Charlie Crist

Hurricane Ian Puts Florida Governor Ron DeSantis On The Spot: How Will He Handle The Disaster?

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Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who clearly wants to be President of the United States, faces a major crisis that puts him on the spot!

How is he going to handle Hurricane Ian, with millions of his constituents in crisis?

And will he conduct himself properly in his dealings with Democratic President Joe Biden, who has been to the forefront of this crisis, even as it was developing?

This is a test case for crisis leadership, and arrogant, right wing demagogic Ron DeSantis is likely to cause controversy, and show lack of empathy, sincerity, compassion, and decency, since he has no element of any of these characteristics!

On the other hand, Joe Biden exudes empathy, sincerity, compassion, and decency throughout his nearly half century of political leadership.

This may well be the test of Ron DeSantis’s planned Presidential candidacy, as the likelihood is that he will fail miserably, but will blame others, rather than take responsibility for the reaction to this natural disaster!

Will he even show the kind of leadership that former Governor Jeb Bush demonstrated in numerous hurricane crises in 2004-2005 when he was in charge in the “Sunshine” state?

And short term, how will this horrendous disaster affect the Florida Governorship election, which is less than six weeks from now, and will Democratic opponent Charlie Crist gain an advantage?

Crist was lucky that there were no major hurricanes in the four years he was Florida Governor as a Republican (2007-2011).

This crisis will be a possible forerunner of a DeSantis-Biden confrontation in 2024!

Results Of Tuesday’s Primaries Indicate The Upcoming Midterm Elections Favoring Democrats

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The feeling is developing that Democrats are going to have an unexpected advantage in November’s Midterm Elections.

The strong support of Florida Democrats for Charlie Crist and for Val Demings portend, hopefully, difficult races for Governor Ron DeSantis and Senator Marco Rubio. It would seem that both races will be close, and the hope is that the Democratic nominees, the strongest possible nominees, have a good chance of victory, but it will not be easy in any sense.

DeSantis is acting more every day like an authoritarian tyrant, and there is pushback on his actions that centralize too much power in the governorship, and give us a hint of the horrors of this man, were he to run for and win the Presidency in 2024.

Rubio has been a lazy and unprincipled Senator, who did not even want to run for reelection in 2016, but did after his failed Presidential candidacy in that year. But his total obsequious nature toward Donald Trump makes him clearly a weak, indecisive figure, who has no concern about the danger to American democracy of the former President, whom he once condemned harshly.

In New York, moderates won out over “progressives” in a number of Congressional races, including Dan Goldman (who was engaged in the prosecution of Donald Trump in his first impeachment trial); Jerry Nadler, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee; and Sean Patrick Maloney, the Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Also, in upstate New York, in a Congressional election to elect a person to finish a Congressional term of someone who resigned, seen as a battle over abortion rights, Pat Ryan, the Democratic nominee and strongly for abortion rights, defeated a Republican, and this is seen as another sign of the strong support of Democrats, Independents, and some moderate Republicans for abortion rights to be insured, following up on the Kansas state abortion vote in July!

Major Primary Day Today In Florida And New York

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Today will decide who the Democratic nominee for Florida Governor will be against Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Also, Val Demings, former Orlando Police Commissioner and Democratic Congresswoman from Central Florida, will formally be chosen to oppose Republican Senator Marco Rubio.

It will also decide in New York who will be forced to retire from the House of Representatives in a district that, due to New York losing a Congressional seat, pits two 30 year veterans–Carolyn Maloney, who is the Chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, and Jerry Nadler, who is the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, which was directly engaged in the two impeachments of President Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021.

Ahead of the vote, it appears that Charlie Crist, former Florida Republican Governor, who became an Independent and then a Democrat, and has served in the House of Representatives since 2017, is favored over Florida Agriculture Commissioner, Nikki Friend, the only Democrat elected state wide in the past generation in Florida, for the challenge against Ron DeSantis. And the Demings-Rubio race will likely be close in November.

Also, in New York, Nadler is favored in polls to win the House seat, newly created, over Maloney.

It will be interesting to see the results of both the Florida and New York elections.

The Urgent Need For Beto O’Rourke And Charlie Crist To Win Governorships Of Texas And Florida!

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Texas and Florida are the second and third largest states in population, and have a massive influence on Congress and on state government policies beyond their own states.

These two states are strongly “Red”, Republican, in the past 25 years, and have had a deleterious effect on American politics!

