A day after former Gov. Charlie Crist announced he was running again for governor, Republicans and his chief Democratic primary rival are turning up the heat on the new candidate. Crist left the GOP in 2010 after being caught by Marco Rubio in the Republican U.S. Senate primary and continued his campaign with no party affiliation. After backing President Barack Obama, Crist joined the Democrats at the end of 2012.
Rubio ripped into his old rival on Monday afternoon, hours after Crist announced he was running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Gov. Rick Scott in 2014.
"Floridians have a clear choice between a governor with a proven record of job creation, and a consummate political opportunist that can't be trusted, Rubio said. Charlie Crist's governorship was underwhelming, to say the least. Rick Scott has proven himself very capable of cleaning up after Charlie's mess, creating jobs, and restoring Floridians' hope about the future."
Republicans continued to pound Crist on a host of fronts on Tuesday. Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Wellington, took aim at Crist, bashing him for his ambitions, insisting he was always in campaign mode. While Crist held three statewide offices, he never bothered to run for a second term in any of those posts.
"Charlie Crist wants you to believe that he has changed and that this election is all about what's best for Florida, Benacquisto said on Tuesday. The reality is he's been on a lifelong journey, always in search of higher office and what's best for Charlie Crist. In the span of just four years he ran for governor, vice president and the U.S. Senate, all while Floridians faced hard economic times. Florida voters deserve more than an empty chair in the governor's mansion, they deserve someone that will work every day to improve Florida's economy and get people back to work."
Florida Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, also ripped into the newly minted gubernatorial candidate. Thrasher served as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) during Crists last days as a Republican.
"Charlie Crist claims to care about Florida but we know he is not committed to our state, Thrasher said on Tuesday. As governor he failed to lead us during tough economic times and as a result, Florida lost 832,000 jobs under his watch and added $5.2 billion in state debt. Instead of buckling down and fixing the problems we were facing he focused more on his own political career, first auditioning to be John McCain's vice president and then later trying to escape Florida for the bright lights of Washington, D.C. Charlie's opportunism is apparent and he simply cannot be trusted again."
Even one of Crists closest allies -- and one of the most moderate Republicans in Tallahassee -- tore into the former governor on Tuesday. Florida Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, and Crist moved up the GOP ranks together in Pinellas County before Crist left the Republicans. That didnt stop Latvala from taking off the gloves on Tuesday.
"I have known and observed Charlie Crist here in Pinellas County for almost 30 years, Latvala said on Tuesday. I know him to be a career politician who cares more about his own political ambitions than doing what's right for Floridians. Time and time again he has started running for the next higher office after barely being elected to the one he held at the time. We've seen him in action, ignoring his responsibilities as governor to focus on his own political campaigns for higher office. When Floridians were experiencing crippling job losses and record unemployment under his watch, he abandoned his job as governor to try to run away to Washington, D.C. Charlie is an example of failed leadership and we can't trust him at the helm again."
Crist is also drawing fire from former state Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich who is his main rival in the Democratic primary. On Monday, Rich challenged Crist to a series of debates as she tries to topple the former Republican who is now the favorite to win the Democratic nomination.
Charlie is a Democrat now but hes changed more than his party registration; hes changed his stance on many major issues and voters Ive met with wonder how committed he is to his newfound positions, Rich said. Thats why I hope that he will embrace this opportunity to debate the important issues Floridians care about. They want to know how we will improve Floridas schools and what weve done in the past to support them; they want to know how we will protect Floridas fragile environment; they want to know how we will protect Floridas at-risk children and elderly; and I know that Floridas women want to know where we stand on protecting their reproductive rights.
But a prominent Democrat stepped forth to defend Crist. After standing with Crist at his campaign launch in St. Petersburg on Monday, former state Sen. Dan Gelber, who was the Democratic attorney general candidate in 2010, took to his blog to attack Republicans and praise the new candidate.
Gelber accused the Republican Party of Florida of launching a $100 million campaign to try to vilify" Crist.
"Floridians know whats going on, Gelber insisted. They have watched as a narrow swath of ideologues have taken over the Republican Party nationally and here in Florida, intent on purifying its ranks of officials who commit the high crimes of moderation or bipartisanship."
Gelber added many voters would sympathize with Crists party hopping.
"Tons of Republicans and independent voters understand why Charlie had no place in a Republican Party that has jumped the tracks because they feel like the Republican Party has abandoned them, too," Gelber claimed. "Floridians already know Charlie and like the fact that he represents the kind of bipartisanship that is so sorely lacking in this nation. They also know that Rick Scott is cut from the same cloth as these Washington, D.C., demagogues. Like his Washington brethren, Scott supported defaulting on our nations debt rather than upsetting his tea party base. And Scotts policies as governor are four square with these political outliers.
"Floridians have concluded that Charlie has their back and Scott doesnt, Gelber wrote. Im not convinced that even $100 million can convince people to disregard their honestly held beliefs."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com.
