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(Image source: Tampa Bay Times / Scott Keeler)
BY COLLIN RUANE
It's been widely speculated for months, but now it's nearly official. A former Florida
governor is looking to get his old job back — this time in a new political party.
Former Republican Governor Charlie Crist filed the necessary paperwork Friday and is expected
to announce Monday he's running for governor — this time as a Democrat. (Via YouTube
/ CharlieCristFL)
Pundits say the switch from right to left for Crist had been a long time coming. While
nearing the end of his first term as governor in 2010, Crist chose to run for a U.S. Senate
seat as a Republican ...
Crist decided to run as an Independent after GOP candidate Marco Rubio surged ahead of
him in the polls. Rubio ended up winning with almost 50 percent of the vote, leaving Crist
without a job. (Via WFTS)
Then, in 2012, Crist announced he'd switched his party affiliation to Democrat. At last
year's Democratic National Convention, Crist said he didn't leave the Republican party,
it left him — arguing the party had become more divisive. (Via CNN)
Now, Crist is set to get back into politics once again, hoping to defeat Republican incumbent
Rick Scott, who as some pundits have noted, seems to have lost some of his initial Tea
Party support.
In February, the Tampa Bay Times put it this way — writing Scott had ultimately "divorced"
the Tea Party, passing legislation he thought might give him a better shot at winning a
second term.
But Florida's current governor isn't the only one who will have to deal with flip-flopping
charges. Convincing Democratic voters he's one of them, could prove challenging for Crist.
The New York Times spoke to a Republican political consultant who once worked for Crist. He told
the paper: "Charlie had more positions than a gymnast ... He will tell Democrats what
they need to hear, and he will tell Republicans what they need to hear."
When moving to the left, Crist reversed his opinion on several key issues — like gay
marriage, offshore drilling and Obamacare — to reflect the Democratic party platform.
(Via WTSP)
His most prominent Democratic opponent, Nan Rich, has told reporters she thinks she has
a good shot at winning the gubernatorial race — but with Crist in the race, the media
attention has shifted to a Crist/Scott matchup.
Recent public polling appears to be in Crist's favor. A University of North Florida poll
shows Crist beating Scott in a 44 to 40 percent vote.
Another from Public Policy Polling shows Crist winning 50 to 38. Both polls were released
before Crist even filed paperwork to run.
But Scott does appear to have one early advantage — he is expected to spend a whopping $25
million in attack ads against Crist.