Their US Senators and many of their House of Representatives members are horrendous examples of how evil politics has become, and their state legislatures are so one sided as to give a sense that both states are “lost” to any sense of sanity or common decency!

But as long as America is a democracy, which is under vicious attack now in the age of Donald Trump, one must not give up the fight to convince the growing Hispanic-Latino populations of both states to “see the light”, and participate in restoring decency and compassion to American politics, and setting an example for smaller, less populated states!

So therefore, the battle to defeat Greg Abbott of Texas and Ron DeSantis of Florida is in full motion, as defeating both of them would eliminate either as a potential Presidential nominee in 2024!

The Democrats have excellent candidates in Beto O’Rourke (former Congressman from El Paso, and giving Senator Ted Cruz a close race in 2018); and Charlie Crist (former Republican Governor of Florida 2007-2011, and Democratic Congressman since 2017).

Both would restore dignity and principle to the Governorships, that combined, represent 52 million Americans, approximately one of every six Americans!

Florida Needs A Democratic Governor And Senator After The Midterm Elections Of 2022!

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The state of Florida, third largest in population, has become, sadly, a very RED state, totally corrupt and incompetent politically!

Florida Republicans are among the worst in the nation, now putting into place voting restrictions in a state which had no issues at all with the counting of the results of the Presidential Election of 2020.

It is hard to say who is the worst Republican officeholder.

Is it Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Rick Scott (former Governor), or northern Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz?

Or is it Governor Ron DeSantis, the “Mini Trump”, who is slavish to everything Donald Trump?

DeSantis copies Trump in every way imaginable, and sees himself as a Presidential candidate in 2024.

But so does Rubio, who tried for the Presidency before in 2016, was condemnatory of Trump in that year, and now is slavish to him.

And also planning to run is Rick Scott, who, until Ron DeSantis became Governor, was the worst Governor imaginable, but has now been surpassed in evil and divisiveness by DeSantis.

It is clear that Florida needs a Democratic Governor and Senator after the Midterm Elections of 2022, when DeSantis and Rubio come up for election.

Former Republican Governor Charlie Crist, now a Democrat, has announced for Governor, and it is expected that the only statewide Democratic officeholder, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, will also run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Former Orlando police chief and Congresswoman Val Demings is also expected to run for either Governor or Senator, and she could be a major threat to Marco Rubio, while Crist and Fried challenge DeSantis.

Florida Has Three Potential Competitors For The Republican Presidential Nomination In 2024!

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The “Sunshine” state, Florida, the third largest state in population, has become a notoriously corrupt and incompetent state under Republican leadership when it comes to dealing with the issues that face 22.2 million people, 19 percent of whom are senior citizens.

The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has handled the COVID 19 Pandemic in a terrible fashion, and follows Donald Trump as if he is his son, and some polls show him as the front runner for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2024, if Donald Trump does not run. The thought of DeSantis running for President is a literal nightmare, and it is hoped that either Congressman and former Florida Governor Charlie Crist or State Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried could give him a good run for Governor in 2022, and knock him out of office, and end his dreams of the Presidency!

Meanwhile, Florida’s two US Senators—former Governor Rick Scott, and Marco Rubio—both have their eye on the White House as well as DeSantis, so we could see all three state wide Floridians competing against each other for President in 2024!

Trying to assess which of these three contenders is the least horrible is tough, but probably Rubio is the least damaging, as he has not been Governor of the state, as DeSantis and Scott has been, and both have been horrendous in that office!

Marco Rubio Faces Problems In Presidential Bid And Florida Senate Reelection Contest

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Florida Senator Marco Rubio is not having good tidings lately, as he considers whether to run for President in 2016, or seek a second Senate term.

Florida does not allow a candidate to be on the ballot for two political races, so Rubio must decide his future.

At this point, polls indicate he is way behind fellow Floridian Jeb Bush for support, even within the Sunshine State, among Republicans for the Presidential nomination.

Rubio has alienated many Tea Party types and others in the Republican Party for having worked for immigration reform, and then backing away from it under harsh criticism by the Republican right wing base.

Rubio has also indicated frustration being a United States Senator, and he faces a potential threat from a number of Democrats for his seat, whether he runs again for it or chooses to leave the Senate to run for President.

Democratic National Chairwoman and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Congressman Patrick Murphy, and believe it or not, former Governor Charlie Crist, and even Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, are all seen as interested in the race, and Rubio cannot count on South Florida for support, with three South Floridians, including comparatively moderate Murphy, potentially running.

