So what should we think about Charlie Crist?

[LAS14]

I've been told that his switch from R to D was a cynical choice for the best pathway to election. I'd be really sorry if that were true. I'm so hungry for elected officials of integrity!!! Not that we don't have a bunch out there, but they're still a too-tiny minority.

tia
las

[AZSkiffyGeek]

1. He's a Democrat so we should support him nt

[LAS14]

2. But happily? Or gritting our teeth? nt

[dchill]

13. He's been a Democrat for 10 years.

I think he's sincere enough. The alternative? DeSantis.

[qazplm135]

35. once again I don't understand this mentality

if the other option is a Republican, then if it's Bernie or some other far left progressive, or it's the most centrist of centrist Dems, then you vote for ANY of them with a smile and a song in your heart.

[AmBlue]

48. I think Crist is the real deal, and a good Democrat now.

I'm a lifelong Floridian and I worked on ridding Florida of touchscreen voting machines back in 2005-6 when Charlie Crist was our Republican governor. He actually supported the change to paper ballots at that time, which the League of Women Voters, NAACP, Common Cause and so many other non-partisan groups were lobbying for relentlessly. The R legislature was not supportive, but Charlie Crist was, and he made it happen with his support. Because of him, we in Florida vote on paper ballots now. I give him a lot or credit for that.

When he left the R party and became an Independent, he said it was because the party left him, and because he couldn't in good conscience support what the Rs stood for and how they had changed for the worse. His views evolved over time and he is now a solid Democrat. I respect that he took a bold stand and left the GOP. I believe Charlie is a good guy. Very sincere. I also get to see him at the grocery store sometimes because he lives in my neighborhood! He always says hello and gives his sincere time and attention if you speak to him.

I will happily vote for Charlie Crist, anytime, anywhere. But ESPECIALLY when the choice is a DeathSantis!! That man is POISON for Florida!!

[llmart]

49. Thank you for that insight.

It's always nice to have some special insight into a person. I'd vote for an alligator before I'd vote for DeSantis.

[AmBlue]

54. Exactly!!

But Charlie is actually a great candidate. I think he can also attract Independents and Republicans that can't stomach the crazies.

[In It to Win It]

51. I'm in South Florida. I will be voting for Crist with a smile on my face

Charlie Crist is the real deal.

10 years ago, I would have considered myself a solid centrist. Even though my voting history is straight Democratic, I aligned with the GOP on a few economic positions but nothing else. I feel the way Crist feels in that on those handful of economic policies that I agreed with, the party left me. They went to positions that I was unwilling to go. Any consideration I had for any economic policies from the Republican Party is out the window when the party took a hard and seemingly irreversible right.

[AmBlue]

56. I am from South Florida originally...

In the Tampa Bay area now. I used to say I voted for the person, not the party. NOW? Now that we are living in a time of serious existential threat to the very fabric of our tenuous experiment in democracy, I feel there is no such luxury. I will vote BLUE no matter who, EVERY TIME. In the primaries I vote for the most qualified, most progressive candidates possible.

I am also intensively focused on carefully researching school board and judicial candidates now that the Rs are trying to infiltrate those positions all over the country. Every single vote MATTERS so much. Every SINGLE time.

[In It to Win It]

58. Every election

I spend days researching the local candidates, the judicial candidates, and the judges and justices standing for retention elections.

5 of the current justices on the Florida Supreme Court are facing retention elections, and 3 of them are Republican Crist appointees. Hopefully, we can deliver a win for Democratic Crist and let Democratic Crist appoint some justices and judges.

[LAS14]

52. Thanks! nt

[AmBlue]

57. My pleasure n/t

[Ponietz]

3. Form your own opinion

[

Link to tweet

?s=21&t=AECsUgFmB6AHDMd1I1SxnA]

[LAS14]

9. Sure. But DU is dems talking to dems, not talking to the SMS. I want to know what...

... other DUers think.

[Celerity]

46. I think Crist will make a great FL governor

[Maraya1969]

45. Another one talking about what a nice guy President Biden is.

We must have done something right to deserve him.

And I trust Christ.

[ARandomPerson]

55. I loved this answer.

This is the way to do it.

I chipped in a small amount ($25) to Crist's campaign just for this reply, even though I'm not from Florida (though, my mother and sister live there, and so I have some interest).

I enjoyed watching the interviewer's face. I don't know who she is, but she clearly didn't like his answer. She thought she had him, but he refused to play her game. Bravo!

[Claustrum]

4. I listened to his victory speech

and he sounded like just about any other democrat running. He hit on abortion rights and many other top issues for democrats.

