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WASHINGTON – Potential 2024 Republican statesmanlike campaigner Ron DeSantis did not perpetrate Monday to serving different 4 years arsenic Florida politician if helium is re-elected, saying during a statement that helium is presently focused connected defeating Democratic challenger Charlie Crist.
“The lone worn retired aged donkey I’m looking to enactment retired to pasture close present is Charlie Crist," DeSantis said of Crist during their hour-long clash successful Fort Pierce, that served arsenic the only televised statement earlier predetermination night.
Crist, trying to extremity DeSantis governorship arsenic good arsenic his statesmanlike ambitions, said the incumbent is much funny successful nationalist bureau than successful Florida, and helium attacked him implicit lax COVID regulations, absorption to termination and schoolhouse regulations that targeted gay, lesbian and transgender students.
"All DeSantis does is disagreement people," DeSantis said. "You request a politician who cares astir women."
The 2 candidates besides clashed implicit COVID lockdowns, hurricane preparation, and ostentation and the economy.
Crist, Florida's erstwhile politician from 2007 to 2011, antecedently served the Sunshine State arsenic a Republican but switched to the Democratic Party successful 2012. Since 2017, he's represented the St. Petersburg country successful the U.S. House. He's facing an uphill conflict against DeSantis, who has been dominating national headlines arsenic helium appears to beryllium preparing a 2024 statesmanlike bid arsenic a successor to erstwhile President Trump.
Crist has been consistently trailing down DeSantis successful polling, with the politician enjoying a sizeable 11 percent constituent pb implicit Crist astatine 52%-41%, according to a Mason-Dixon canvass released earlier this month.
Some highlights from Monday's debate:
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DeSantis connected teacher pay
DeSantis attacked Crist successful his rebuttal astir the teacher shortages, saying that helium believes teacher wage to beryllium important and that Crist "did thing astir it" portion governor.
The Florida politician said Crist chopped $300 cardinal from the acquisition fund arsenic politician portion helium has accrued teacher compensation, raising the mean minimum wage for teachers by 20% during the past 4 years.
- Sarah Elbeshbishi
Desantis invokes civilization wars connected gender
DeSantis criticized gender-affirming attraction for children experiencing sex dysphoria, saying “it’s inappropriate to beryllium doing fundamentally what’s genital mutilation.”
“When they accidental gender-affirming care, they mean giving puberty blockers to teenage girls and teenage boys. They mean treble mastectomy connected young girls. They mean chemically castrating young boys,” DeSantis said.
“A batch of kids spell done a batch of antithetic things. A batch of the dysphoria resolves itself by the clip they go an adult,” DeSantis said.
- Ken Tran
Crist to DeSantis: Gender-affirming country is not your business
Crist said DeSantis and the authorities person nary concern telling parents that their children should not person gender-affirming surgery.
Saying this is simply a household decision, Crist told the governor: "You privation to beryllium their judge."
Crist alternatively advocated the "golden rule" of treating others the mode you privation to beryllium treated.
– David Jackson
Crist falls backmost connected subject for COVID response
Crist said helium would person listened to scientists during COVID, claiming DeSantis did the opposite.
He added that the existent politician could person kept things reopened but “with an oculus toward what healthcare providers archer you.” He said DeSantis was arrogant by not listening to healthcare providers astir disguise wearing.
“Ron, I wouldn’t pat yourself on the backmost excessively overmuch astir your effect to COVID,” Crist said. “We mislaid 82,000 of our chap Floridians and erstwhile you look astatine the Thanksgiving table, 1 of those bare seats is astir apt 1 of those radical for galore families watching tonight.”
Crist claimed if Florida had the aforesaid standards of other states, fractional of those radical would inactive beryllium alive.
- Rachel Looker
DeSantis' last remark connected Critical Race Theory
In his past rebuttal connected teaching CRT successful schools, DeSantis says that teaching that the U.S. was built connected "stolen lands" is inappropriate and "not true."
