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Does Charlie Crist’s Party Swapping Surprise You?

The former governor of Florida has announced he’s joined the Democrat Party. Could another run for the governor’s office be far behind?

First he was a Republican. Then he became an Independent. Now, former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has officially joined the ranks of the Democrats.

Crist made the announcement of his recent switch to the Democratic Party on his Twitter feed.

“Proud and honored to join the Democratic Party in the home of President @Barack Obama,” he tweeted.

Crist, a vocal supporter of Obama, is said to have signed the papers to become a Democrat while visiting the White House. The former Republican dropped his affiliation with that party during his 2010 Senate bid against now Sen. Marco Rubio.

Crist’s announcement has many wondering if he’s positioning himself for a 2014 run against Gov. Rick Scott. Or, perhaps he has another seat in mind?

We’d like to hear from you, Tampa Bay. Does Charlie Crist’s party flopping surprise you? Do you think he’ll make a run for the governor’s office in 2014? Would you support him? Is this the last party shift for Crist? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Spencer Davis December 11, 2012 at 12:37 pm
First he was "Chain GAng Charlie" a.k.a. Mr. Law & Order - Tough Guy. Then he was "Restor the Rights" a.k.a. a felon's best friend - Milk-toast. Now he is prepping to run for Gov again.
As to support - I can't see voting for Rickie the (it rhymes), but Christ makes me crave Dramamine. Please, someone with a brain and a sense of right vs wrong run!! Poll sitter Christ versus Pick Slip Rick - no choice. Vot for Mickey (Mouse).
Claudio escandell December 11, 2012 at 01:39 pm
I meet this gentleman long ago when he was former floeida governor , and i was surprised that he was an opem person easy to talk to kind and human , rare quality on a politician.Now , helping president Obama can be the greatest move that he made.and am sure he will fit to be a a good president in the future.
RAJ (Bo) McMerritt December 11, 2012 at 03:20 pm
True Politician...if one won't have ya the other one will and if both are onto your tricks then go Independnet.
Ron Riley December 11, 2012 at 04:20 pm
Nothing this guy does surprises me. No I won't support him because I cannot trust anything he says or does. Unfortunately, he is typical of the type politician we have to choose from.
jasminetea December 11, 2012 at 05:12 pm
How quickly everyone forgets that he lost $250 million dollars of Florida money on the Stuyvesant Town real estate deal. Stuyvesant Town is in NY for those who don't know.
http://www.postonpolitics.com/2009/09/state-lost-250-million-on-nyc-real-estate-deal/
Michael D. December 11, 2012 at 05:17 pm
jasminetea,
Do we need to post every deal that Jeb Bush or Rick Scott has lost money on. I am not a fan of Crist, but using one deal as the reason, is just humorious.
Joe Bavlsik December 11, 2012 at 07:32 pm
Charlie Crist would be a welcome change to the radical (and erratic) antics of the current office holder. He would be a voice of moderation in the sea of extreme right-wing politics we now have in Tallahassee...
Ken Hinnenkamp December 11, 2012 at 08:06 pm
No, I'm not supprised. Politicians are opportunists and Rick Scott has certainly created an opportunity.
Don C. December 11, 2012 at 08:09 pm
I didnt vote for Charlie as Gov, but I thought he was doing a very good job right up until he sold us Floridians out for the prospect of being tapped as VP when he changed his position on drilling in the Gulf.
Charlie is going to be out for Charlie first ... I would still vote for him to replace Gov Scott, however. Alex Sink would still be far and away my first choice. She is an administrator, not a politician.
jasminetea December 11, 2012 at 08:59 pm
Michael D - It isn't one deal I'm pointing out - it was the type of deal! The money was from the Florida pension fund and the intention was to force tenants who lived there most of their lives out so that it could be turned into luxury condo's. Sorry but I don't see the humor.
Michael D. December 11, 2012 at 09:45 pm
jasminetea,
You should check the other laws in our state kicking people out of their beach front property to make hotels and condos. Crist just used the laws as they were intended by Martinez, just like Jeb used it on the panhandle. And Jeb and Rick deals are just in states dealing with all kinds of funds including pensions. Crist ideal failed, and so will many other governors. I dislike the man for his lack of stance and questionable motives.
michael mirra December 12, 2012 at 01:25 pm
Lets not forget Rick Scott Killing the Bullet Train that Floridians have wanted for decades. It would have been a great jobs creator, & even out of state workers would have spent much on the monet earned in florida. The Tampa to Orlando corridor would boom & more business between the large matropolitan areas would have grown Florida financially. Florida needs a Governor that embraces federal handouts, not a Republican that cuts off his nose to spite his face because he can't admitt that Obama does good things for Florida when the aid helpsFlorida.
Larry December 16, 2012 at 02:12 pm
Who cares whether he switches....Get the job of goverment done!!
michael mirra December 19, 2012 at 01:33 pm
I wasn't supprised because an old friend of mine, who lives in the same building as Charlie Crist told me almost a year ago that she met him in the building's elevator & he told her that the plan was to become the next Democratic Governor of Florida. Actually, I hate Republican candadates, but always though Crist was Ok. Rick Scott is like a Tea Party Wacko. America has come to realize that is not the way America will go. America is not that superficially ignorant to not see that Tea Party politics is contrary to everything GOOD in America.
michael mirra December 26, 2012 at 12:02 am
An administrator would do a better job than a politician, but administrators don't win election, politicians do. We need to get rid of Rick Scott & Crist is the best bet to win. Crist may someday be your President. Don't discount that possability. It wouldn't be the worst administration. Think about it Crist vs. any of the Republican field, like Gingrich, Bachman, Santorum, etc. The only reason Romney got nominated is because he was the least incompetant & he still was a poor choice.
provoice January 1, 2013 at 12:37 pm
Doesn't surprise me that Crist bailed on the Repubs... I did too when they decided that they were going to be the party of the military/industrial complex. It was a Republican that warned us against them if you recall! What amazes me is that so many people have stayed with them at the expense of their own best interests.
America as we have known it is completely done for if we don't get people like McConnel, Graham and these Tea-Party Lunatics out of our government soon. We had eight years of war and almost no job growth under Bush, and four years of foot-dragging and absolute refusal to compromise ever since... The rich are getting richer and richer and everyone else is losing ground. At this rate we will soon see the rich living in walled-in cities and the rest of us out hunting rabbits and squirrels to feed our families.
michael mirra January 1, 2013 at 01:59 pm
The Republicans themselves are lost. They don't have the insight to lead with soulutions. They just try to make their opposition fail. They think it makes decocrats look bad if they can't get anything done, so they had the goal of trying to sabatage the Obama Administration with sensless obstruction. If they would have led with some form of fix for America, they would have regained favor, but that is too much for their limited mental capacity to comprehend.
I liked Crist as Govorner. I felt he wasn't as bad as most, over the top, Republicans. He is more suited to being a Democrat. It is a good change for him & for Florida.
michael mirra January 1, 2013 at 02:04 pm
That's what politicians do. The name of the game is to get into office. A good politician gets there any way that he/she can.
People that want positions of Govenment power are power hungery. They won't let obsticals stop them if they are worth their salt as a politician. Christ was always sort of a Democrat in Republican clothing anyway. He always made more common sense than the Republican thought process.
michael mirra January 1, 2013 at 02:12 pm
Republicans are devided. The lunitic Tea Party faction has taken over their base & the main part of the party realizes that Tea Party poltics gets their base vote out, but alignates everyone else. Their main stream is ok with indepenents, but their base calls them Republicans In Name Only (RINO). Meantime, the Republicans in congress continue to obstruct with no positive input.
Political parties have vanished before. Republicanism, as we know it, has killed itself with it's extream positions on everything & it's no negotiate attitude.
Linda February 1, 2013 at 03:46 am
Anyone with any sense would run from the Republican party.
Linda February 1, 2013 at 03:49 am
If Sink runs, she has my vote

