In the final days of the close Florida gubernatorial contest, both Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic challenger former Gov. Charlie Crist are relying on big political names to get their bases out to vote.
On Saturday, Scott will, once again, call on the help of Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J. The chairman of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) and a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2016, Christie is scheduled to hit Naples on Saturday with Scott, part of a 19-state dash the New Jersey governor is making in the final days of the election. Earlier this week, Christie hit South Florida and the Space Coast with Scott.
But Crist is relying on a former president to help get Democrats out to the polls.
So excited about this," Crist noted on Wednesday. President Bill Clinton will be joining us for our final rally of the campaign on Monday in Orlando.
Clinton had attended an event with Crist on Sunday and is featured in a new TV spot running across the Sunshine State this week.
Both Scott and Crist are also relying on officials from Florida to round up their voters. Former Gov. Jeb Bush will be with Scott on Sunday in Hialeah. Scott appeared at Oviedo on Thursday with Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and state Attorney General Pam Bondi. In that appearance, Putnam contrasted Scotts and Crists records.
The case for Rick Scott and for this team is strong, said Putnam. He did exactly what he said he would do. He made jobs his focus. He made families his focus and, as a result, Florida went from worst to first in job creation.
Putnam said the state was No. 1 in bankruptcies and foreclosures and houses underwater under Charlie Crist and contrasted that with record high tourism and paying off the state debt under Scott.
Crist joined the Democrats in December 2012 after spending most of his political life as a Republican. In 2010, when caught in the polls by U.S. Senate primary rival Marco Rubio, Crist left the GOP to continue his Senate bid with no party affiliation.
Despite his recent changes in political affiliation, Crist has called on the help of some leading Florida Democrats. Earlier this week, former Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth, who led the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) under Crist, and former U.S. Rep. Bob Wexler, D-Fla., campaigned with the former governor.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
