Watch the video: Florida governor forum with Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried
Democratic candidates for Florida governor Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried appear at an election forum sponsored by the Orlando Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, Spectrum News 13 and Bay News 9. See what the duo have to say ahead of their primary this month.
sun-sentinel.comDeSantis ignores challengers as he goes after ‘stumbling’ Biden. Democratic candidate calls governor a ‘monster’
Gov. Ron DeSantis repeated two of his favorite themes — extolling the “free state of Florida” and bashing President Joe Biden as dangerous and incompetent — to rally Florida Republicans, previewing the kind of pitch he might deliver as a presidential candidate. To those who love the way he’s reshaped Florida, DeSantis promised even more. “We’re just getting warmed up." One Democratic candidate for governor called DeSantis a "monster."
sun-sentinel.comHeated back and forth between Crist and Fried in their one debate before Democratic governor primary
Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried had a heated exchange in their only debate before voters pick one of them as the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Fried said Democrats can "keep losing," as she gestured toward her opponent. Crist said Fried showed "the voice of desperation. Unfortunately for Nikki, she’s losing this campaign."
sun-sentinel.comCampaign Blitz Pays Off for Crist
By Jodi YonderMIAMI SPINGS, FL —The opening of the Miami-Dade campaign office for Charlie Crist was welcomed with cheers. “He might be the last nice guy left in politics,” says Gadsden County Commissioner Brenda Holt, a powerhouse in Florida’s only predominantly Black County. “I’m a former schoolteacher and I’m concerned that we can’t tell the truth about Black history. Black history is American history. His recent poll has Crist leading DeSantis by a point and another GOP poll has Crist by 2.
thewestsidegazette.comNikki Fried wows Broward Democratic audience. Charlie Crist appears via video.
Nikki Fried won some converts among active voters who are sure to vote in the gubernatorial primary with an in-person appearance at a major Broward Democratic Club. "After tonight, I would do anything for her.” Charlie Crist appeared via video, which many in the audience didn't like.
sun-sentinel.comThere’s one Crist-Fried debate before the primary. Here’s how to watch.
The vast majority of Florida’s Democratic primary voters will have only one chance to see their party’s candidates for governor side-by-side before the Aug. 23 primary. It comes Thursday evening, when the one debate between Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried is broadcast on TV and streamed online.
sun-sentinel.comAs governor, both Crist and Fried say they’d suspend Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony from office
Both candidates for the Democratic nomination for governor, Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried, would suspend Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony, if he’s still in office and one of them becomes governor. Crist was more succinct, twice saying "yeah" when asked about suspending the Democratic sheriff over his documented lies on law enforcement applications involving his killing someone when he was a teenager. Fried was more detailed, but said if the facts were as presented, "I will have no choice but to suspend him."
sun-sentinel.comCharlie Crist regrets some past decisions. He urges voters to boot his appointees to the Supreme Court.
Regrets, he’s got a few, admitted Charlie Crist, who’s probably held more elective offices during nearly 30 years in public service than the other major candidates running for governor combined.
sun-sentinel.comNikki Fried says she’s divesting medical marijuana holdings, promises ‘day one’ action on abortion
Nikki Fried says she is liquidating her financial interest in the state’s biggest medical marijuana operator as she faces questions about potential conflicts of interest if she’s elected governor.
sun-sentinel.comRacing to the finish: Nikki Fried and Charlie Crist double down on outreach in Broward
Both Nikki Fried and Charlie Crist appeared at separate events in Broward County on Wednesday. Fried made one of her final appointments as agriculture commissioner in Fort Lauderdale and Crist held a campaign event to meet with Haitian faith and community leaders in North Lauderdale.
sun-sentinel.comShock Poll: Charlie Crist leads Ron DeSantis Amid COVID-19 Surge
Ron DeSantis in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, according to the latest survey from St. Pete Polls. A previous St. Pete Polls survey taken in late May found Crist in a much weaker position. Comparing Crist’s performance in the latest poll to Fried’s shows she is failing to capture independent voters and is capturing fewer Republican voters. The St. Pete Polls survey reached 3,952 respondents over the phone. Real Clear Politics and FiveThirtyEight include St. Pete Polls in their polling aggregations.
thewestsidegazette.comDoes Nikki Fried have a path to winning Democratic nomination for governor over Charlie Crist?
