Charlie Crist Raises $500,000 at First Fundraiser

Former governor Charlie Crist just jumped into the governor's race Monday, but his first fundraiser held Tuesday evening is rumored to have raised in the half-million range, according to an estimate from former state Sen. Steve Geller, one of the event organizers. The event was held at lawyer Mitchell Berger's home in Fort Lauderdale and an estimated 75-to-100 people attended.

The total includes both hard and soft money. Some donors who showed up said that they had already paid by credit card, but the actual amount will not be publicly available until campaign finance reports are posted.