Crist, who has the last word on most legislative actions, faces a clear choice with four weeks left in his last session as governor: He can ratify Republican proposals on education, property insurance, political fundraising and the budget, or use his veto pen to beat down party orthodoxy and revive the "people above politics" populism that got him elected in 2006.
"When the governor decided not to run for re-election, he made his governing life very difficult," said Rep. Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, the House majority leader. "I think it is a very tight wire for him to walk the rest of session and beyond the session."
Crist can stand with fellow Republicans or set himself apart in search of a political advantage.
The first big test comes this week when Crist decides whether to sign a bill that allows a handful of legislators to create soft-money fundraising machines, known as leadership funds, outside the structure of the political parties. Both Republican-led chambers rushed the bill to Crist during the session, giving him seven days to act.
Trailing his U.S. Senate rival Marco Rubio by double digits, Crist realizes he's in the political fight of his life. And that the power of his bully pulpit is expiring.