"I'm blessed that we're going to beryllium capable to person close past and we're going to marque definite we grant those who person sacrificed truthful that we tin beryllium free," DeSantis said.
- Sarah Elbeshbishi
DeSantis defends authorities argumentation successful aboriginal days of pandemic
DeSantis criticized Crist for his telephone to adjacent the authorities of Florida successful the aboriginal days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He called for harsh lockdowns successful July of 2020. And if that had happened successful this state, it would person destroyed the authorities of Florida,” said DeSantis.
“I lifted you up, I protected your rights. I made definite you tin gain a living,” DeSantis continued, contrasting himself against Crist.
- Ken Tran
Crist says helium does not privation to prohibition abortion
Crist said DeSantis wouldn’t reply the question astir wholly banning abortion.
The Democratic congressman added that helium does not privation to prohibition termination and wants to marque definite a woman’s close to take is disposable successful the authorities of Florida.
Crist added that helium wants to marque sure any termination instrumentality allows exceptions for rape and incest.
- Rachel Looker
DeSantis calls into question Crist’s honesty connected abortion
DeSantis, defending himself against Crist’s disapproval of his views connected abortion, questioned Crist’s pro-abortion close viewpoints, citing his erstwhile anti-abortion viewpoints arsenic a erstwhile Republican.
“Is this an honorable alteration of heart? Or is this a feline that’s going to vessel with immoderate helium needs to effort to support his governmental vocation alive?," DeSantis said. "I deliberation we each cognize the reply to that question."
- Ken Tran
Crist: 'I'm a uniter' arsenic DeSantis invoke civilization wars
"There you spell again, Ron. It's each astir civilization wars," Crist said to DeSantis earlier accusing him of ever trying to beryllium divisive arsenic DeSantis brings up civilization wars, which has been a influential origin successful pushing authorities chiefly affecting schools, including publication bans.
"I'm a uniter. I deliberation we request to springiness our authorities a accidental to unite again," Crist said.
- Sarah Elbeshbishi
DeSantis expresses absorption to COVID-19 vaccine mandate successful schools
DeSantis, turning backmost to education, made wide helium opposed immoderate manner of a COVID vaccine mandate successful nationalist schools.
He accused Crist of wanting “to unit students to get the COVID shot.”
“I deliberation it’s incorrect to unit this connected these kids,” said DeSantis, championing himself arsenic a guardian of parental rights. “As agelong arsenic I’m governor, arsenic parents, you’re going to person the quality to marque that decision.”
- Ken Tran
Crist says helium prioritized teacher pay
Crist claimed erstwhile helium was politician (2007-11), helium prioritized teacher wage and paid teachers much per dollar than DeSantis is now. He added that erstwhile helium was governor, determination was a recession, but present DeSantis has a fund surplus.
“That’s however you request to lead. You request to pb by uniting people, not dividing them,” helium said. “He talks astir dividing america each nighttime long. It’s what helium does. It’s who you are. It’s what he’s about.”
- Rachel Looker
Crist: Schools are not teaching hatred
Crist said DeSantis keeps going backmost to extremist comments that “have thing to bash with reality” regarding what is being taught successful schools. He said DeSantis thinks they are teaching these concepts successful different schools successful different states.
“This is Florida. You’re the politician of Florida close now,” Crist said. “ You don’t adjacent accidental if you privation to beryllium the politician of Florida aft this election, but you are close present and you request to beryllium focused on what’s happening successful our schools.”
He added that Florida schools are not teaching hate, but claimed the existent politician does not respect teachers.
- Rachel Looker
Crist connected teacher shortage: ‘Money does help’
On the nationwide teacher shortage and specifically, successful Florida, Crist called for much concern successful acquisition to entice imaginable teachers to the field.
“Money does help,” said Crist, turning the question to DeSantis and the state’s $22 cardinal fund surplus, “He’s got a fund surplus. Why can’t you dainty teachers amended than that? That doesn’t marque sense.”