With less than 10 weeks until the Democratic primary, gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried’s campaign is portraying her as a viable alternative to her much better-known competitor, Charlie Crist, with a path to victory that will defy conventional wisdom about the contest.
sun-sentinel.comCrist and Fried, together in West Palm Beach, agree on substance and harsh words for DeSantis but differ on style
Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried didn’t do much exchanging of ideas Wednesday night at a candidate forum. Instead, the two Democratic candidates for governor agreed, again and again. Their greatest agreement: repeated condemnations of the man they want to run against, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
sun-sentinel.comFred Guttenberg, father of Stoneman Douglas victim, endorses Nikki Fried for governor
Fred Guttenberg, one of the most recognizable, outspoken parents of children killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre, is endorsing Nikki Fried for the Democratic nomination for governor. Guttenberg has become one of Florida’s most prominent activists on gun issues since his daughter, Jaime, was killed, along with 16 other people, at the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre at her school.
sun-sentinel.comDeSantis is absent, Crist present on the campaign trail
By Jodi YonderTALLAHASSEE, –Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist is taking nothing for granted in his campaign to unseat Governor Ron DeSantis. While Crist visits Florida’s diverse small towns and big cities, the abrasive DeSantis has yet to hold a meeting with any constituency or hear their concerns. Praised for campaign prowess, Crist enjoys talking to people and embraces helping them. DeSantis, a disciple of Trump, mimics cruel indifference and racial profiling state and federal judges declare as “targeting of Blacks. Crist returned to Gadsden and Jefferson Counties, places in rural North Florida rarely visited by gubernatorial candidates, least of all Ron DeSantis.
thewestsidegazette.comAnnette Taddeo, failing to gain traction for her campaign for governor, drops out
State Sen. Annette Taddeo, who failed to gain traction for her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor, dropped out of the race, creating a one-on-one faceoff between the two leading candidates, Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried.
sun-sentinel.com‘Frustrated, angry and heartbroken’: Shevrin Jones, Charlie Crist, Parkland parents voice rage at Sunrise gun-control rally | Photos
In the wake of Uvalde and Buffalo mass shootings, state lawmakers and several Democratic groups held a vigil and gun-control rally on Saturday morning at Sunrise Amphitheater, delivering speeches loaded with anger and raw grief but also tempered by optimism.
sun-sentinel.comDemocratic Black Caucus of Florida Endorses Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried for the Democratic Primary at its 39th Annual Conference
By Louis C WardThe Democratic Black Caucus of Florida (DBCF)endorsed Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried for the Gubernatorial Democratic Primary, provided viable workshops and roundtables, and culminated its 39th Conference with an entertaining and enlightening Gala. Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried and Senator Annette Taddeo both delivered informative and persuasive presentations at the Gubernatorial Candidate Forum. “This endorsement,” said Commissioner Fried, “means everything to me, my team, and our supporters fighting to beat Ron DeSantis. “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now,” said DBCF President Mallory, citing the Theme of the 2022 DBCF Conference. Ms. Francine Garcia, Treasurer of Lake County Democratic Black Caucus, said, “I thought this year’s conference was one of the better ones.
thewestsidegazette.comCharlie Crist says Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam ‘certainly would be on my shortlist’ for lieutenant governor
Could Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam emerge as the candidate for lieutenant governor this fall if Charlie Crist wins the Democratic nomination for Florida governor? Crist said Messam is a “great public servant and he certainly would be on my shortlist,” quickly adding that he needs to win the primary before he turns to figuring out who would be his running mate.
sun-sentinel.com2 Minute Warning: A Conversation with Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist has thrown his hat in the ring to once again become Florida’s governor. On last Thursday’s edition of the Westside Gazette 2-Minute Warning, Charlie Crist was questioned by co-hosts Perry Busby, columnist, and Bobby Henry, Sr., Publisher, along with three panelists. He moved to Florida as a child, eventually graduating from Florida State University with his undergraduate degree before going on to law school. Brandon Feeny, the third panelist, offered what he described as the unspoken problem in the Democratic party: messaging. The bill had nothing to do with race, Crist pointed out, it had to do with crime.
