Florida Governor Charlie Crist wasted no time holding a fundraiser last night in Miami Beach, just days after he switched parties from Republican to Independent.

Crist made the announcement last week, in the midst of an ever-tightening Republican Senate primary race. Recent polls had shown that Crist was falling behind GOP Senate candidate Marco Rubio, who said Crist’s decision to leave the Republican Party was one of “political convenience.”

Since June of last year, Crist has held 22 fundraisers, including five in 2010, according to invites sent to Party Time. The invites all listed him as a Republican candidate for the seat. Some Republican lawmakers have requested that Crist return his campaign contributions now that he has switched parties. Crist has said that he’ll probably give the money back to people that ask.

Party Time has one invitation on file for Rubio, at the lobbying offices of Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart in Washington D.C.

Crist said he took advice from Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., who told Crist that switching is “the most liberating thing.”

Said Crist: “He was right. I’m much happier now.”

Crist has raised more than $10 million, with $7.6 million of that in the bank. His opponent Rubio has raised more than $7 million, about $4 million of which is cash on hand. Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek has raised more than $5.7 million.

Florida’s Republican Senate primary will take place on August 24. The Cook Political Report rates the Senate race a “toss-up.”

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