On Monday it becomes official. After more than a year of speculations, Charlie Crist is reportedly set to announce he's running for Governor as a Democrat. What was once Florida's biggest political "What if?" scenario is actually happening.
According to the Tampa Bay Times' Buzz blog, Crist's announcement is set for 10 a.m. at Albert Whitted Park in St. Petersburg. Though Crist's people have only referred to the event as a "major announcement," there's little doubt what that will entail. That park, by the way, is just down the street from the park where announce that he was leaving the Republican party for his ill-fated run for Senate as an Independent.
Crist recently relaunched his website with a not-quite-campaign ad in which he took some shots at Governor Rick Scott, though not by name. Crist declared "It's not working," a direct rebuke of Scott's own "It's working line."
Crist would have to overcome a primary challenger from Nan Rich, a former Senate minority leader well known in Broward County and Democratic circles, but not so much to voters. Polls indicate he'll have little problems doing that, or winning back his Governor's seat for that matter. A poll from earlier this month showed that Crist is leading Scott by a solid 12 point margin.
New Times got a chance to speak to Crist back in January in which he reflected on his journey from a guy who was once on John McCain's VP shortlist to a registered Democrat.
"You know, people say all the time that you plan this or you plan that to get somewhere," Crist said. "But for me, none of it was planned. It just happened. And some days, I have to pinch myself. It's like a dream."
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