Debate

[45caldan]

No one’s talking about the Gubernatorial debate from last night?
I thought it was kind of comical myself.

"Only one old donkey I want to put out to pasture"!

Crist is so full of $&1#!

[osprey21]

Crist needs to ooze back into that crack he slithered out of never to be seen again.

[Miami_JBT]

The debate was entertaining and insightful. Both actually did good and bad.

Crist was more polished and had better composure. But he couldn't in any way defend his platform except for a few tiny spots. His entire issue is that he is did a 180 degree flip of all his stances as when he was Governor and that is an easy attack for DeSantis. Literally, everything Crist is going after DeSantis for, he campaigned on those exact issues when he was Governor. He can't escape that and it shows the voter that all he cares about is winning office, not standing by his principles. That he literally has none and will go with whatever offers him the best chance of power.

DeSantis had a few issues and got flustered. I know it, you know it, the whole world knows it; that DeSantis is going to run in 2024 and is already setting himself up for that campaign. That come 2023, he'll pretty much be "away from the office" campaigning for the Republican nomination. While the base doesn't care about that (and honestly, neither do I). DeSantis couldn't admit to that he's running in 2024.

It does show a chink in DeSantis' armor and Crist pounced on that. Why? Because it can be interpreted that DeSantis isn't loyal to Florida and he is using the officer of Governor simply as a springboard for higher office. That will grate some voters (but not many).

DeSantis needed to do one of two things. Either own up to it that yes, he's running in 2024. Or he could have said something to the effect of ""currently, I'm looking at being Florida's Governor, no more and no less. I don't know what the future has in store. But right now, all I care about is serving the good people of Florida."

Crist's attack against DeSantis on other issues was a fool's errand. Our economy is gangbusters, everyone is moving here, real estate prices are through the roof, and for the most part, he's done a good job as Governor.

DeSantis is that at no point did he discuss Second Amendment issues. Not a word. Now, was that purely his fault? I don't think so. The moderator controlled the flow of questioning and Second Amendment issues were never brought up as a question.

Crist at least openly stated where he stood on Second Amendment issues. He said he'd institute an assault weapons ban. Now, I don't support that in any way. But DeSantis didn't attack him for that, nor did he counter it by making a statement like "I'd make FL a Constitutional Carry state."

All in all, I have to give real credit to the moderator. She was actually fair and balanced.

DeSantis won the debate for three reasons.

1. Crist is a flip flopper and a political sellout. His record shows it and he can't hide it.
2. The state is running well under DeSantis and that can't be hidden either. Good economy and folks moving here.
3. DeSantis is gearing himself for the 2024 election and with that, he went after Biden a lot in the debate and that struck a chord with a lot of people since nationally, we're in the dumps due to Biden.

[REDinFL]

Excellent analysis. Yes, all Crist wants is office.

DeSantis should say regarding 2024 what you suggested or "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." The Lt. Governor nominee is critical as people likely would want to see some "depth to the bench."

[Miami_JBT]

Excellent analysis. Yes, all Crist wants is office.

DeSantis should say regarding 2024 what you suggested or "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." The Lt. Governor nominee is critical as people likely would want to see some "depth to the bench."

I agree.

There is an undercurrent in FL of folks not wanting him to leave since anything after him will suck. It literally is a bit of jealousy since we know that the Republican Establishment will put one of their swamp creatures after him. And all signs are pointing to Wilton Simpson.

Because if DeSantis does leave in 2024 and Lt. Gov Nuñez takes over, no one has confidence in her to run the last two years in any way to set her apart and make her a star. The grumblings are that she'll just be a placeholder Governor until the 2026 gubernatorial election and that Wilton Simpson will win it.

[tector]

I cannot understand people dithering about DeSantis possibly leaving in January '25--so what? He will have served 6 of the possible 8 years as governor. Is 2 more really going to make a huge difference for Florida? What the hell can he do in 8 years that can't be done in 6?

Meanwhile look at what these Dem cocksuckers have done to the US in just 1.75 years. Holy fuck! It takes no time to run a country into the shitter, as they have proven. We need President Ron ASAP.

If you disagree I don't think you are a bad person, but I have no confidence in your political sensibilities whatsoever.