- Ken Tran
Crist asks DeSantis whether he'll service the afloat word arsenic politician if elected
Crist asked DeSantis to look astatine the voters successful the assemblage and accidental whether he'll service a "full 4 twelvemonth word arsenic governor. Yes oregon no?"
After nary answer, Crist pressed DeSantis: "Will you service a afloat 4 twelvemonth word if you're reelected politician of Florida?"
DeSantis remained silent.
- Sarah Elbeshbishi
DeSantis defines divisiveness
DeSantis said helium thinks denying girls and women athletes the close to vie reasonably is divisive, helium said, adding that it’s divisive to instrumentality distant opportunities from girls successful Florida.
He was referring to policies that let males transitioning to females to vie athletically against girls.
He added that Crist antecedently said anyone who casts a ballot successful enactment of the existent politician “has hatred successful their heart.”
DeSantis past went connected to accidental helium is endorsed by constabulary groups, firefighters, truckers and the workplace bureau.
“The full transverse conception of the authorities of Florida is backing me. They bash not person hatred successful their hearts due to the fact that they cull Charlie Crist, they privation to support Florida and they privation to support Florida free,” helium said.
- Rachel Looker
Crist hits DeSantis implicit teaching contention contented successful schools
Crist hit DeSantis implicit his attacks connected "critical contention theory," saying it amounts to an effort to halt teaching immoderate aspects of the nation's troubled radical history.
"We request to use communal sense," Crist said. "We request to bash what's right."
– David Jackson
DeSantis: Schools shouldn’t ‘scapegoat’ connected tegument color
On discussions of contention and past successful the United States, DeSantis agreed that schools should thatch “all of American history, including slavery, civilian rights, segregation, it’s important that that’s taught.”
But, DeSantis argued, schools shouldn’t “scapegoat students based connected tegument color,” echoing Republican sentiments connected the alleged teaching of captious contention mentation successful nationalist schools.
“We’re arrogant of our history. I don’t privation to thatch kids to hatred our country,” said DeSantis.
- Ken Tran
DeSantis defends 'Don't Say Gay' law
The politician defended acquisition policies that person drawn controversy, including the instrumentality that forbids simple schoolhouse teachers from discussing sex issues with children – the "Don't Say Gay" bill – arsenic good arsenic bans connected males successful girls' sports.
DeSantis sought to crook these issues connected Crist, saying "you are the 1 waging the civilization war."
– David Jackson
DeSantis jabs astatine Crist for 'hiding retired successful Puerto Rico'
The Florida politician countered Crist connected Hurricane Ian and rebuilding the coast, saying helium was arrogant of the state's response, successful conducting rescues and getting the energy backmost for Floridians.
DeSantis continued to database the things the authorities were capable to bash for its radical earlier attacking Crist for "hiding retired successful Puerto Rico."
- Sarah Elbeshbishi
Crist, DeSantis edifice to sanction calling
In his effect to whether helium would service a afloat four-year word if reelected governor, DeSantis replied that helium knows Crist is funny successful talking astir 2024 and President Biden, but said, “the only worn-out old donkey I’m looking to enactment retired to pasture is Charlie Christ.”
DeSantis went connected to accidental erstwhile Crist antecedently ran for governor, helium ran saying helium would not rise taxes but past did once elected.
“We cognize you emotion to bully radical and the small sanction calling you conscionable exchanged, I tin instrumentality it,” Crist said successful his response. “But you shouldn’t bash it erstwhile students are standing down you astatine a property league and they’re wearing a mask."
- Rachel Looker
Crist blasts DeSantis connected teacher pay
On education, Crist criticized DeSantis for the state’s debased ranking successful teacher salaries crossed the nation, citing a statistic that Florida is ranked 48th erstwhile it comes to wage for teachers.
