Black voters remember: Crist showed up for us
When Black Floridians need a helping hand, or a seat at the table or an equal opportunity to build successful careers, Charlie Crist has been there.
It did not matter if he was a Republican or Democrat. It did not matter if he was the education commissioner or the attorney general, the governor or a U.S. House member. He has a record of listening to our concerns, fulfilling his promises and supporting our mutual goals to build better lives for all Floridians. Let’s look at the record. As governor in 2009, Crist appointed a second Black justice to the Florida Supreme Court, James Perry. At the time, that appointment helped ensure the court continued to steer a moderate course. During his time as governor, Crist appointed 15 Black judges to the bench.
In fact, the Crist administration worked hard to give Black Floridians opportunities to serve throughout state government.
More than 21% of the new hires to Crist’s gubernatorial staff between 2007 and 2011 were minorities — that portion went down when his successor took office.
As governor and as education commissioner before that, Crist supported additional education opportunities for tens of thousands of low-income students, mostly
Black or Hispanic, to attend better schools.
Crist made a lasting impact as governor by streamlining the clemency process. That resulted in restoring the right to vote, hold office and serve on a jury to more than 150,000 Floridians who had completed their sentences. Crist’s successor reversed those reforms. Now as a candidate for governor, Crist will honor the intent of the voters who overwhelmingly approved Amendment 4 by automatically restoring voting rights for returning citizens while they continue to pay what they owe in court costs, fines and restitution.
As a U.S. House member, we know Crist has delivered for us time and again. He helped advance the John Lewis Freedom to Vote Act and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and he fought Donald Trump’s attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He showed up for our community when he fought for access to capital for Black entrepreneurs, Black-owned businesses, and Black homebuyers by defending fair lending and providing record funding for the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
For the last decade, Crist also has been a steadfast supporter of fellow Democrats as they campaign for public office. In 2012, he vocally backed President Barack Obama’s re-election. Two years later, Florida Democrats nominated Crist to run for governor. He came agonizingly close to defeating a better-funded Republican incumbent in a red-wave year when incumbent Democratic governors in other states lost and Republicans were winning big in blue states.
In 2016, Democrats recruited Crist to flip a Pinellas County congressional seat held by a popular moderate Republican. And in 2018 and 2020, Crist helped increase voter turnout for Democrats in Pinellas and helped deliver the county for Joe Biden.
In 2018, Crist supported state Rep. Sean Shaw, the state’s first Black nominee for attorney general. Democrats throughout the state supported Shaw because he was well qualified — and good Democrats support fellow Democrats. Unfortunately, Crist’s competitor for the Democratic nomination for governor, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, did not support Shaw even though she was also on the ballot.
In her negative campaign, she’s trying to convince voters that she’s a good Democrat. Yet, she donated thousands of dollars to help elect Republican Ashley Moody as attorney general over Shaw. Upon election, Moody sued to try to overturn the Affordable Care Act. She fought us on Amendment 4 civil rights restoration and on legalizing marijuana. And today, Moody is in court trying to rip women’s reproductive freedom out of the Florida Constitution. In 2016, Fried actively campaigned for then-State Sen. Manny Diaz, who is now Gov. Ron DeSantis’ hand-picked education commissioner and leading the governor’s efforts to censor history, ban books and politicize our classrooms.
If Nikki Fried wants to campaign for Republicans, that’s her right. But she shouldn’t base her attack campaign on Crist’s ancient history when Republicans she supported are still hurting us today. The last thing Black voters need is Fried.
Black Democratic leaders throughout Florida who have taken a side in the governor’s race are nearly unanimous in saying Charlie Crist has earned our support to be the next governor.
That’s not a coincidence. We know our communities. We know our state. And we know that Crist has what it takes to win and deliver a Florida for all.
Sean Shaw, a Tampa attorney and former state representative, was the Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2018. State Sen. Shevrin Jones represents portions of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Former state Sen. Arthenia Joyner, of Tampa, is a lawyer and civil rights activist. State Sen. Bobby Powell represents portions of Palm Beach County.