[REPORTER TRACK]

[pics of him in congress, campaigning as governor, pic of him as a republican governor]

JIMMIE JOHNSON: THIS CONGRESSMAN IS A CANDIDATE FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR – AN OFFICE HE’S HELD BEFORE – AS A REPUBLICAN. 

CHARLIE CRIST: “I was  proud of what we accomplished.”

JOHNSON: THIS TIME AROUND, HE’S RUNNING AS A DEMOCRAT, HOPING TO HAND A DEFEAT TO INCUMBENT GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS.

CRIST: “He’s [Desantis] on the battlefield of hate. I am on the battlefield of love.”

JOHNSON: REPRESENTATIVE CHARLIE CRIST IS JUST ONE NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW. 

CRIST HAS MOSTLY RUN A CAMPAIGN AIMED AT UNITING FLORIDIANS BUT AFTER HIS DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VICTORY, HE STRUCK A DIFFERENT TONE.  

CRIST: ”Those that support the governor should stay with him and vote for him. I don’t want your vote. If you have that hate in your heart, keep it there. I want the vote of the people of Florida who care about our state: Good Democrats, good Independents, good Republicans.  Unify with this ticket.”

JOHNSON: HE LATER WALKED BACK THOSE COMMENTS SAYING HE’S A UNIFIER AND “IF SOMEONE IS A STAUNCH DESANTIS SUPPORTER, THEY’RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR ME ANYWAY.”

DESANTIS: “This is his fifth decade running for office. He’s a chameleon, a typical career politician.”

JOHNSON: CRIST IS A FAMILIAR FACE TO FLORIDIANS – PREVIOUSLY SERVING AS GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL, EDUCATION COMMISSIONER, AND STATE SENATOR. 

ON THE ISSUES, HE SUPPORTS EXPANDING ABORTION ACCESS, RESTORING VOTING RIGHTS TO EX-FELONS, LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, BANNING CONVERSION THERAPY, AND ADDRESSING THE SUNSHINE STATE’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.

CRIST: ”Our property insurance is through the roof. Try to buy a house in Florida anymore, you can’t do it unless you’re a millionaire or billionaire and most of us aren’t.”

JOHNSON: THE DEMOCRAT HAS AN UPHILL BATTLE HEADING INTO NOVEMBER.
RAISING JUST OVER 15-MILLION AS OF AUGUST, COMPARED TO DESANTIS’ WAR CHEST OF WELL OVER 170-MILLION. 

24-HOURS AFTER HIS PRIMARY WIN, CRIST POSTED A ONE-MILLION-DOLLAR FUNDRAISING DAY. 

HE ALSO RECEIVED A 100-THOUSAND-DOLLAR PLEDGE FROM A KEY DEMOCRAT – CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM. 

WILL THE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS KEEP COMING IN? 

AND ARE THEY ENOUGH TO DETHRONE DESANTIS? 

CHARLIE CRIST IS JUST ONE NAME YOU SHOULD KNOW.