“We request to absorption connected acquisition and not politicize and marque governmental warzones retired of our schools,” said Crist, straight referring to DeSantis’ civilization wars waged connected treatment of intersexual individuality and sex successful schools.
- Ken Tran
DeSantis defends Hurricane Ian effect successful Tampa
Hitting backmost astatine Crist who claimed DeSantis “ignored science,” DeSantis defended his response, saying Crist was trying to “politicize” Hurricane Ian.
“The models had shifted into Sarasota, each the folks successful southwest Florida were activated,” said DeSantis, applauding section assemblage response. “I basal by each 1 of our section counties. They stood up and they made the champion decisions.”
- Ken Tran
DeSantis hammers Crist - and Biden - implicit inflation
DeSantis again linked Crist to Biden by citing the precocious ostentation complaint that is hurting Floridians.
The politician projected authorities taxation alleviation arsenic a mode to instrumentality the unit disconnected Floridians.
Crist counter-attacks by saying DeSantis is much funny successful moving for president against Biden - and DeSantis, pressed by Crist, would not accidental whether helium would service each 4 years if helium is re-elected governor.
– David Jackson
Crist: DeSantis ‘ignored science’
Crist said successful his rebuttal whether dealing with COVID oregon the hurricane, DeSantis ignored science. He thinks helium knows amended than everybody, Crist said.
He went connected to adhd that DeSantis thinks he’s the lone 1 who has the close answer, citing DeSantis’s positions connected banning books and usurping section schoolhouse boards.
“You person to use subject and bash what’s close for the radical and support them,” Crist said.
- Rachel Looker
Crist: Florida is the 'most costly authorities to unrecorded in'
Crist says that Florida is the astir costly authorities to unrecorded successful according to Forbes magazine, noting that the outgo of surviving person lone accrued nether DeSantis portion it went down nether him erstwhile helium served arsenic Florida's governor.
Crist highlighted that spot security doubled nether DeSantis and has lone gotten worse owed to Hurricane Ian. Crist besides tied the rising outgo of state to DeSantis, saying that state prices accrued nether DeSantis' leadership.
- Sarah Elbeshbishi
Crist hits DeSantis implicit hurricane preparation
Crist went aft DeSantis connected tempest preparation, saying the authorities was ill-prepared for Hurricane Ian and that the politician attended a shot crippled arsenic it approached alternatively of safeguarding the state.
Too galore radical were not evacuated and buildings connected the seashore were excessively susceptible to the storm, Crist said.
DeSantis said energy and roads were restored successful grounds time, adjacent though Crist was retired of the authorities successful Puerto Rico.
– David Jackson
DeSantis claims Crist’s homeowners security program would ‘capsize’ Florida
DeSantis blamed rising fuel and earthy state prices on Biden, Crist and the Cemocrats moving Congress.
“They are waging warfare connected American energy, they are not producing what we request to do,” DeSantis said.
He added that Crist’s program for homeowners insurance is to pursuit backstage insurers out, saying this would “end up capsizing the authorities of Florida if determination was a existent storm.”
- Rachel Looker
Crist blames DeSantis for spot security crisis
Crist, successful his rebuttal to DeSantis, blamed the incumbent politician for the state’s freefalling spot security industry.
“He’s talking astir our economy. He’s talking astir spot insurance,” said Crist. “And everyone knows your spot security is up nether him.”
- Ken Tran
DeSantis and Crist joust implicit spot insurance
The candidates argued astir what to bash regarding the rising costs of property insurance, a large contented successful hurricane-ravaged Florida.
DeSantis blamed the Biden administration, saying ostentation and accrued suit litigation person driven up security costs; helium indicates determination is small the authorities tin bash successful airy of these nationalist forces.
Crist notes that a mag determined that Florida is the astir costly authorities successful which to live, including security costs; helium blamed DeSantis de-regulation policies.
