The Florida Republican establishment and Tea Party might soon regret their decision to push Charlie Crist out the GOP.State and national newspapers are abuzz with word that the Florida Democratic Party is considering recruiting Crist to join its ranks and challenge incumbent Gov. Rick Scott in 2014.
St. Petersburg Times Political Editor Adam C. Smith wrote about the issue in a recent column: “Consider one scenario a number of Democratic strategists see as more than plausible: Crist, still popular outside of conservative Republican circles, endorses Obama and helps his campaign in Florida in 2012. He parlays that goodwill into another gubernatorial campaign and Democrats desperate to rid Florida of Rick Scott welcome a moderate statewide figure who looks like a winner.”
Even though Crist supported GOP presidential nominee John McCain during the 2008 election, he played a big role in helping U.S. President Barack Obama win Florida. Crist used his emergency powers as governor to extend the hours for early voting across the state. Some prominent Republicans believed that Crist’s decision helped more Democrats get to the polls to cast ballots for Obama.
Crist also took heat from the GOP for endorsing Obama’s $787B American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Back when Crist broke from the GOP in 2010 to seek Florida’s open junior U.S. Senate seat, there was widespread talk about the possibility that he would caucus with the Democrats if he won. His Senate bid attracted support from a number of prominent Democrats, including then Senate Minority Leader Alfred “Al” Lawson.
As governor Crist pushed for increased funding for higher education. Lawson and other high-ranking Democrats did clash with Crist, though, over his opposition to closing a billion dollars in tax loopholes tailored exclusively for high-end developers and non-Florida based corporations. Democrats will likely require Crist to embrace those types of tax code changes before he receives the party’s support in any election.
Other prospective 2014 Democratic gubernatorial nomination candidates include: former CFO Alex Sink, Sen. Jeremy Ring, and state party Chairman Rod Smith.
Crist is currently a partner in the Orlando-based personal injury firm Morgan & Morgan but has said that he intends to return to public life “very soon.” He won 20 percent of black votes during the 2006 gubernatorial election.