PolitiFact | Charlie Crist

The Poynter Institute

Charlie Crist is a Democratic U.S. congressman from St. Petersburg, beating U.S. Rep. David Jolly for the District 13 seat in 2016. As a Republican, he served as governor from 2007 to 2011. Crist left the Republican Party in 2010 to mount a campaign for the U.S. Senate as an independent. Crist lost the race to Marco Rubio. In 2012, he endorsed President Barack Obama and announced that he had registered as a Democrat. He lost his race as a Democratic candidate for governor in 2014.

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Charlie Crist
stated on September 19, 2016 in a debate:

"In the mid 1990s, in our state, (Florida was) No. 1 in violent crime in America. ... The only concern I had was for the citizens of Florida, who were subjected to a violent crime every three minutes and 45 seconds."

By Allison Graves • September 19, 2016
Charlie Crist
stated on June 17, 2016 in a fundraising email:

David Jolly "has used money and power to try to … drill off our beaches."

By Joshua Gillin • June 30, 2016
Charlie Crist
stated on October 24, 2014 in in a campaign ad:

Says Rick Scott "spent $800,000 of your tax dollars upgrading the Governor's Mansion."

By Joshua Gillin • October 31, 2014
Charlie Crist
stated on October 27, 2014 in a TV ad:

"Rick Scott vetoed funding for 30 Florida rape crisis centers. Scott said the centers weren’t needed."

By Amy Sherman • October 28, 2014
Charlie Crist
stated on October 21, 2014 in a gubernatorial debate in Jacksonville:

Says property insurance rates are going up because Rick Scott signed a bill preventing the state from regulating insurance.

By Joshua Gillin • October 24, 2014

Rick Scott
stated on October 21, 2014 in the CNN debate:

Says Charlie Crist wants felons who "commit a heinous crime" such as "intentional permanent disfigurement of a child, you walk out of jail, you immediately get to vote."

By Amy Sherman • October 27, 2014
Rick Scott
stated on October 21, 2014 in a gubernatorial debate in Jacksonville:

Says Charlie Crist could have expanded Medicaid after the health care law passed but didn't.

By Joshua Gillin • October 22, 2014
Rick Scott
stated on October 15, 2014 in a debate:

"While (Charlie Crist) was governor, utility costs went up 30 percent and went from below the national average to above the national average. Since I got elected, utility rates have come down 11 percent and now we are below the average."

By Steve Contorno • October 21, 2014
Rick Scott
stated on October 15, 2014 in a gubernatorial debate in Davie:

Says Charlie Crist "voted against minimum wage when he was in the Senate."

By Joshua Gillin • October 16, 2014
Rick Scott
stated on October 15, 2014 in a debate at Broward College:

"3,000 teachers lost their jobs when (Crist) was governor."

By Lauren Carroll • October 15, 2014

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