New Charlie Crist TV ad blames Ron DeSantis for skyrocketing costs

Charlie Crist seeks federal oversight of Florida elections.

 With 12 days to go before the election, Charlie Crist’s campaign unleashed a “seven-figure” TV ad buy that hits Gov. Ron DeSantis on the higher cost of everything.

“Getting by” will start rotating in media markets throughout the state to boost the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, who is currently underwater in the polls in his effort to unseat DeSantis.

This ad does not mention that another four years of DeSantis will likely roll back abortion rights further — a key message of the Crist campaign. Instead, the spot is aimed at pocketbooks and wallets, arguing the DeSantis administration is costing Floridians.

“Whether you’re working in a factory, or an office or fixing cars, Ron DeSantis is making it harder to get by,” Crist says, looking casual, clad in blue jeans and a chamois shirt.

There’s a drumbeat in the background as Crist strolls the floor of an auto repair shop. But then, the 15-second ad quickly cuts to a slow-motion DeSantis shaking his head, frowning, and silently moving his mouth as Crist continues to speak.

“He hiked sales taxes by a billion and said skyrocketing insurance costs weren’t his problem,” Crist says as the camera shot rests on a slightly blurred DeSantis in a suit jacket and tie for a full seven seconds.

To back the sales tax assertion, the ad cites a report published in the Orlando Sentinel on April 20, 2021 — which actually came from the News Service of Florida — regarding House Bill 50, a measure that increased online sales taxes.  

The ad has echoes of the sole gubernatorial debate earlier this week wherein Crist blamed the skyrocketing cost of housing, gas and food on a Governor “who has taken his eye off the ball.”

“We have inflation in Florida that’s unique to any other state,” Crist said in the debate. That triggered a sharp retort from DeSantis that Crist voted with President Joe Biden “100% of the time,” for policies that caused the rise in prices.

The Crist campaign reported a surge in fundraising — $500,000 — following the debate, so presumably the campaign will be advertising more.

This ad does not offer any specific instance that DeSantis said skyrocketing insurance costs weren’t his problem — he has called for a second Special Session on it. 

Still, Crist wraps up the ad, back in the auto repair shop, as the drumbeat gets louder and ends with a slight cheer of “Hey” in the background.

“DeSantis won’t fix it,” Crist says. “I will.”