The first issue facing Democrats in their bid to unseat DeSantis is a primary that has the makings of a messy affair. Former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, who left the GOP more than a decade ago and represents the St. Petersburg area as a Democrat in Congress, announced a bid on Tuesday. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only Democrat currently holding statewide office in Florida, has been eyeing a run against DeSantis for months and is expected to get into the race soon. And Rep. Val Demings, a Black congresswoman who rose to national prominence during the second Trump impeachment, is said to be considering her own gubernatorial bid and posted a video this month where she declared she was "ready for the moment." The possibility for a raucous primary has some Florida Democrats worried -- especially considering Florida often sets their primary in late August, making it difficult for the eventual nominee to shift to a general election campaign in just a few months. "We need to get the primary situation figured out," said a Florida Democratic operative with ties to the gubernatorial race. "Our stupid primaries are so late in the year, you essentially have two and a half months... so people start making up their mind before you even have a chance to introduce yourself."