He joined the democratic party back in 2012 and endorsed Obama back then. I think he's been a democrat long enough.

[snowybirdie]

5. I voted for him

Sole!y because he has the best chance to beat deathsantis and has voted reliably with the Democrats in Congress. He's now the Democratic nominee and will vote for him again.

[mcar]

6. You've been told? By whom?

I live in Florida. Crist was basically drummed out of the Republican party while he was governor because he stood up for women's and teacher's rights. He saw the way his former party was going and switched to Democrat. He ran for Congress as a Democrat and won several times.

Now he is Florida's Democratic nominee for governor. He has earned our support. He's been a solid Democrat in Congress.

Do you consider all those who switched from R to D cynical and having no integrity? Or just Crist?

[Claustrum]

10. Just saying, Elisabeth Warren was once a republican.

I don't think anyone can challenge her democratic credential now.

[mcar]

24. Yep

[Ocelot II]

30. So was Hillary Clinton, for that matter. What matters is what they are doing now.

[LAS14]

12. As I said in the OP, I didn't know what to think. I was gathering info.

Your post is the sort of info I hoped to find.

[obamanut2012]

16. Boom

This.

I voted for Fried, because I like her, the job she has done, and she earned my vote. I hope Crist chooses her as his running mate. Fried or Gwen Graham, who should be running for reelection now... sigh.

But, Crist is a Dem and a good one, and I am so tired of people implying he is less than. He isn't. And, he has my vote.

[mcar]

27. Funny how I rarely, if ever,

heard it about Elizabeth Warren. I'm so old I remember Hillary being criticized for being a teenage Goldwater Girl, yet the same folks thought it was just dandy that Warren had been a Reagan Republican.

We should be welcoming smart, democratic politicians into our tent, not casting "asparagus" Louie Gohmert, on them.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

34. I remember Crist getting a lot of pushback during some election

He ran 3rd party and was favored over the Dem, and there was a lot of back-and-forth on that one. But that was then.

[hlthe2b]

42. Even well before Trump, the R party had become so extreme and dishonest, how could any sane

person not want to change?. On that measure, one heck of a lot of DUers may have had a period during their long lives when they were not registered Democrats. I have not-- having started my political awareness fighting with my conservative father and uncles many years ago. However, those arguments would be like HRC debating AOC today. So, very different.

[Chainfire]

7. He stands the best chance to displace DeSantis, so I support him, without reservation.

It is as Churchill told us, "If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons."

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. I am very happy to support him. In fact, I looked him up via ActBlue and sent a donation today.

I agree with his positions, AND he's going after DeSantis!

I don't care that he was once a registered Repub. He is now a registered Democrat and that's good enough for me.

[mcar]

28. Bingo, Peggy

This FL Democrat appreciates the support.

[inthewind21]

11. We should

Think it's him or DeSantis, that's the choice. It's a no brainer, no thinking required.

[TygrBright]

14. We should think that if he can save FL (and the world) from DeathSantis, WAY TO GO! n/t

[303squadron]

15. Voted for him in the primary and will vote for him again

As far as I'm concerned there is nothing like a reformed Republican. Look at Nicole Wallace!

And let's not forget his opponent is a fucking fascist wannabe!

[bullimiami]

17. Better than DeSantis. Anything else he has to earn.

[Roland99]

18. I used to be a Republican, too. Until Dec 2003

He's more moderate and he's sane, unlike moRon DerSantis

[Meadowoak]

37. I think being a former Republican can make you an even stronger Democrat.

[Tommy Carcetti]

19. He was a respectable Governor even as a Republican.

The fact that he was willing to act bipartisan as Governor angered Florida Republicans to no end and so they abandoned him.

He became an Independent and then a Democrat.

He’s been a solid Democrat ever since.

[LAS14]

21. Thank you! Just the sort of info I was hoping for! nt

[FloridaBlues]

20. He was forced out of the Republican Party once he appeared with Pres

Obama in lee county fl for Obama care. He was forced out when he sided with the Dem leader to extend polling hours on Election Day. He was a Republican Gov at the time all this happened. He is a decent mild mannered man. Don’t look for fire and brimstone from him.

[LAS14]

23. Thanks! nt

[Phoenix61]

22. He switched after catching hell for hugging Obama.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/05/08/charlie-crist-didnt-leave-the-republican-party-because-of-racism-he-left-it-because-he-couldnt-win-a-primary/
The article claims it didn’t have anything to do with racism but …
“But, then something happened. A photo of Crist hugging President Obama began to make the rounds in Republican circles. (Obama was in the state in February 2009 to tout the economic stimulus.)