– David Jackson
DeSantis invokes connected Biden successful archetypal question
DeSantis says that Crist votes with President Joe Biden “100% of the time,” side-stepping the moderators archetypal question connected accrued outgo of surviving successful the state.
The politician besides mentioned a missive Crist sent him successful 2020, telling him to instruct radical to structure successful spot during the highest months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DeSantis touted his determination to support the authorities unfastened during the pandemic portion highlighting “biggest taxation cuts successful Florida history.”
- Sarah Elbeshbishi
DeSantis touts schoolhouse show successful rebuttal to Crist
DeSantis, defending his determination to support schools and businesses unfastened for the bulk of the pandemic, touted the state's precocious ranking successful 4th people speechmaking and mathematics according to The Nation’s Report Card.
“That would not person happened if we fto Charlie Crist and his friends fastener our kids retired of school," DeSantis said.
- Ken Tran
Crist calls DeSantis ‘shut down’ guy
In his rebuttal, Crist said DeSantis is the lone politician successful the past of the authorities of Florida to shut downs schools and businesses, referencing closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You’re the 1 who is the shut down guy,” Crist said.
Crist said it’s important to person idiosyncratic astatine the helm who follows science.
“You don’t conscionable unopen down astatine the outset and past erstwhile it’s politically convenient for you, you privation to unfastened backmost up to people governmental points for your contention for president,” helium said.
- Rachel Looker
First question: The system and lodging - candidates debar it
The archetypal question is to Crist is simply a section issue: What astir lodging for each those radical who are moving into Florida?
Crist avoids the question to speech astir the "stark contrast" betwixt him and DeSantis, peculiarly the latter's absorption to abortion.
Housing and the midterms: ‘I don’t person immoderate religion successful the system’: Soaring lodging costs person renters mulling however they’ll ballot successful the midterms
Crist past suggests unnamed regularisation changes to marque lodging much affordable.
DeSantis besides avoids addressing housing, and alternatively links Crist to President Joe Biden.
- David Jackson
DeSantis, Crist instrumentality the statement stage
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democratic campaigner Charlie Crist person taken to the signifier successful Fort Pierce, Florida, to statesman the first and past Florida gubernatorial statement up of the midterms.
DeSantis is seeking a 2nd word arsenic politician portion Crist is hoping to go Florida’s archetypal Democratic politician successful 28 years.
The debate is acceptable to last one hour.
- Rachel Looker
How to watch
The statement is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT/4:00 p.m. PT.
The statement is being hosted by WPEC-TV and you tin ticker their livestream here. C-SPAN volition besides beryllium airing the statement at this link.
- Ken Tran
Whos is Ron DeSantis?
Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, 44, is seeking his 2nd word successful office.
He has emerged arsenic a possible statesmanlike candidate after gaining nationalist attention among the Republican party. The Republican governor has clashed with President Joe Biden implicit the COVID lockdown, vaccine policies and astir recently, Biden's migration policies.
More: 2024 statesmanlike contention preview? Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis debates challenger Charlie Crist
DeSantis authorized the unannounced transport of nearly 50 Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard past month, riling up the near for using migrants arsenic a governmental stunt. The move resulted successful a criminal investigation and a national people enactment lawsuit.
DeSantis was deployed to Iraq as an adviser to a U.S. Navy SEAL commander during his progressive work service, according to a bio connected his run website. He served successful Congress representing Florida’s 6th District from 2013 until helium was elected politician successful 2019.
The 46th politician of Florida has 2 daughters and 1 son, each nether the property of six, with his woman Casey DeSantis, an Emmy grant winning tv host.
- Rachel Looker
Who is Charlie Crist?
Charlie Crist, 66, formerly served as Republican politician of Florida from 2007 to 2011. Since switching parties, this volition beryllium the now-Democrat's second effort astatine office.
The Democratic candidate resigned from Congress where he represented Florida’s 13th district, a presumption helium held since 2017, to absorption connected his gubernatorial campaign.
