Charlie Crist "extremely humbled" after winning Democratic primary for governor
ST. PETERSBURG – A day after winning the Democratic primary for governor, Charlie Crist spoke to CBS4 reporter Joan Murray about the challenges ahead trying to defeat Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
"I'm overwhelmed and extremely humbled by it," Crist said about his victory.
With DeSantis enjoying high approval ratings and a $140-million war chest built up for campaigning, experts say he will be tough to beat in the November election.
"His approval rating is 50%. When I was governor from 2007 to 2011, my approval rating was 72% and that was during the Great Recession," said Crist.
He says he learned a lot from his failed bid for governor against Rick Scott in 2014. It was a narrow win, very contentious and expensive.
"I learned spend more time in North Florida," he said.
Because he has changed from being a Republican to Independent and then a Democrat, some voters still refer to him as a "flip flopper."
"It doesn't bother me at all," he said. "I am what I am and have always been the same person. I still have the same values."
Crist has been a Democrat for 10 years. He is completing a third term as a U.S. congressman from St. Petersburg.
He says his past experience as a Florida state senator make him ready to work with a Republican dominated legislature.
He says if elected, a top priority will be to sign an executive order protecting a woman's right to choose. He will also concentrate on education, the environment and voting rights.