He’s announced he will run against Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who seems to be lining up for a 2024 Presidential run….
But?
The Governor’s race come first next year….
DeSantis IS very popular with Florida Republicans….
Democrat Crist is a former Republican Governor of Florida……
This is third try to get his old job back…..
It ain’t gonna be easy….
Rep. Charlie Crist, the former Florida governor who wound up leaving the Republican Party amid the tea party backlash aimed at Barack Obama, became the first prominent Democrat in the state to announce a bid to knock off incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Crist released a nearly 3-minute long campaign video on Tuesday morning making his entry into the race official. In the video, Crist took swipes at potential 2024 presidential contender DeSantis as someone who is only “focused on his political future” and “doesn’t listen, doesn’t care and unless you write him a campaign check you don’t exist.”
Crist is scheduled to hold a kickoff event later Tuesday in his hometown of St. Petersburg before launching a five-day statewide tour of his “Florida for All” campaign.
“We can create a society that values every person,” Crist will say, according to a script of his prepared remarks being distributed ahead of time. “We can create a society that values every person. We can break the fever of division and hatred that has afflicted our politics.”….
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Florida has not elected a Democratic governor since 1994. And Crist’s pathway to the Democratic nomination is far from guaranteed. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the lone statewide elected Democrat, has been building an organization and is expected to soon jump into the race. U.S. Rep. Val Demings, the central Florida Democrat who was considered as a running mate to Joe Biden, is also expected to enter the race as well.
The Democratic nominee will have a tough battle against DeSantis, who has become a conservative celebrity for his disdain of the media, his pushing back against Covid-19 restrictions and a legislative agenda that took aim at Big Tech as well as protesters in the wake of the summer’s anti-police brutality demonstrations….
image…WFLA
A look at the Fla Gov Race from the Right @ RRH…
FL-Gov: Rep. Charlie Crist (D) to Run for Governor
Rep. and ex-Gov. Charlie Crist (R->I->D) will mount a second attempt to come back to the office he held as a Republican from 2006 to 2010 and tried to recapture as a Dem in 2014. Crist becomes the first declared candidate into the race to take on Gov. Ron DeSantis, but will almost certainly not be the last as Rep. Val Demmings (D) and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) are both considered likely to run, and several others are considering. Crist will have a tough fight on his hands in the primary, but does have assets in his statewide name recognition.
Link…
I disliked Crist as Governor, although of course he still would compare favorably to DeSantis- who has to be one of the worst governors in the country.
Charlie Crist Holds Big Lead In Democratic Primary
A new St. Pete Polls survey in Florida shows Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) leading Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) in a hypothetical Democratic primary for governor, 55% to 22%.