In an adorably game attempt to make Monday night’s only face-to-face meeting between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democrat challenger Charlie Crist— Oh, what is the word? Meaningful? Significant? Momentous? Relevant? Interesting? — political operatives have anointed the one and only debate in Florida’s governor’s race “Crist’s last shot.”
Well. You can believe that if you want to.
OK, in truth, that’s the heady summation provided by the Orlando Sentinel’s otherwise thorough Steven Lemongello. Perhaps it’s a wishful projection from a writer who hopes to keep his audience’s attention. But what looms after the weekend reminds the old sportswriter in me of how, halfway through the fourth quarter of a Monday night NFL blowout, Frank and Howard would groan when Dandy Don would croon, “Turn out the lights, the party’s over.”
Wait! Don’t change that channel! Charlie Crist still has a chance!
Does he though? Does he really?
There’s not a poll in the Sunshine State that has Crist within shouting distance of DeSantis. The average gap puts DeSantis up by 7.7 points, well outside any margin of error. The last four reputable polls cited by Project FiveThirtyEight shows nothing but double-digit leads for DeSantis.
And it’s so very, very late. Mail-in ballots are coming in waves. Early voting begins next week. If Crist were a football team, he’d have to score quick, recover about five straight onside kicks, and it still might come down to a Hail Mary and a successful two-point conversion.
Oh, so you’re saying there’s a chance?
Yes, say the operatives. if DeSantis shoots himself in the foot Monday night the pundits say — insert image of desperate hand-rubbing — Crist may yet have a chance to make it a race.
How the governor could do that is a mystery. DeSantis could shoot off both feet, shove them in his ears, then drop to his knees and moon the moderators and all it would do is move some Marion County fence-sitters to his camp.
There’s a reason so many other states have Ron DeSantis envy, and it has nothing to do with gumption, fighting spirit, and going all Whac-A-Mole on the media. OK, maybe a little.
It turns out Floridians chose wisely in 2018. They chose narrowly, perhaps because DeSantis can come off a little bristly. We also were not fully briefed on the trouble in which Democrat nominee Andrew Gillum was marinating. (Bless their hearts; our friends on the left have experienced plenty of remorse-riddled wish-casting over Gwen Graham.)
But to a significant majority of Floridians, DeSantis has delivered the way a governor is supposed to deliver: With grit, confidence, optimism, and competence.
Throughout the pandemic, he kept his head. Protect the vulnerable. Mobilize the caregivers. Expand hospital capacity. Screen and quarantine visitors. Help businesses keep open and Floridians employed.
DeSantis was similarly in command in advance of, during, and after Hurricane Ian cut a path of destruction across the Peninsula from Fort Myers to Jacksonville. Yes, he enlisted federal aid. Of course he did. No. 4 among the 50 states, Floridians sent nearly $117 billion in taxes to Washington in 2021.
Who rebuilds a washed out causeway in a week? Under DeSantis, Florida does.
Even DeSantis’ controversies look like wins. He flies Venezuelans to Martha’s Vineyard, and despite furious blowback from the left and the media (insert I-repeat-myself joke here), fully half of Floridians give him thumbs up.
Now he’s telling the feds where they can put their COVID vaccine mandate for healthy youngsters. The man is a rock.
Meanwhile, Charlie Crist is releasing video of him hugging Barack Obama back in 2009 (the fateful image that gave Marco Rubio momentum in the GOP Senate race) and furiously thumping the abortion drum.
These are images of desperation from a candidate unable to land a punch.
Yes, there will be a debate Monday. One night only, Ron DeSantis and Charlie Crist on the same stage. We put the over-under for Dandy Don’s familiar tune at 37 minutes.