thewestsidegazette.comCharlie Crist defends Disney, says DeSantis acting like he wants to be ‘king of Florida’
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist says Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to be the “king of Florida,” and is acting like he already has that title by ruthlessly going after anyone who defies him. Crist praised Disney and said the Reedy Creek Improvement District — targeted by DeSantis — is good for the state. Appearing in Fort Lauderdale, Crist rolled out a large group of Broward campaign co-chairs.
sun-sentinel.comDeSantis’s elimination of Black districts faces Congressional Black Caucus inquiry in Tallahassee
DeSantis election law gutted; federal judge says it targets BlacksCongressman Charlie Crist, (D) St. Petersburg – Candidate for GovernorTALLAHASSEE—Governor Ron DeSantis’ assault on voting rights and attempts to eliminate Florida’s Black congressional districts has the Congressional Black Caucus preparing to hold a hearing in Tallahassee on April 13. DeSantis vetoed a legislative redistricting map that failed to dismantle a minority NorthFlorida district held by US Representative Al Lawson. In 2010, Ellen Freidin, who led the successful constitutional amendments 5 & 6 effort to prevent gerrymandering in Florida, pointed out that Governor DeSantis is in fact violating those laws. Congresswoman Val Demings represents the other district DeSantis wants to undo. Time is the enemy of the process now that the redo is necessary because candidates have no districts to run in.
thewestsidegazette.comCrist bill expands scholarships for Sickle Cell research
By Jodi YonderCongressman Charlie Crist, (D) Florida, has proposed legislation to step up life-saving research and loan repayment for those joining the fight against Sickle Cell Disease. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the result of genetic mutation that reduces the ability of blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body. There are approximately 100,000 people living with sickle cell disease in the United States, the overwhelming majority of whom are Black Americans. “We have the opportunity to save lives by broadening the research against Sickle Cell. We need specialists to wage that war and we will encourage that through the Sickle Cell Care Expansion Act,” Crist said.
thewestsidegazette.comIn unusual move, Gov. DeSantis submits redistricting map
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has submitted a proposal to reshape the state's congressional map and carve up districts held by Black Democrats, as the Republican takes the unusual step of inserting himself into the redistricting process. The proposed congressional map, submitted Sunday on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, signaled the governor's priorities as the state moves to redraw political maps in the coming months. DeSantis, who is running for reelection and is considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has largely shaped the legislative agenda in the Republican-controlled statehouse this year.
news.yahoo.comThis Week in South Florida Full Episode: January 9, 2022
On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, host Michael Putney is joined by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, congressional candidate Jason Mariner, state Senator Jason Pizzo, state Rep. Tom Fabricio and gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist.
DeSantis to ask Legislature for a $1 billion gas tax cut next year
Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking lawmakers to cut Florida’s array of gas and fuel taxes by $1 billion next year, a response to the inflation felt by consumers, particularly at the pumps as the economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic.
sun-sentinel.com“Beat DeSantis” message to Crist at FAMU Epic Homecoming
By Jodi YonderTALLAHASSEE, FL – It was chilly the morning of Florida A&M University’s homecoming parade, but Florida Congressman Charlie Crist didn’t seem bothered. The youngest girl fist pumped him before she pulled her orange and green Crist for Governor shirt over a sweatshirt. Outfitted with “Crist for Governor,” “Florida for All” signs Crist and his supporters pulled into the parade. Holt waved her Crist sign saying “We need a Governor!” The crowd said, ‘Beat DeSantis,” ”DeSantis has got to go,” while Crist added, “We’ll do it together!” When Joe Bullard announced Crist as he passed the reviewing stand, his popularity was again on display. Crist said, “That’s why I’m running for Governor again.” Weaver replied, “That’s right, we’ve got to get DeSantis out of there.”
thewestsidegazette.comCrist’s “Justice for All” tackles Florida’s judicial inequities, Criminal Justice Reform Top Priority
By Gayle AndrewsDemocratic Gubernatorial candidate Congressman Charlie Crist pledged to bring equal justice to Florida’s judicial system as he traveled to communities throughout the state. Worrell joined Crist, Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill, former gubernatorial candidate Chris King and criminal justice reform advocates in presenting ways to repair a broken court system. Crist is the leading candidate in the race to unseat Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. In fact, Governor DeSantis continues to undermine the new constitutional law at every turn. In the two years since his death, Scott has become an outspoken activist against gun violence which is a major component of Crist’s justice reform plan.
