It was just a matter of time. Charlie Crist is becoming a Democrat.
Crist — Florida’s former Republican governor who relished the tough-on-crime nickname “Chain Gang Charlie” and used to describe himself variously as a “Ronald Reagan Republican” and a “Jeb Bush Republican” — on Friday evening signed papers changing his party from independent to Democrat.
He did so during a Christmas reception at the White House, where President Barack Obama greeted the news with a fist bump for the man who had a higher profile campaigning for Obama’s reelection this year than any Florida Democrat.
The widely expected move positions Crist, 56, for another highly anticipated next step: announcing his candidacy for governor, taking on Republican incumbent Gov. Rick Scott and an untold number of Democrats who would challenge him for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
“I’ve had friends for years tell me, ‘You know Charlie, you’re a Democrat and you don’t know it,’ ” Crist, a career-long populist, recounted Friday night from Washington, D.C.
Crist has been registered with no party affiliation since the spring of 2010, when his Republican candidacy for U.S. Senate was fizzling against Republican upstart Marco Rubio. Since losing that race, he has been steadily inching toward the Democratic party, first when his wife Carole switched her affiliation to Democrat and later when he threw himself into Obama’s reelection campaign, earning a prominent speaking slot during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. More from Adam Smith here.
congrtads Charlie
Posted by: ers | December 08, 2012 at 02:35 AM
As Gomer Pyle would say: "Surprise. Surprise. Surprise."
Posted by: whasup | December 08, 2012 at 02:59 AM
Why Bill Clinton doesn’t want Alex Sink to run for governor in 2014 — but the Florida GOP does.
goo.gl/C7UFh
Posted by: PS | December 08, 2012 at 05:44 AM
Sorry Charlie. I don't forget.
You shape shifted to appease McCain to be his Vice Presidential nominee by getting married to a woman all so you could appear "normal" on the national stage.
People remember your exploits on the Tampa/St. Pete gay bar scene. What won't you say or do to get what you want?...and shame on the Florida Democratic Party for courting this hypocrite opportunist. It was just two years ago that you were jamming Kendrick Meek down everyone's throat and chastising everyone who felt differently about him. The party is just as guilty and will fail again!
Posted by: Fool me twice | December 09, 2012 at 09:43 AM
The defection just shows how much democrats and republicans are virtually the same - two corporate imperialist parties.
What the world needs is democratic socialism - parties committed to the welfare of all society, with free health care, free education, free public transport and afordable housing for all.
Posted by: luke Weyland | December 10, 2012 at 05:29 PM