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The stage is set for this November’s Florida gubernatorial election after Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., defeated Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried to win the Democratic Party’s nomination in a primary election on Tuesday.
Crist will now face off against incumbent GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis in the general election for governor of the Sunshine State later this year.
Prior to Tuesday’s election, Crist, a Republican turned Democrat in 2012 who once served as Florida’s governor while still a member of the GOP, led Fried in a heated race that witnessed sharp attacks from both sides.
Much of Fried’s criticism toward Crist was directed towards his time as a member of the Republican Party, as well as his extensive career as a politician. During his campaign, Crist sought to tie Fried to Republican politicians and Republican-friendly lobby and business groups.
DEMOCRAT SHOWDOWNS, PROGRESSIVE CHALLENGES HEADLINE PRIMARIES IN FLORIDA, NEW YORK
Left: Florida Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist. Right: Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried
(Joe Raedle, Octavio Jones via Getty Images)
Both Fried and Crist were united in their criticism of DeSantis, however, as the two campaigns took aim at the state’s Republican leader over his handling of certain issues in the state and accused him of prioritizing a potential run for the White House over the needs of Floridians.
In May, Fried told Fox News Digital that DeSantis, who ran unopposed as he seeks re-election, was “creating havoc” in the state.
“He’s made our state unaffordable. He has divided our state. He is creating havoc in our local communities,” Fried said. “This governor has one goal and one goal only: to get to the White House, not to take care of the people of our state.”
DESANTIS IS ‘CREATING HAVOC’ IN FLORIDA, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE GOVERNOR NIKKI FRIED SAYS
“As the only one [Democrat] who’s been able to win our state since Barack Obama, I’m confident that the Democrats are going to want a proven winner, a proven advocate and somebody that they trust,” Fried added.
Earlier this month, Crist claimed DeSantis is the “most arrogant” governor he had ever seen and called him a “wannabe dictator.”
“He’s the most arrogant governor I’ve ever seen in my life. It is shocking, it really is. Enough is enough,” Crist said, according to The Guardian. “He’s a barbaric, wannabe dictator.”
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., speaks during a campaign event at the Pembroke Pines Jewish Center on August 17, 2022 in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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“I’m not one to use those sort of strong words, unless they’re true. And in this case, it’s true,” Crist added. “We need to realize what this guy is doing. He wants to be president of the United States, and he’s using Florida as his proving ground to do it.”
The general election for governor of Florida will be held Nov. 8.
Fox News’ Brandon Gillespie contributed to this article.
