After a two week delay due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis and his Democratic Challenger, former Gov. Charlie Crist, finally matched wits on stage during the only debate the two will have in the run-up to this year’s election.
Crist was the clear winner—and it wasn’t really close, to be honest. More on that below…
But about last night, as the publisher of Hobbservation Point, I had the privilege of joining Florida State. Rep. Geraldine Thompson (D) and Attorney Sean Shaw, the 2018 Florida Attorney General Democratic nominee, during a Debate Watch Party hosted by the Ladies of the Zeta Rho Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
In my initial remarks, I predicted that viewers would observe stark contrasts in character and temperament from the two candidates; about 15 minutes later, to my surprise and delight, Mr. Crist echoed similar sentiments in his opening statement, saying, “You’re going to hear a stark contrast in this debate and this election. It’s a stark contrast between somebody who believes in a woman’s right to choose, I think that’s fundamentally important, and Gov. DeSantis has signed a bill that would restrict that right, even in cases of rape or incest.”
Alas, Crist came out of his corner swinging, doing so with his trademark calm demeanor and deliberative voice that highlighted one of the key issues in 2022—abortion rights in Florida.
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade earlier this year, most states, including Florida, wasted no time in creating restrictions. Last night, Crist persistently challenged Desantis to declare his thoughts as to whether abortion should be allowed up to 15-weeks, the status quo, or would he seek to lower that to six weeks—or never—like his abortion opposing supporters are seeking?
While Desantis played coy on abortion, he was similarly reticent to accept Crist’s challenge to declare that if he wins a second term, that he would serve the full term and not run for president in 2024. In a moment that should go viral in last minute ads, Desantis looked like a deer caught in the headlights on I-10 as he was “audibly silent” (intentional oxymoron for my grammar nerds) for at least 15 excruciating seconds following Crist’s query.
By most objective measures, Desantis entered last night’s debate with an advantage in fundraising and among opinion polls. Those seeming advantages probably led him to hold serve on the debate stage, where he mixed the typical GOP soundbyte of the “Biden/Crist” “this” or “that” with an occasional brag about how well Florida has fared on his watch.
Judging his responses, it was clear that Desantis counts his greatest achievement in office as “keeping Florida open for business” during the early days of the pandemic, a position that Crist effectively counterpunched by reminding the human toll in terms of infections and deaths across the Sunshine State. Added Desantis, “I lifted you up, while some, like Charlie Crist, wanted to lock you down.” Tab that line, as I predict on this 25th day of October 2022 that should Desantis ultimately meet his former idol (turned bitter adversary) Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, that Desantis will use it to show how he went against even Trump’s advice to stay locked down in the Spring of 2020—and gambled on staying open to keep Florida’s economy flowing.
Both Crist and Desantis were studies in contrasts on two other crucial issues—the high cost of living, and immigration. Crist placed the blame for the high costs of rent, food, and power on Desantis’s preference to fight the anti-Black, anti-LGBTQ culture wars while laying the foundation for a presidential run, while Desantis trotted out his trite “Blame it on Biden” lines (despite the fact that the majority of Desantis’s term, and Florida’s rising prices, began under former President Trump).
Crist also scored points by pointing to the rank inhumanity of Desantis using millions of Florida tax dollars to abduct and fly nearly 50 Venezuelan immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, while Desantis smiled and proudly noted that his petty little maneuver was a great way to highlight the need for immigration reform.
As I often note, by the time the debates roll around during any election season, most voters have made their minds up already; to that end, I doubt that either Crist or Desantis gained any new fans last night. And yet, it is crystal clear that Florida has a bright, compassionate, and experienced option for governor, and another who has about as much compassion as a poisonous snake whose den was accidentally stepped in by an unsuspecting pedestrian.
In a few weeks, we will see whether the affable Crist—or the adder Desantis—will be sworn in as governor come January.
Stay tuned…
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By Chuck Hobbs · Hundreds of paid subscribers
“Real Politics in Real Time”
Chuck Hobbs is a freelance journalist who won the 2010 Florida Bar Media Award and has been twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.
"Real Politics in Real Time"
Chuck Hobbs is a freelance journalist who won the 2010 Florida Bar Media Award and has been twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.
