Rep. Charles Crist (D-Fla.) has emerged as the Democratic candidate who will face off with incumbent Governor Ron DeSantis in gubernatorial elections due November this year.
What Happened: 66-year-old Crist overcame Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried in the primary election with 78% of the vote counted, according to projections from Edison Research, reported Reuters.
While Crist secured 59.1% of the counted ballots, Fried had 35.4%, according to the report.
A former Republican, Crist served as Florida’s governor previously from 2007 to 2011 before shifting his allegiance to Democrats.
Why It Matters: DeSantis is seen as a presidential frontrunner. In July, Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk said DeSantis would easily win if he faced President Joe Biden at the presidential polls.
“If DeSantis runs against Biden in 2024, then DeSantis will easily win – he doesn’t even need to campaign,” said Musk.
In a New Hampshire popularity poll, DeSantis overcame former President Donald Trump among the state’s Republican Primary voters.
Denying DeSantis the governorship of Florida could derail his presidential ambitions, noted Reuters.
On Monday, Crist told his cheering supporters, "When we defeat him on Nov. 8, that show is over.”
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