Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declined to say whether he’ll run for president as Democratic challenger Charlie Crist accused him of being too distracted by a bid for the White House in 2024.
(Bloomberg) — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declined to say whether he’ll run for president as Democratic challenger Charlie Crist accused him of being too distracted by a bid for the White House in 2024.
In Florida’s first and only re-election debate, Crist, 66, a member of Congress and former governor of the state, said DeSantis had taken “his eye off the ball” on issues like rising housing and insurance costs amid rising speculation of a presidential run in the 2024 Republican primaries.
Instead, Crist asserted, DeSantis is focusing on divisive policies intended to engender national support from Republicans, like abortion restrictions, clamping down on how gender and race are taught in schools and immigration.
“Why don’t you look in the eyes of the people the state of Florida and say to them, if you’re re-elected, you will serve a full four-year term as governor, yes or no?” Crist said, prompting applause and jeers from the audience.
DeSantis, 44, declined to respond, and said Crist’s support for President Joe Biden “100% of the time,” meant that he should share the blame for the worst inflation in 40 years in the US and failed immigration policies, especially at the southern border.
“I know that Charlie’s interested in talking about 2024 and Joe Biden, but I just want to make things very, very clear,” DeSantis said. “The only worn-out old donkey I’m looking to put out to pasture is Charlie Crist.”
Crist faces some tough odds. DeSantis has maintained a steady lead in polls since Crist won the state Democratic primary in late August. As of Monday, DeSantis had an 8.1 percentage-point lead over Crist, according to the FiveThirtyEight polling average. That’s up from a 6.7 point lead on Oct. 10.
The most recent poll, for Telemundo/LX News, showed DeSantis ahead of Crist by a 51% to 44% margin among Hispanic voters, a group that’s long leaned Democratic in Florida. The Oct. 17 to 20 poll of 625 registered Hispanic voters across Florida, by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
DeSantis also has the advantage of money. Since January 2021, he’s raised a record $164 million, mainly from wealthy donors, campaign finance disclosures show. He’s booked $62 million of broadcast, cable, satellite and connected television, radio and digital platforms so far, according to AdImpact, which tracks political spending. That’s more than seven times the $8.5 million that Crist is spending.
DeSantis has left Florida often to raise money and speak to supporters. He’s also endorsed GOP candidates outside his state, including Colorado Senate hopeful Joe O’Dea. That recent endorsement came after former President Donald Trump urged voters not to support O’Dea, putting DeSantis at odds with another possible Republican contender for the presidency in 2024, the Washington Examiner reported.
“A BIG MISTAKE,” Trump responded on Truth Social.
During the one-hour debate in Fort Pierce, Crist kept coming back to DeSantis’s presidential ambitions.
“You talked about Joe Biden a lot, and I understand,” said Crist, sparking another round of applause from his supporters in the room. “You think you’re gonna be running against him. I can see how you might get confused, but you’re running for governor, you’re running for governor.”
–With assistance from Bill Allison.
(Updates with details of recent poll, DeSantis endorsement and fund raising.)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
