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Summary

Charlie Crist And Ron DeSantis' Policies Are Night And Day & This Election Will Be Chaotic

Both candidates have polar opposite views for Florida...

Charlie Crist in a suit in a car. Right: Ron DeSantis behind a podium.

Charlie Crist in a suit in a car. Right: Ron DeSantis behind a podium.

Florida Associate Editor

On August 23 the Florida primary results were released, naming Charlie Crist as the Democratic candidate for Florida Governor. The current seat is held by Republican Ron DeSantis, who's up for re-election.

Crist announced the news of his position in the race at 12 a.m. this morning on Twitter. DeSantis has not acknowledged his challenger yet.

"BREAKING: I'm officially the Democratic Nominee who’ll go head-to-head with Ron DeSantis this November. I’m deeply grateful that Floridians showed out to defend integrity, democracy, and freedom. Now, let's get rid of DeSantis," Crist's tweet read.

Both candidates have polar opposite policies and if one were to win over the other it would absolutely shake up the political stance in the Sunshine State, which is usually considered a "red state".

Charlie Crist

If Florida turns blue for the election, much of Crist's platform will overturn what DeSantis has put forth for Florida.

One of the main policies he's working to support is reproductive freedom. He has a pinned photo on Instagram that states he would sign an Executive Order regarding this health matter, as soon as he would go into office.

If you head to his U.S. Representative website, you'll find a carousel of photos, and one of them is a link to find reproductive options in Florida.

Another hot topic in the state is gun control. Crist tweeted that he will require safe storage of firearms, keeping them out of the hands of high-risk individuals, requiring background checks for gun shows and online marketplaces, as well as banning the sale of assault weapons, all in the hope of stopping, or at least, reducing gun violence in the Sunshine State.



The candidate also is fighting for 2SLGBTQIA+ protection and said he will sign an Executive Order against discrimination in the state.

Ron DeSantis

If Florida stays Republican, they will re-elect the current standing governor in office, DeSantis, who has had a fairly high approval rating in the state.

DeSantis recently supported the overturn of Roe v. Wade and made it illegal in the state of Florida to get an abortion after 15 weeks.

As far as gun control, a reporter asked the governor at a press conference in June about his views on more regulation. He replied that he has given "record funding" for school security and mental health.

"With all due respect to these leftists, they just want to come after your Second Amendment rights, let's just be honest," he said.

In regards to the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, the politician has been fighting against the federal government's aims to protect and avoid discrimination against those who identify within those groups.

ABC News and the Associated Press reported in July that DeSantis' office supported a memo provided by the Department of Education stating that nothing "requires you to give biological males who identify as female access to female bathrooms, locker rooms, or dorms ... or to allow biological males who identify as female to compete on female sports teams."

More famously known as the "Don't Say Gay Bill", the law he signed in March disallows educational staff to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms.

Also in July, the governor filed a complaint at a Miami drag show that allegedly had minors watching, according to NBC News.

The stark contrast in policies for both candidates might cause a bit of chaos during the race to election day.

If you're registered to vote in Florida, you can cast your ballot on November 8, 2022.

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    • Associate Editor

      Jenna Kelley (she/her) was the Associate Editor for Florida at Narcity Media, where she oversaw all of the editorial content across the Sunshine State. She started her career in broadcast media as a television news reporter for three years. In 2020, Jenna won a Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GABBY) award for Best Online Produced Story. She's covered live concerts, reported at the Masters Tournament, and interviewed state senators during election season. Prior to working at Narcity Media, she made her way home to Florida and launched a copywriting business. Jenna received her B.A. in English with a minor in Communications at Florida State University. She has over five years of experience from print and digital media to radio and television.

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