[Miami_JBT]

I cannot understand people dithering about DeSantis possibly leaving in January '25--so what? He will have served 6 of the possible 8 years as governor. Is 2 more really going to make a huge difference for Florida? What the hell can he do in 8 years that can't be done in 6?

Meanwhile look at what these Dem cocksuckers have done to the US in just 1.75 years. Holy fuck! It takes no time to run a country into the shitter, as they have proven. We need President Ron ASAP.

If you disagree I don't think you are a bad person, but I have no confidence in your political sensibilities whatsoever.

He can continue to pressure the legislature to pass good legislation if he stays his whole term. But since he isn't and he needs the establishment to support his 2024 campaign....

Ultimately, the legislature has DeSantis over the barrel now. If DeSantis wants to continue looking good for 2024, that means the legislature must pass legislation that makes him look good. Which in turn means they won't unless they get WHAT THEY WANT.

The game of quid pro quo is afoot now and we saw it with the Disney bill. Wilton Simpson and Ron DeSantis hate each other. But Simpson threatened no Disney bill if he gets no endorsement from DeSantis for the Commissioner of Agricultural race.

Thus, the Disney bill was passed in the Special Session and Simpson got his endorsement.

Remember, this was when DeSantis said that Constitutional Carry would be part of the Special Session. And suddenly, Constitutional Carry died because DeSantis stated there wasn't enough support among lawmakers in the legislature when he polled them right before the Special Session.

Though the Disney bill was never even part of the original proposal for a Special Session.

It was , Insurance Reform, Election Integrity, and Constitutional Carry.

But suddenly, Constitutional Carry dissappears and the Disney bill passes with flying colors.

[tector]

Respectfully (which, I acknowledge, frequently means without much respect), you are delusional.

DeSantis doesn't control this legislature and never has. He and the legislature see eye-to-eye on most things, but where they don't, they don't. For just one example, he had to call a special session to get them to revise redistricting AND their failure to address insurance laws. The first they had to do, since there was an election this year. The second was a political necessity, if only as a fig leaf, since Florida could have been clocked by a major hurricane--which it was.

When it comes to 2A issues, however, he certainly has less juice than FRF, since they pump money into all of these legislative clowns. The FRF will be around LONG after '25 or '27--makes no difference. While I appreciate your passion, the fundamental problem with the Florida GOP is that too many Florida GOP voters are transplanted Yankees, which mean they don't care about hardcore 2A issues. They want CC, sure. Beyond that, they just don't care much. This isn't Oklahoma or wherever. DeSantis leaving '25 or '27 will not impact that, sorry.

[Miami_JBT]

He doesn't control the legislature, but he controls line item vetoes and complete vetoes.

If he wasn't running for higher office, he actually does have a lot of power. Because he can make or break legislators that want higher office by killing their bills.

But, since he is running for higher office, the roles are reversed.

[cvasqu03]

It was a good debate, and I had to grudgingly admit that Crist is an experienced politician and a good debater. At no point did he allow himself to get flustered the way Gabriel Warnock in GA did a few weeks ago, and he avoided coming off as unpleasant the way Stacy Abrams and Val Demings did. DeSantis by nature seems to be somewhat combative, but he had the debate won on substance from the beginning. When Crist said that DeSantis was the most anti-business governor he'd ever seen the audience laughed out loud, and his attempts to blame him for high gas prices in Florida were pathetic, weak and did not land at all. Unfortunately DeSantis did come across as a bit dour. The bottom line on the debate was that it didn't move the needle in either direction, and Crist really needed to move it a lot so it's an overall win for DeSantis.

I think that at this point the election is pretty much game over. I'd be happy to say this is the last we'd hear of Crist, but like I said, he's actually a good politician and quite skilled at keeping himself alive. You would have thought that after the stunt he pulled in 2010 he'd be toast politically, but he knew his career in the GOP was over so he switched sides. Now he's got people who were denouncing him only about ten years ago openly campaigning for him (which does make me chuckle quite a bit). You don't do that if you're not good at self promotion and reading the tea leaves. Given the trouncing he's likely to get in two weeks, you'd think his political career would be over for sure this time, but he's actually proven to be Florida's own electoral version of Jason Vorhees, he just keeps coming back (heaven help us).

Yeah, yeah, I know, it's hard to imagine he could ever come back after losing this election.

It was also hard to imagine he'd come back after 2010 as well.