ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — The race for Florida's governor lies between incumbent Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democratic challenger Charlie Crist — who previously served as the state's governor as a Republican.
During their only televised debate on Oct. 24, both candidates made an appeal to voters as to why they should be Florida's leader.
This year's governor’s race will be a consequential one for DeSantis, as many have speculated that he'll potentially launch a presidential bid in the coming months. He hopes to use a strong reelection victory on Nov. 8 in Florida, a state he carried by just 32,000 votes out of 8.2 million cast four years ago, to demonstrate the breadth and strength of his support.
But it's also consequential for Crist and Florida Democrats. Currently, there is only one Democrat elected to a statewide office — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who isn't in the running for reelection after she ran against Crist for the Democratic nomination for governor.
Additionally, state data shows the number of Republican voters is outpacing Democratic voters.
While Election Day is still days away, Floridians can cast their ballots now either in the mail or at an early voting site. As of Wednesday morning, more than 1.6 million Floridians have voted by mail or via early voting.
If you're still undecided on who to vote for, here's a breakdown of each candidate.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R)
Who is he: Gov. Ron DeSantis, 44, is a native Floridian born in Jacksonville. He attended Dunedin High School before attending Yale University as an undergraduate and earning a degree from Harvard Law School, according to his campaign website.
While at Harvard, he also earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG officer. During his active-duty service, he reportedly was deployed to Iraq and earned the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service and the Iraq Campaign Medal.
Following his military service, he served as a federal prosecutor before being elected to Congress in 2012.
He beat Democrat Andrew Gillum four years ago by 32,436 votes out of more than 8.2 million cast, a margin so narrow that it required a recount.
During Monday's debate, he wouldn't say whether he would commit to serving a full second term as governor, as rumors swirl about a possible 2024 presidential run.
The issues: With the campaign mantra "Keep Florida Free," DeSantis is leading many polls after signing into law divisive new restrictions on abortion, sex education and voting rights over his first four years in office.
DeSantis has also signed into law a measure banning critical race theory and limiting LGBTQ+ discussions from many Florida schools. He led efforts to eliminate the Disney Corp.’s special tax status for condemning his so-called Don’t Say Gay bill. And in recent weeks, he flew dozens of Venezuelan immigrants from Texas to a small island off the Massachusetts coast to call attention to illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.
His critics are many, but DeSantis' popularity has surged in Florida and among Republicans across the nation, especially after he led the GOP's resistance to the pandemic-related public health measures in 2020. He's also benefited from a broader conservative shift in the state, a trend a decade in the making.
Charlie Crist (D)
Who he is: Charlie Crist, 66, has called St. Petersburg home since he was three years old, according to his campaign website. After attending public schools in St. Pete, he graduated from Florida State University. Following that, he earned a law degree from Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama.
Throughout his life, Crist has served Florida by holding various positions, including state senator, commissioner of education, attorney general, governor and congressman.
Crist, a former Republican governor who most recently served as a Democratic congressman, has tried to cast himself as a moderate alternative to lead the perennial swing state.
The 66-year-old began his political career as a Republican, serving in the Florida Senate, as Florida Education Commissioner and Florida Attorney General. He served as Florida’s governor from 2007-2011 and joined the Democratic party in 2012 after endorsing former President Barack Obama for reelection.
In 2016, Crist flipped a Republican seat and was elected as the Democratic Congressman for Florida’s 13th District.
The issues: Touting "Florida for All," Crist's campaign says he is focused on several issues, including reproductive rights, voting rights, clean water, Florida's film industry, creating an office for new Floridians, legalizing marijuana, addressing Florida's housing crisis, justice reform and education reform.
He has pushed for voting rights — undoing DeSantis’ limitations on mail ballots, reducing gun violence through stricter gun safety laws and women’s abortion rights.
A Democratic governor will most likely face a Florida legislature that is majority Republican, so working well with other party members will be crucial.
Crist said he reaches across the aisle and worked with Republican politicians and congressmen all the time. If he becomes governor, he'll work on developing relationships, especially with those moderate Republicans who are equally suppressed by the current governor, he said.
Find more information here.
The Associated Press and 10 Tampa Bay contributed to this report.