Kelly Hayes
You may know him from his statewide campaign to flip the Governor’s seat blue in 2022, but Congressman Charlie Crist’s heart belongs to Tampa Bay, coming in at No. 6 on this year’s list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians.
Although Crist’s influence extends beyond Pinellas County, he proves his loyalty to Tampa Bay through his work in Washington, representing Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
There, the Democratic powerhouse serves on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee — one of the most influential positions a Representative can hold, overseeing federal budget decisions. His district also reaps the benefit of such a position, with Crist often announcing millions in transit and infrastructure grants. Crist also serves on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
“Nobody else has a resume like Charlie Crist — state Senator, Education Commissioner, Attorney General, Governor and Congressman. There are also few people who have been able to successfully reinvent themselves and their careers in the way that he has,” said Ron Pierce, CEO of RSA Consulting.
“Much of his success and longevity can be attributed to his mastery of retail politics and his effectiveness as a policymaker. It is these qualities that have helped build an enduring legacy and made him such a fixture in Florida politics.”
Crist fell two spots this year, drifting from the No. 4 spot he claimed last year, likely from vacating his congressional seat for a more uncertain gubernatorial election.
It’s clear the Congressman has a strong base in Pinellas County — shown by a successful re-election campaign in 2020 for the district served since 2016, despite Republicans trying relentlessly to take back the seat since his initial victory.
Crist’s personable nature lends credence to his political game. Crist long has been known for offering smiles and handshakes to everyone in a room, contrasting with current Gov. Ron DeSantis, who lately in public events has frequently directed his ire at critics.
With name recognition statewide, recent polling shows Crist holding a double-digit lead against other Democratic Primary candidates. His name recognition likely lends a hand, previously serving as Florida’s Governor from 2007 to 2011 as a Republican, and now seeking the seat as a Democrat.
“Charlie Crist is a throwback to the days when politicians could disagree without being disagreeable. And after decades of campaigns, no one is better at retail politics or enjoys it more,” said Preston Rudie, founder of Catalyst Communications Group.
“Whether that friendly populist approach still works in an era of Twitter snark and sharp elbows will play out this year in the Governor’s race. The former Republican Governor and current Democratic member of Congress remains familiar and popular around Tampa Bay, and he has a strong record on issues such as voting rights and the environment. But while Charlie is often underestimated, he hasn’t been such an underdog candidate in nearly 25 years.”
Crist also garners political influence with his relationship with President Joe Biden, as an early supporter of the current commander in chief. Crist was an early supporter of Biden, who endorsed the Congressman in his 2020 run. Crist was vocal about the need for a peaceful transition of power from the Donald Trump administration to the then-incoming Biden administration.
He’s also not afraid to take on opponents, as a consistently vocal opponent of former President Trump and current Gov. DeSantis, accusing the latter of sparking culture warfare in lieu of addressing serious issues.
Crist’s ability to wear many hats while remaining true to his mission will likely keep him on the list for years, whether he finds success in his gubernatorial run or something yet to come.
Joe Henderson’s take: If he can win the Democratic Primary for Governor in August, Crist’s soothing, relatable style may play well against DeSantis’ sandpaper rough approach to campaigning. While DeSantis stirs whatever culture he can, Crist will talk about actual issues. Will that connect with enough voters turned off by DeSantis’ steamroller style? We’ll see.
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As for methodology, we define the Tampa Bay region as Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco, but can also include Hernando, Polk or Sarasota — if the politicians from those counties impact either Pinellas or Hillsborough.
We define a politician as being in office or running for office.
Being first on a panelist’s list earns the politician 25 points, second earns them 24 points and so on, to where being listed 25th earns a politician one point. Points are added and, voilà, we have a list.
Special thanks go to our experienced and knowledgeable panelists, who were essential to developing the 2022 list: Christina Barker of the Vinik Family Office, Ashley Bauman of Mercury, Ed Briggs of RSA Consulting, Ricky Butler of the Pinellas Co. Sheriff’s Office, Reggie Cardozo of The Public Square, Ronald Christaldi of Schumaker, Evan Donovan of WFLA, Joe Farrell of Pinellas Realtors, pollster Matt Florell of Vicidial Group, Shawn Foster of Sunrise Consulting Group, political consultant Max Goodman, Mike Griffin of Savills, Joe Henderson, Todd Josko of Ballard Partners, Natalie King of RSA Consulting, Patrick Manteiga, publisher of LaGaceta, Seth McKeel of The Southern Group, Jennifer Motsinger, EVP of Tampa Bay Builders Association, Mitch Perry of Charter News, Ron Pierce of RSA Consulting, Preston Rudie of Catalyst Communications Group, and Alan Suskey of Shumaker Advisors. With Michelle and Peter Schorsch.
