[cnn-photo-caption image= http://blogs.cnn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2010/02/obama-crist-gi-art.jpg caption="Governor Charlie Crist is hugged by President Obama at a town hall meeting February 10, 2009 in Fort Myers, Florida."]
By Jim Acosta, CNN
To hug or not to hug?
That's the question facing Florida's Republican voters. The answer could have national implications for the Tea Party movement.
In the white-hot GOP primary battle between Governor Charlie Crist and former House Speaker Marco Rubio, the hug is the big issue.
In case you haven't heard – last year, the governor briefly hugged President Obama at a stimulus town hall meeting in Florida. Tea Party activists in the state immediately cried foul and began moving in droves to Rubio in the race.
Does Crist regret the hug? Does he still defend his support of the stimulus? Yes. And yes. To the governor, it's all about civility in politics. Tea partiers or no tea partiers.
Would Rubio hug Obama? Watch our second part of "Welcome to the Tea Party" – "Florida showdown," Thursday on American Morning.