Of course, there would be major fireworks in a Democratic primary, with both Wasserman Schultz and Crist having antagonized many while serving in government and running for office, which might give Murphy an advantage, and possibly even Levine, a comparative newcomer to politics like Murphy is, as well.

The End Of The Political Careers Of Several Politicians

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Tuesday’s Midterm Elections ended the careers of several well known politicians.

Charlie Crist now has the distinction of losing a Senate race as a Republican in 1998 to Senator Bob Graham; losing a Senate race as an Independent in 2010 to Senator Marco Rubio; and losing a gubernatorial race as a Democrat to Governor Rick Scott!

Scott Brown now has the distinction of losing two Senate races two years apart, both times to women, in two neighboring states in New England–to Senator Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts in 2012 and to Senator Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire in 2014. He also won the remainder of the Senate term of Ted Kennedy in Massachusetts early in 2010 over another woman, Attorney General Martha Coakley, who now also has lost the gubernatorial race in Massachusetts on Tuesday to Republican candidate Charlie Baker in a very “blue” state. As far as anyone is aware, Brown is the only candidate to run against three women for a Senate seat, winning once, and losing twice.

While no one can say for sure that one defeat ends a political career, the fact that Michelle Nunn, the daughter of former Georgia Senator Sam Nunn lost a race for a Senate seat; and that Jason Carter, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, lost the gubernatorial race in the same state, which is grandfather had won 44 years ago on his road to the White House, likely ends their careers.

The same goes for Senator Mark Udall in Colorado, son of former Congressman and Presidential seeker Morris Udall of Arizona; and for Senator Mark Pryor, son of former Senator David Pryor in Arkansas; and the odds seem against Senator Mark Begich of Alaska, whose father, Nick Begich, was Congressman from that state; and for Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, whose dad and brother were Mayors of New Orleans, although those two races are not settled as of this writing, and Landrieu faces a runoff against a heavily favored Republican rival.

Such is politics, in office one day, and out the next, and the bigger losers are their staff members!

Republicans Flub Debates, Both Governor And Senate Candidates

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The Republican Party is self destructing in campaign debates in many states!

Florida Governor Rick Scott boycotted the first five minutes of his debate with former Governor Charlie Crist, and came across as dishonest, cold, stiff, and uncaring about those less fortunate.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker did very poorly in his debate against Democratic opponent Mary Burke.

Republican Senate candidate Thom Tillis of North Carolina was very unimpressive in his debate against Democratic Senator Kay Hagan.

Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell came across as someone who needs to retire, in his debate against Kentucky Democratic Senate opponent Allison Lundergan Grimes.

Texas Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott came across as a hypocrite in his debate against Democratic gubernatorial opponent Wendy Davis.

It is clear that most Republicans are on the defensive on their records, and that the Democrats are coming across as deserving election, or keeping their positions!

The Odyssey Of Charlie Crist

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Former Republican Governor Charlie Crist of Florida is attempting a comeback to the Governorship, this time as a Democrat, after having left the GOP in 2010, running as an Independent for the US Senate, which he also ran for as a Republican in 1998.

This is the most important race for the Governorship, as Florida is the largest state to have a truly competitive race for Governor or Senator, as California and New York are “Blue”, and Texas is “Red”.

This is also a rare case of a Governor switching parties and winning on the other party line, only five times before in American history, and also a rare race of a former Governor against the sitting Governor who replaced  him, with Rick Scott being his opponent.

Crist is seen by many as a chameleon, a person who is untrustworthy and slick and good at manipulation, but also he is extremely charismatic, a great orator, very handsome with his white hair, and someone hard not to like on a personal level, while Scott is none of these attributes, and is seen by many as totally crooked, with his Medicare scams that he paid millions of dollars in fines, but avoided prison time, which many think he should have served!

It is ironic that Charlie Crist was on the short list of Senator John McCain for Vice President in 2008, and now, if he wins the Governorship of the fourth largest state, and a crucial swing state for 2016, it is conceivable that he could be the Vice Presidential running mate of Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden, or really, almost any Democratic Presidential nominee.

And of course, were something to go wrong, he could be President of the United States by succession, or even being the nominee in four to eight years after 2016 for the Presidency, after having served as Vice President of the United States!

What an interesting odyssey for Charlie Crist, and the future is there for much more, if he is able to come back as Florida Governor!