FLASHBACK: After Only 2 Years as Governor, Charlie Crist Ran for Senate During Great Recession
After only two years and four months as Florida Governor, Charlie Crist announced on May 12, 2009, in the midst of a housing market collapse in Florida and a national recession, that he was running for U.S. Senate, rather than re-election. Undoubtedly, Crist and his campaign hope those facts were forgotten long ago by undecided viewers who tuned into his debate against Ron DeSantis. Crist attacked DeSantis about mere rumors of DeSantis contemplating a 2024 Presidential campaign, asserting that such ambition for higher office hindered DeSantis from effectively serving as a governor.
Nobody is surprised that Crist came out swinging, while DeSantis stayed quiet. Crist has been trailing DeSantis in the polls and the distance widened to 11 points in the most recent poll, which was conducted by Florida Atlantic University. Crist hit is talking points with confidence throughout the debate, but even if Crist persuaded 100 percent of undecided voters, he may still fall short and lose his a statewide race for the third consecutive time.
Perhaps the most ironic part of Crist’s criticism regarding DeSantis’ potential run for a higher office is the fact that when Crist was governor, he appointed his own chief of staff, George LeMieux, to replace Sen. Mel Martinez, who had just resigned, despite the fact that Crist had already told his own advisors that LeMieux wasn’t qualified for the job. After a meeting in the middle of the night with LeMieux, Crist changed his mind and appointed LeMieux, despite the apparent conflict of interest and obvious power play to prevent a potential challenger in a Republican Primary for the same seat.
If anyone knows about higher ambition clouding judgement, it’s Charlie Crist.
RELATED: The Story That Charlie Crist Hopes You’ve Forgotten
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