Charlie Crist Gets the Support of Possible 2016 Democratic Candidate

Despite ranking as one of the most liberal governors in the nation, Gov. Martin OMalley, D-Md., is throwing his support behind former Gov. Charlie Crist, who spent most of his political career as a Republican, as he looks to challenge Gov. Rick Scott in November. OMalley has been actively exploring running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 despite trailing badly in the polls to the likes of former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden.

OMalley emailed Crist supporters over the weekend, hitting Scott for opposing raising the minimum wage. Crist has signaled support for President Barack Obamas proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.

During his 2010 campaign for governor, Rick Scott was asked live on CNN what Florida's minimum wage was, OMalley wrote. He got the answer wrong. It's no wonder he's since refused to listen to the overwhelming number of Floridians -- including a majority of Republicans -- who want to raise the state's minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.

Fortunately, Charlie Crist is leading the fight to make that happen, OMalley added. He understands that when workers make more money, businesses have more customers -- that raising the wage lifts all boats. He'll take action as Florida's next governor, but we need Congress to do the same for all Americans.

OMalley is leading a petition effort with Crist urging Congress to raise the minimum wage.

No one who works full time should have to raise their family in poverty. That's why, in Maryland, we worked with business owners, workers, faith leaders, and activists to raise our minimum wage to $10.10, OMalley insisted. Our action will lift over 400,000 of our state's residents out of poverty. In Florida, raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would directly affect over 1.2 million workers and their families.

Doing the same nationally would create demand for new jobs and reduce government spending because fewer of our neighbors will rely on state and federal assistance to try and make ends meet," OMalley continued. More jobs and less spending: That should be something both Republicans and Democrats can agree on.