Following his victory against Nikki Fried in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, Charlie Crist will contest the November Florida governor’s election against Republican Ron DeSantis.
Florida Democrats chose Crist above other candidates because they believed he was the most secure option, despite the fact that he had lost his previous two statewide elections.
Crist, 66, a Republican, won the governor’s race for the first time in 2006 but decided not to seek reelection in 2010. Then he lost an Independent run for the U.S. Senate, and in 2014 he unsuccessfully campaigned as a Democrat for governor.
Fried, 44, who now serves as the state’s agricultural commissioner and is the only elected Democrat to occupy a statewide office in Florida, decided not to seek reelection.
DeSantis, who won the election by a razor-thin margin four years ago and went on to become one of the most well-known personalities in GOP politics, was eventually the main focus of the contest. Many Republican supporters who saw DeSantis as a logical successor to former President Donald Trump have praised him for his hands-off attitude to the outbreak and readiness to lean into divisions over race, gender, and LGBTQ rights.
Democrats feel compelled to stop DeSantis’ ascension now because they believe his campaign for reelection is a prelude to a 2024 presidential bid.
Without mentioning DeSantis by name, Crist said, “The people of Florida clearly delivered a message tonight: They want a governor who cares about them and solves genuine issues, maintains our freedom, not a bully who divides us and takes our freedom away.” “Everyone knows that this man aspires to be president of the United States of America. However, that show will be done when we win on November 8. Enough.”
Fried said that she contacted Crist to congratulate him on his win and to rally her followers behind the Democratic candidate.
She said, “Ronald DeSantis will serve one term as governor and zero terms as president of the United States.”
DeSantis described the general election as a fight not only against Crist but also against President Joe Biden and “woke” philosophy from a boisterous ballroom in Miami.
DeSantis said, “We will never, ever give in to the awakened agenda.” “Waked people travel to Florida to die,”
Given the right leaning trend that is presenting itself in the results, Florida will likely not be the most contested state this coming fall. This election campaign, Crist has raised $14 million, managing to double what Fried raised in the same amount of time.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, DeSantis’ political organization has managed to raise more than $165 million since taking office. If he continues at this pace, he is set to raise more money than any Governor candidate in history.
“Never believe anybody who tells you it will be simple. They will use all of their resources against us over the course of the next two and a half months, according to DeSantis. I was elected less than four years ago, but we’re only getting started,” he said.
