Congressman jumps into governor’s race
Rep. Charlie Crist, D-fla., entered the race for governor Tuesday, becoming the first challenger to Ron Desantis, a Republican who raised his profile by shunning lockdowns during the pandemic and is now one of the best-known governors in the country and a leading contender for his party’s presidential nomination in 2024.
“Every step of the way, this governor has been more focused on his personal political fortune than the struggle of everyday Floridians,” Crist said under the blazing sun in St. Petersburg. “That’s just not right. Just like our former president, he always takes credit but never takes responsibility.”
Crist has an extensive political history in Florida and is widely known throughout the state. He served as governor as a Republican from 2007 to 2011 before running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as an independent, losing to Marco Rubio. After switching parties, he later lost a Democratic bid for governor in 2014 against the incumbent, Rick Scott.