A.G. Gancarski
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist is confident headed into Tuesday night.
“It feels good. It really feels good right now,” Crist said, regarding his mindset about Election Day.
Crist delivered a final assertion of his readiness for a fall battle against incumbent Ron DeSantis duringa relaxed Zoom meeting with reporters that didn’t suggest any great worry about Tuesday night’s results.
“Florida’s done with Ron DeSantis,” Crist said, not for the first time nor the last, describing his strength as a candidate. He noted he’d been endorsed by over 200 elected officials, most major labor unions, six major newspapers, and had raised nearly $15 million to date. Reminded of DeSantis’ fundraising edge, he wasn’t worried.
“People will be very encouraged to get engaged and get engaged quickly,” Crist said about the General Election.
In a sign of the global focus imminent for this campaign, a British reporter asked about “unique challenges” in running against DeSantis.
“I think it’s more challenging for him,” Crist said, noting the Governor’s out-of-state campaigning in Pennsylvania and Ohio even in the days before the Primary as proof DeSantis had his “eye off the ball of Florida.”
Crist’s confidence is to be expected given the final public poll of the race, one that shows a Fried fade.
St. Pete Polls’ last survey of this race found Crist with 59% support, nearly doubling up on Fried’s 30%. Undecided voters made up the remaining 11%.
“Polls are up, polls are down,” Crist said, saying the only poll that mattered was Tuesday night’s.
Of the 57% of respondents who said they had already voted, Crist was even stronger, drawing 63% support compared to 31% for Fried.
Crist said his “experience and electability” set him apart from Fried, and Tuesday night will show if voters agree.
Regardless, Crist said Democrats have to coalesce quickly after the Primary.
“There may be a unification rally to be held in South Florida on Thursday,” Crist said, noting he promised to endorse Fried if she won, and that if he wins, he hopes that she would endorse in kind.
15 comments
Timmy
August 22, 2022 at 4:39 pm
Let’s stop talking about republicans winning. Why would anyone be voting for Trump? That’s what you’re doing if you vote republican. Take a fookn stand!! NO MORE TRUMPS!!!
Brandon
August 22, 2022 at 4:53 pm
This is the best Democrats can do? What a sorry bunch. Sigh…
Elliott Offen
August 22, 2022 at 5:02 pm
Charlie is a plant. He entered the race to allow DeSantis to skate. The only way he wins is by accident…and I hope he does. Regardless nothing will change.
PeterH
August 22, 2022 at 6:41 pm
Crist is a much better debater.
Impeach Biden
August 22, 2022 at 10:01 pm
I think DeSantis can hold his own against the flip flopper.
Joe Corsin
August 22, 2022 at 10:10 pm
You gonna get a scrub and a finger nail slap by NIKKI FRIED…yeah carpet across the face om nom nom nom nom
Jay Smif
August 22, 2022 at 8:20 pm
Everyone knows that fascist, worthless, evil Ronny D refuses to address reproductive rights in the state of Florida, and has only called for a special session AFTER the election, where he will take away a woman’s right to choose what she is allowed to do with her own body in the name of “freedom,” while at the same time telling his cult that it’s okay if they kill the gays and trans people for sport.
Women of Florida better realize what they’re facing with the pudgy midget dictator in the cheap suit.
marylou
August 23, 2022 at 11:38 am
Florida women will vote in record numbers, just as Kansas women did to reject the Kansas Catholic Church anti-choice amendment. A Fox News poll shows support for Democrats is up among fathers and suburban women, groups that Republicans have taken for granted. We just aren’t hearing much about it because of Trump’s problems.
Experts agree that Catholic Crusader Ron will defy Floridians’ wishes and force a ban at his special session after the 2022 election. Freedumb DeDICKtator is refusing to allow a vote on abortion in Florida. Why doesn’t this Christian Nationalist want to hear what voters want!? Isn’t that what states’ rights is about—what the people of each state want, so that representatives actually represent their voters, not their churches?
Unfortunately, so far cult members are so stoned on his hatred and distractions that they haven’t yet noticed that Desantis doesn’t plan to stop with taking away women’s rights. He needs their votes right now, but it’s clear that Desantis wants total control of the government in Florida, where freedom, as he puts it, “goes to die”.
TD
August 23, 2022 at 9:17 pm
Your party cannot even define what a woman is or when life begins, and accordingly will punish as enemies of the state anyone who opposes: (1) men in women’s sports and restrooms; (2) big pharma, gender theory and CRT in your kid’s school; and (3) abortion on demand up until the moment of delivery, so good luck framing your opponents as moral inferiors. That’s the only card people like you have left. You’re scared, and you will be getting more scared as reality continues to assert itself and everyone increasingly sees that your party and class pretensions of expertise, scientism, meritocracy, moral superiority, and most of all competence are FALSE.
David In Shoreline
August 22, 2022 at 10:44 pm
I know we have to go through the whole election thing. But wouldn’t it be great if we could skip the inevitable and just head straight to Governor DeSantis’ victory party?
Elliott Offen
August 22, 2022 at 11:49 pm
Yeah it would be great if you’re a fascist who doesn’t believe in elections. Wouldn’t that be the preference of so many non American so called conservatives..
TD
August 23, 2022 at 9:27 pm
You are correct for once, guy who also posts as Joe Corsin. It is very important for DeSantis’s blowout victory to occur. How else would deluded souls like you find out how weak the Democratic Party truly is?
Further, thank you for stepping in your own mess: Note the irony of how you claim your opponents don’t believe in elections – when you believe they are fascists who are morally unworthy of representation in the first place! Who needs elections, genius!
Tom
August 23, 2022 at 6:59 am
What a bunch of manure, fluffy and stuffy.
What a crock of manure, chameleon acts like he invented the state.
What does chameleon say to the 2.7% million working. To the millions parents who enjoyed their kids going to school ? To the seniors protected by Covid. The improvement of schools., and expanded student voucher program.
The list is endless.
Chameleon or fraud have no chance.
Shawn
August 23, 2022 at 11:02 am
Watching liberals call Ron DeSantis a facist is a showcase of insanity. Liberals during Covid wanted to use the force of government to close businesses, put people out of work, declare some jobs essential, shut down schools, shut down gyms, shut down any type of entertainment venue, to force people to strap on facial diapers and to micromanage every aspect of human existence. That is what fascists do.
Liberals have used the public school system to promote their values. No peep of that being fascist. Of course when America’s Gov wants to use the public school system to promote conservative values liberals suddenly find it fascist.
In Florida, the state is free thanks to DeSantis. If people like Jay get their way, Florida will cease to be free and big government will run wild.
Dr. Daniel S. Cronrath
August 23, 2022 at 5:49 pm
This reads like something from a former Folio Weekly sports reporter. Gancarski joins his colleagues at the St. Pete based Florida Politics in trying to shape outcomes rather than report events.
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