That picture became symbolic of all of the doubts that many conservative Republicans had long held about Crist -- despite his easy victory in the 2006 gubernatorial race.”

I think we were naive about how much racism seethed under the surface and how much of a role is played in politics. I think he has a very good chance at beating DeSatan. He’s strong pro-choice which is going to play big here.

[LAS14]

25. Thanks! nt

[oxymoron]

26. He is a great politian

and DeSantis isn't. Just saw his interview on MSNBC. He can definitely win FL. He's a good Dem and genuinely cares about his state.

[GreenWave]

29. Usually the bad ones desert the democrats.

Off the top of my head... Geo. Wallace, IQ 45, Thurmond, Rick Perry (Tex), Reagan

[scarletlib]

31. He is a decent man. He was a good governor who governed moderately while in office.

He will be a good governor if he wins. No doubt he loves Florida.

[allegorical oracle]

32. As a female, I'd say Charlie's like a little black dress that can be worn anywhere for any

occasion. He can come across as shmoozy sometimes but he's basically going to mind his manners. And best of all, he's NOT Ron DeSantis.

[honest.abe]

33. I like him.

I think he was always a closet Dem. We have others in our party who have switched.. eg Liz Warren.

Crist can win this.

[genxlib]

36. My preference goes like this

In order of preference

1. Lifelong Democrat
2. Converted Democrat
3. Mannequin
4. Blow up doll
3. Lump of Deli Meat
4. Can of Spam
...
...
...
...
...
3,444. Old fashioned Republican
...
...
...
...
1,033,452 Magat Republican

So all things being relative, he is great. He got my vote over Fried basically because I think he has a better chance of beating DeSantis

[AmBlue]

50. RFOL!!

I was disappointed when Nikki Fried's campaign ads were negative on Crist, citing his positions from 12 or 15 years ago when he was an R. I know it's "just politics," but I think it was kinda dirty and disingenuous.

[bedazzled]

38. Learning from your experiences is a sign of intelligence

I like him, for a politician.

[JanMichael]

39. Isn't a nutcase. He was a decent governor and would make a good one again

He isn't going to be taking history or science out of elementary schools or making people not say gay or whatever the crazies would like to do now.

He is generally been considered fairly clean. No major skeletons in the closet.

[Clash City Rocker]

40. He talks the talk

He was on MSNBC after winning his primary, and he was talking about support for LGBTQ rights, among other things. He sounds sincere to me.

I don’t think you should judge people on the mistakes they have made, if they’ve tried to atone for those mistakes. Forgive and forget.

[NCDem47]

41. Said this in another post...

he lost as a D againist an R (Rick Scott) in 2014 governor election. And I believe it was close. Scott was running for reelction.

I hope the Crist team did a deep postmortem at that time about what happened on the voter demos so they can mitigate or overcome the challenge with DeSantis.

I do think we can ride this wave. The whole Roe thing is game changer. I'm staying positive, but if Crist gets it, look for legislature and state SC to neuter him at every turn. The FL legislature is baaaaaaaaaad. But I'll take a fighting D governor any day!

[AntivaxHunters]

43. He has my vote. Period.

DeShitass has to go.

[onethatcares]

44. been here as a transplant for almost 50 years now

moved from PA to get away from the cold and came in on the tail end of Walkin Lawton and the beginning of Bob Graham as governor. Both men cared a great deal about the state, its' resources, and the people.

Then bush took the gov and things began to go down hill. For all of the above, but I digress.

Charlie has Democratic principles and thinks he can govern as either party. Sadly those days of reaching across the aisle are now long gone. I truly believe he is the best antidote to the scott years and the best ever chance to maybe bring back what Florida was, minus the cocaine cowboys, than anyone else.

I think he'd be smart to bring Nikki Fried in as LG. Great team. Now we have to get this puke legislature out of here. I think they're right up there with the federal mafia that's had its' hand in everything.

Go Charlie, You have two votes from this household.

[walkingman]

47. It's a binary choice - like lots of other candidates, I might not agree with them

100% but they are far better than their GOP opponent. Vote Dem!!

[carpetbagger]

53. We should be really excited at the prospect of Crist taking the governorship.

Judges, water district boards, state agencies, replacement appointments for elected officials....

Don't believe the cynicism BS. Cynical is supporting the teabaggers and Trump even though you know they're cuckoo. Our party has a ton of former republicans, including Charlie Crist, Elizabeth Warren, and me.