Democrats across the nation and in Florida are celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court ruling the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional. But the issue poses problems for the front-runner for the Democratic nomination to run against Gov. Rick Scott next year -- former Gov. Charlie Crist.
Having been a Republican until he left the GOP in 2010, Crist generally supported traditional marriage for most of his political career. Crist supported efforts to amend the state Constitution to define marriage in Florida as solely between a man and a woman. While he stressed support for traditional marriage was not one of the main issues he focused on, when the proposed amendment made the ballot in 2008, Crist supported it and said he voted for it. For most of his political career, Crist was firmly in the camp of defining marriage as only between a man and a woman.
After being caught by Marco Rubio in the Republican primary to run for the U.S. Senate in 2010, Crist left the GOP to continue his campaign with no party affiliation. Trying to get the votes of Democrats, whose candidate Kendrick Meek was far behind in the polls, Crist expressed support for civil unions and for less discrimination against gays and lesbians. But Crist avoided saying he backed same-sex marriage.
In 2012, Crist finally joined the Democrats and backed Barack Obama for four more years, even speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. But he still did not express his support for same-sex marriage, even as speculation grew that he would run again for governor in 2014 as a Democrat.
It wasnt until last month when Crist publicly endorsed same-sex marriage. Some great news, Crist wrote on Facebook on May 8. Delaware became the 11th state to allow marriage equality. And just a few days ago, Rhode Island adopted a similar measure, which followed victories last fall in Maine, Maryland and Washington. I most certainly support marriage equality in Florida and look forward to the day it happens here.
Republicans are looking to portray Crist as a flip-flopper who cant be trusted. The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) is even launching daily attacks against Crist reminding voters of where he stood in the past. Crists potential rivals for the Democratic nomination, like Alex Sink and Nan Rich, are trying to make the case to members of their party that the former Republican cant be trusted either.
Crist is ahead in the polls but he was also way ahead of the pack at this point in the 2010 Senate race. Crists maneuvers hurt him against Rubio and the same thing could happen this time out as liberal Democrats could opt for the real Democrat over the former Republican. With same-sex marriage in the headlines and possibly a major issue in Florida next year, Crists opponents in both the Republican and Democratic ranks have an opportunity to point out his various positions and flips on the issue.
Tallahassee political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this analysis exclusively for Sunshine State News.
