Crist who should be worried. With no major party backing, Crist and his supporters are grabbing at straws. 'Gov. Crist is the nominee of himself and that gives him a constituency of one,' Sharon said. 'The governor is in a precarious position.' In the short-term, it appears the strategy of both the Crist and Meek camps is to line up endorsements from leading Democrats to persuade the masses that the friend of their political friend should get their vote. For weeks, Crist has been touting his support from Democratic politicians, such as State Rep. Maria Sachs, of Delray Beach, Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish and State Reps. Luis Garcia and Yolly Roberson, both of Miami-Dade counties. While well-known in their communities, most lack rock star status. That could change this weekend. Former U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, who represented southern Palm Beach and northern Broward counties before stepping down in January to head up a Middle East think tank, is expected to endorse Crist. While rumored since Wexler's former chief of staff Eric Johnson joined Crist's campaign in May, the governor on Wednesday hinted broadly at the looming endorsement. Speaking to predominantly Jewish retirees at Century Village at Pembroke Pines, Crist told a lengthy story about his 2007 trip to Israel with Wexler. The self-described fire-breathing liberal has long been a darling of Jewish retirees who for decades have been viewed as key to Democratic success. Further, Wexler's father, Sonny, was in the house. A resident of the sprawling community of 14,000 in southern Broward County, the senior Wexler said he was supporting Crist. Sonny Wexler, who said he has never voted for a Democrat, quickly added that it was no indication of what his son might do. Crist's campaign declined to confirm whether an endorsement might come Sunday when Crist is scheduled to visit Century Village of Boca Raton and Kings Point in Tamarac. But Meek campaign officials shrugged off the impact of a Wexler endorsement. 'Robert Wexler went to Israel with Crist. Robert Wexler was at his wedding. Robert Wexler was at his inauguration as governor,' Sharon said of the friendship that was forged when Crist and Wexler served in the Florida Senate together. 'If (the endorsement) happens, that's not news.' In contrast, he said, Vice President Joe Biden will appear with Meek Friday in Hollywood. And on Sept. 30 Gore will stump for him in Tampa. President Obama and former President Bill Clinton are among the 300-plus elected Democrats who have also endorsed Meek. Further, Sharon said, Meek has already proven nay-sayers wrong. Before the August primary, people were asking the same questions that people are asking now. 'The chorus was: Can Kendrick win Broward? Can Kendrick win the condo communities? Can Kendrick win among retirees? Can Kendrick win in Jewish communities?' Sharon said. The answer came when Meek crushed billionaire Jeff Greene, who spent about $26 million to Meek's $5 million. 'The reality is that Kendrick is the only Democrat in the race. He's a lifelong Democrat,' Sharon said. 'Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio are lifelong conservative Republicans.' Some at Wednesday's event in Pembroke Pines said they know Crist's history. But, they said, that's also what makes them comfortable with him. Stan Cohen, 80, who has voted for one Republican in his life, said Crist was a good governor. 'I'm leaning heavily towards him,' he said. 'I hope he goes more to the center and not to the right.' U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who joined Meek for a telephone conference with voters on Wednesday, said that's the problem with Crist. 'We don't need a leader who licks his finger, sticks it in the air and goes every way the wind blows,' the Weston Democrat said. Jane Musgrave writes for The Palm Beach Post. E-mail: jane(underscore)musgrave@pbpost.com. 