Crist defeated state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Turns out, Florida Democrats were not looking for #SomethingNew.
Rep. Charlie Crist, as expected, topped state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried in Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. He will now take on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is an overwhelming general election favorite.
Fried, Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, spent months hammering Crist for his past positions on abortion, criminal justice reform and the appointment of Florida Supreme Court justices when he was a registered Republican and served one term as governor.
Her attacks, though, never really broke through with Democrats, and the 66-year-old Crist piled up endorsements from prominent Democrats as the party coalesced around him rather than 44-year-old Fried, who has only served in elected office since 2018 and was trying to become Florida’s first female governor. Her campaign slogan and prominent social media hashtag was “#SomethingNew.”
Crist had led in most public polling, raised far more campaign cash than Fried and had most of the Florida Democratic Party’s institutional support behind his campaign, which underscores his three decades in Florida politics. The party will now begin the process of coming together and is planning an Orlando unity event on Thursday.
……..
- Discussion
-
Democrat Charlie Crist, who once served as Florida’s governor as a Republican, will take on GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis in November. https://t.co/ZPY7Zq1Rhz pic.twitter.com/2NecNMbWhQ
— POLITICO (@politico) August 24, 2022
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.