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Dan Pressler May 6, 2013 at 04:04 pm
the question is - would any of these laws prevent the people who already get guns illegally anywayRead More from getting them now ? If not what is the point of the law - more gov't?
Red June 14, 2013 at 09:16 pm
Great Photo! Is that the setup we'll be supplying to first grade teachers nationwide? Is the NRARead More gonna chip in with a few mags? Some bullets? Body bags what ? If the black helicopters do come for you your little ak-47 + all the bullets you can afford on your little paycheck just ain't gonna do the trick. and just who are you gonna shoot at? Your kid or the one down the street that just joined the service a few days, weeks, months, or years ago? You know that kid , he's the one that wanted to Serve his country. Is he the one you want to shoot? Is she the one that scares you? Fact is you and me just don't need these kinds of vicious killing machines.
Papamarty June 15, 2013 at 02:40 am
you anti-gunners are so full of never mind I am old enough to remember before there were over 40Read More thousand gun laws on the books and Americans didn't have the kind of problems that we have now not until the government got envolved did we start having all the crime that we have now. Question if the almost 40 thousand gun laws haven't made things better maybe it time to look some where else beside the government and the dumbing down of American youth. Yeah they got a degree in some sort of liberal art that was suppose to make a difference now we have a bunch of educated drug dealers but here's the stickler they just think their educated. the individual with the common sense is the one making the money and they weren't government educated with faux degrees.