Jesse Scheckner
U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist’s bid to retake the Governor’s Mansion has gained the support of Rep. Fentrice Driskell, who called him “the best candidate” to take on Gov. Ron DeSantis this November.
Crist’s campaign announced the endorsement Thursday morning shortly before releasing a video of the two Democrats holding a “Charlie Crist for Governor” sign and delivering a few brief remarks.
In the video, Driskell said she is honored to back Crist in the race, adding she believes his “heart is in the right place” and that he will bring needed changes to Florida.
“Charlie is uniquely suited for this moment, not only because of his previous experience as a Governor, but because he has the heart and commitment our state is crying out for,” Driskell said in a separate statement. “Charlie is the change we need to see. It’s time for Floridians to band together behind Charlie.”
Driskell’s endorsement comes one day after Crist celebrated one year on the campaign trail, over which time he’s amassed support from more than 150 elected officials and community leaders and more than $8.2 million raised — including a $1 million haul in March alone.
Among his recent endorsers: state Senate Democratic Leader Bobby Powell; state Sens. Shevrin Jones, Lori Berman and Tina Polsksy; state Rep. Nick Duran; and Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe.
“I’m honored to receive the support of my friend, Rep. Fentrice Driskell as our campaign reaches the one-year mark and gears up for the fight ahead against Gov. Ron DeSantis,” Crist said. “The path forward won’t be easy, but with the support of leaders like Rep. Driskell and so many others who have joined us in this movement, we can and will deliver change for Florida this November.
“Together, we will turn the tide and usher in a new tomorrow for all Floridians, one where no one gets left behind.”
Crist, a St. Petersburg Democrat who was a Republican while serving as Florida’s 44th Governor from 2007 to 2011, faces two major opponents in the Primary Election: Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, and state Sen. Annette Taddeo of Miami. Both would make history as the state’s first woman Governor.
Crist has outraised both and holds a commanding lead in popularity among voters, according to a new survey from St. Pete Polls in which 52% of respondents said they support him for Governor compared to 19% who back Fried and 5% who side with Taddeo. Twenty-four percent remain undecided.
3 comments
Itold Usoh
May 5, 2022 at 11:54 am
Crist seems so, well, inauthentic. He’s been on every side of every issue. At least with DeSantis you know what you are getting. I do not dislike Crist, but he seems wrong for the times. We’re in multiple crises and he’s all Mr. Rogers / Kumbaya.
I’ll probably vote for Taddeo in the primary — too left for me, but she is direct and clear — and DeSantis in the general. He’s too right, but also direct and clear. And this year of crisis, I’ll take right over left.
Know Him
May 5, 2022 at 1:23 pm
Can’t trust Charlie: simple as that. He has no core, he has no direction; he is wholly reactive. Maybe that’s a good thing: governor “Do Whatever I Need to Do to Win.” But this isn’t the ’90s, when it was all a fun game and Charlie was taking down Lawton Chiles and Bob Graham. All the good times are past and gone now. It is serious business, and Crist ultimately is an unserious person.
Impeach Biden
May 5, 2022 at 11:40 pm
There had to be some sacrificial Democrat candidates to take on our wildly popular Governor in Florida. Crist and Fried fit the bill. Neither one of them stand any chance against DeSantis.
Comments are closed.