thewestsidegazette.comMiramar Mayor Wayne Messam Endorses Charlie Crist For Governor
Messam Calls Crist the Unifier Florida Needs[ST. PETERSBURG] — Today, Charlie Crist’s campaign announced that Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam has endorsed Charlie to be the Sunshine State’s next Governor. “Charlie is a life-long public servant who has proven time and time again he will do right by Florida. I’m proud to support my fellow Florida State alum, Charlie Crist, to be our next governor.”“I’m humbled and thankful to have the support of Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam as we fight to take back our state and restore honor and civility to our politics,” said Charlie Crist. nominee Chris King endorsed Charlie, and just last week a group of 23 Broward elected officials announced their endorsement of Charlie as well. In August, a group of 50 endorsers from across Florida endorsed Crist’s campaign.
sflcn.comDeSantis might find a friendlier court in North Florida for his appeal of COVID mask ruling
On the surface, the politics are on the side of DeSantis. North Florida’s First District Court of Appeal comprises 15 members, all Republicans. Three were appointed by DeSantis, two by Charlie Crist when he served as a Republican, two by Jeb Bush and eight by Rick Scott.
sun-sentinel.comDeSantis refuses state of emergency for Tampa Bay red tide despite 1,200 tons of dead fish
Despite pleas from the city of St. Petersburg, environmentalists and activists, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis doubled down Wednesday and again refused to declare a state of emergency for Tampa Bay's ongoing red tide.Why it matters: DeSantis said his office is committed to working with the community to fight the red tide, but argued that a state of emergency would hurt businesses by sending the message that "Florida has problems." Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for
news.yahoo.comVal Demings plans to challenge Marco Rubio in Fla. Senate race
Florida Rep. Val Demings is planning to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio next year, giving Democrats a boost in a competitive race that could be among a handful that determine control of the Senate, according to two people with knowledge of the plans.
This Week in South Florida Podcast: May 9, 2021
On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg are joined by Broward County Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott, League of Women Voters of Florida President Patricia Brigham, Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and Congresswoman Val Demings.
This Week in South Florida Full Episode: May 9, 2021
On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg are joined by Broward County Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott, League of Women Voters of Florida President Patricia Brigham, Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and Congresswoman Val Demings.
Democratic leaders from Florida weigh in on vaccination efforts
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Democratic U.S. representatives from Florida weighed in Monday morning on the vaccination effort in the Sunshine State. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she’s impressed by the FEMA-supported site in northwest Miami-Dade. “I know I saw it myself this weekend at the Miami vaccination site. For starters, officials there acknowledge in a transparent way where we are failing right now to reach underserved and vulnerable communities, especially communities of color,” Wasserman Schultz said. But there was also confusion over the weekend at the FEMA-supported satellite site in Florida City.
The Latest: Ontario wants vaccine shot in adults by June 20
Eric Holcomb received his COVID-19 vaccine shot Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the opening of the state’s first mass vaccination clinic. Holcomb wore a face mask in the front passenger seat of an SUV while getting the shot of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the drive-through clinic. Ad___TORONTO — Canada is getting a fourth vaccine to prevent COVID-19, approving the Johnson & Johnson shot that works with just one dose. Canada has pre-purchased 10 million Johnson & Johnson doses, with options to buy another 28 million. The U.S. approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine last month.
Florida Gov. DeSantis faces growing charges of vaccine favoritism
Bruce Rauner, last week gave the Florida governor's campaign committee $250,000. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried joined Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist in calling for federal officials to probe the DeSantis administration’s vaccine distribution programs. AdDuring a Thursday news conference, DeSantis expressed no misgivings about the early vaccinations at the exclusive Key Largo community. In recent weeks, other reports have surfaced of wealthy retirement communities getting exclusive access to vaccine doses through pop-up vaccine sites. Bruce Rauner to the Florida governor's campaign committee.
With another Florida loss, Democrats begin second guessing
As election postmortems go, the one that began in Florida Wednesday was especially wrenching for Democrats. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Perhaps only in Florida is a loss by fewer than 4 percentage points considered a public drubbing. Democrats zeroed in on two clear explanations: Biden didn't connect with the state's Latino voters, performing particularly poorly with Cuban voters in South Florida. Some Democrats also give Republicans credit for registering thousands of new voters and narrowing the voter registration advantage Democrats have long had. For Taddeo, the Democratic state senator, it means going back to basics.