School choice advocate blasts Charlie Crist: ‘He’s running to lose’
Charlie Crist selects Miami teachers union leader who criticized board meeting parents as Florida running mate
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A school choice advocate said on Wednesday that Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist will lose after tapping a teachers’ union head as his running mate.
American Federation for Children spokesperson Denisha Allen told "America’s Newsroom" that "Charlie Crist has been a flip-flopper since I can remember. My first engagement with Charlie Crist was in high school when he signed the expansion bill for Florida School Choice Program into law. I was there behind him with the signing pin, and he flip-flopped."
Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist has selected the president of the Miami-Dade County teachers union to be his running mate, placing education at the forefront of his campaign as he seeks to defeat incumbent GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis in November.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}United Teachers of Dade President Karla Hernandez-Mats was announced as Crist’s running mate on Saturday during a campaign event held in Miami.
ST PETERSBURG, FL - AUGUST 23: Florida Gubernatorial candidate Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) gives a victory speech after defeating gubernatorial candidate, Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried in the primary election at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront on August 23, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida.Crist will face Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on November 8th in the general election. (Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images) (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
"This guy’s the opposite of freedom," Crist said of Gov. DeSantis shortly after taking the stage to speak to supporters. "We are for real freedom. Freedom for all of you."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I’m excited to introduce to you a wonderful person," Crist said. "Karla is an amazing person. She really is." Describing her as a "loving" and "compassionate" teacher during his introduction of Hernandez-Mats, Crist said, "You know her, I love her, meet the next lieutenant governor of Florida, Karla Hernandez."
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"Are you tired of the culture wars and the extremists that are dictating what we can’t say and do," Hernandez-Mats asked the crowd upon taking the stage. "Are you sick of politicians who act like authoritarians trying to tear apart our democracy? … That’s why we are here today. To defeat Ron DeSantis and bring decency and respect back to the state of Florida."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I am so honored to be joining this team, the winning ticket," she added. "It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to fight next to Charlie as your next lieutenant governor."
GENEVA, UNITED STATES - 2022/08/24: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to supporters at a campaign stop on the Keep Florida Free Tour at the Horsepower Ranch in Geneva. DeSantis faces former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist for the general election for Florida Governor in November. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Allen said that she thinks Crist is "running for no reason."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He’s been saying since then that he’s not going to support school choice, that he wants to pull it down. And what I know about Charlie Crist is that he’s I don’t think he’s going to win this next gubernatorial election," Crist said.
"It’s really he’s running for no reason. He’s running to lose, especially considering what’s happening in Virginia, especially considering school choice moms in Florida wanting more school choice options in the state."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Crist, who defeated his primary challenger Nikki Fried in Tuesday’s election and served as Florida’s governor from 2007 to 2011, is slated to face off against DeSantis in the state when voters head to the polls on Nov. 8 for the general election.
Fox News’ Kyle Morris contributed to this report.