It seems that Marco Rubio might, contrary to the eye-rolling pundits who preferred he not run a “destructive” or “contentious” primary, win his party’s nomination for the Senate. Rasmussen reports that after trailing by double digits, Rubio is tied with Gov. Charlie Crist at 43 percent. The more the voters know Rubio, the more they seem to like him:

Rubio’s name recognition has grown in recent months and he is now viewed Very Favorably by 34% of Likely Primary Voters. That’s up from 18% in August. As his name recognition increased, Rubio’s support in the polls has jumped from 31% in August to 43% today. Crist, well known throughout the state, has seen his ratings go in the opposite direction. Just 19% now have a Very Favorable opinion of him, a figure that represents a double digit decline since August.

There’s a long way to go before the primary next year, but once again we’re learning — or relearning — some key lessons. First, name recognition or lack of it shouldn’t be confused with political viability. Early poll results with a relatively unknown candidate mean rather little. Second, it matters how candidates and campaigns run. A huge advantage built largely on the ephemeral name recognition can vanish with a lackluster or an incompetent campaign. If you have any doubts, look at how the front-runners in the 2008 presidential race fared. Third, association with the Obama agenda — in this case, Crist’s embrace (literally) of the president and his cheerleading for the stimulus — are proving to be hazardous to a candidate’s political health. And finally, it is foolhardy for a political party to avoid or discourage primary contests with an open seat. The notion that establishment elders can discern the perfect pick two years ahead of the contest and that challengers should be chased off is downright silly, and ultimately dangerous for a party that should welcome a test of candidates and their messages. It’s a sign of vitality when a relatively unknown, charismatic candidate can emerge, make his case, and engender enthusiasm.

Crist may get his act together and pull this out. But he’ll have to do so with an improved message and a competently run campaign. That’s precisely how it should work, as inconvenient as that may be to those who’d prefer we not trust voters to make up their own minds.