Democrats Have Mixed Feelings About Crist DNC Address
Thursday, September 6, 2012
By: Mark Simpson

Sept 6, 2012 | WMFE -At the democratic national convention this evening Florida democrats are cautiously curious about an address from former Republican Governor Charlie Crist. Crist, who's currently an independent, recently wrote an op-ed piece endorsing President Obama in the Tampa Bay Times.

The state’s democratic party chair Rod Smith says he still questions about Crist: “Look I agree with Charlie Crist on his selection for President. I join him on that.  Over the years we haven’t always agreed. I have a longer memory than that, and whatever happens matter what happens, if he becomes a democrat should occur, if he runs as a democrat we’ll see how it works out. But I think once again there’s an awful lot of positions that would have to be explained.”

Crist’s name is being floated in political circles as a potential democratic challenger to Governor Rick Scott in 2014.  Governor Crist also recently attended fundraisers with his current employer John Morgan, a major democratic fundraiser, in support of democrat Bill Nelson who is running for re-election.

Meanwhile, in Charlotte, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has a warmer forecast for the former Governor: “I think that Governor Crist is going to be a good example of what president Obama always talks about, the fact that even though we don’t always agree on every issue, we should reach across the aisle and work together.”

Throughout his political career Crist is known as a lawmaker eager to work with parties from various backgrounds.  He is already being vilified as a flip-flopper in GOP attack ads, which run clips where Crist describes himself as very conservative.

During his multiple runs office Crist was known to identify himself as a “Ronald Reagan” republican.