U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (R-13) is set to make a “major announcement” from St. Petersburg Tuesday morning. It has been rumored he is announcing his candidacy for governor, evidenced by Crist teasing a run back in February.
In an interview with Jim DeFede on Facing South Florida, Crist said he is focused on his work in Congress, but he’s open to launching a campaign.
But if you ask me, have some people suggested that I should contemplate potentially running for Governor next year? Yes, they have. While it doesn’t get much of my attention in my brain right now, it is something that I would be open to.
Crist opened a state political committee called “Friends of Charlie Crist” last week and has made calls to Florida’s leaders to test the waters for their support of a gubernatorial campaign against Governor Ron DeSantis in 2022.
He would be the first major Democratic candidate to get in 2022 race against DeSantis. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has long been rumored as a candidate but has yet to formally announce her candidacy.
A number of names have been rumored to be a part of his campaign staff, many are veterans of Democratic national campaigns efforts.
Jim Margolis, a partner at the Washington D.C.-based consulting firm GMMB, is planning to lead Crist’s team. Margolis served as a senior advisor to former President Barack Obama on his 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. Mike Bocian, a pollster who did polling for Sen. Raphael Warnock during his 2020 Senate campaign, will be joining Crist’s team.
Crist’s has stirred political interest after his comments criticizing DeSantis’ handling of the COVID pandemic, including calling for a federal investigation into a Publix “pay to play” scheme where DeSantis was accused of granting Publix vaccines early in the vaccine rollout.
Crist would be seeking his third term as Governor of Florida and his first as a Democrat. His first two terms in the Governor’s Mansion were as a Republican from 2007 to 2011.
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Grant Holcomb is a reporter at the Florida Capital Star and the Star News Network. Follow Grant on Twitter and direct message tips.
Photo “Florida Capital” by DXR CC3.0.