The erstwhile governor recently received the endorsement from President Barack Obama, who has been campaigning for Democrats in battleground states. Days starring up to the debate, Crist dismissed his run manager, who was arrested connected a home unit charge.
Crist has held other positions successful nationalist service serving arsenic authorities senator, commissioner of acquisition and lawyer general. He got engaged earlier this summer to Chelsea Grimes, a parent of six children from Minneapolis, the Tampa Bay Times reported. It is the 3rd matrimony for both.
If helium wins, Crist volition beryllium Florida’s first Democratic governor in 28 years.
- Rachel Looker
DeSantis good positioned for reelection arsenic speculation swirls astir a 2024 presidential run
DeSantis boasts a overmuch higher nationalist illustration compared to Crist, arsenic galore speculate helium is mounting a 2024 statesmanlike bid.
The Florida politician has made a sanction for himself arsenic a person successful the blimpish movement, waging galore civilization wars and making nationalist headlines. DeSantis has signed bills that banned the alleged teaching of captious contention theory successful schools and restricted discussions of intersexual predisposition and sex identity successful Florida schools.
His decision to alert 48 Venezuelan migrants to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts successful September drew some nationalist condemnation from migrant activists and progressives and praise from conservatives who privation to clamp down connected crossings astatine the confederate border.
Analysts accidental he's well positioned to triumph reelection acknowledgment to his blimpish stardom, and he’s received bipartisan enactment for his effect to Hurricane Ian, including from President Biden.
- Ken Tran
DeSantis triggers Donald Trump's ire with Colorado endorsement
DeSantis warmed up for tonight's statement with Crist by drafting the ire of a imaginable 2024 White House opponent: Donald Trump.
The Florida politician taped a robocall endorsement for Colorado U.S. Senate campaigner Joe O'Dea, who conscionable happens to beryllium 1 of the Republican Party's astir outspoken critics of Trump.
The erstwhile president, who antecedently attacked O'Dea, responded connected the Truth Social website by posting a quality communicative astir DeSantis' endorsement and adding a little remark successful each caps: "A BIG MISTAKE!"
Asked astir Trump's blowback, the DeSantis run responded with a quality communicative astir however the politician has endorsed a assortment of Republican candidates during the midterm elections.
DeSantis' imaginable statesmanlike ambitions for 2024 volition apt aboveground successful tonight's gubernatorial debate.
– David Jackson
'A spineless, wannabe dictator:' Look for Crist to aggressively spell aft DeSantis
Expect an assertive Crist successful tonight's debate – possibly his past accidental to marque a dent successful an uphill contention against the incumbent Republican DeSantis.
Statewide polls implicit the past period springiness DeSantis leads of astatine slightest 10 percent points implicit Democrat Crist, the erstwhile politician and existent subordinate of Congress.
Crist has signaled his strategy successful a bid of tweets implicit the weekend.
Said one: "In lawsuit you haven’t heard: Ron DeSantis is simply a spineless, wannabe dictator who is going to lose" connected Election Day.
– David Jackson
Crist expected to bring up arguable flights to Martha's Vineyard
As Monday night’s statement volition beryllium the lone televised statement successful this race, Crist is expected to spell connected a afloat violative against DeSantis arsenic Florida voters tune in.
He’s apt to bring up DeSantis’ arguable state-funded programme that flew migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, an affluent land successful Massachusetts. Crist has already blasted DeSantis for the move, calling the flights “inhumane.”
The determination was a connection to the White House to gully attraction to the migrant situation astatine the confederate border. But the flights mightiness not person been arsenic politically advantageous arsenic DeSantis anticipated.
Related: Could Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' migrant maneuver backfire politically with cardinal voting bloc?
The Treasury Department is presently investigating whether DeSantis’ bureau misused wealth intended for COVID-19 alleviation to charter the flights. In September, a state sheriff successful San Antonio, Texas, wherever the flights departed from, besides opened a transgression probe into the matter.
- Ken Tran
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