TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — The lone debate between Governor Ron DeSantis and Charlie Crist is now scheduled to take place on Monday, October 24. The debate was originally set for Wednesday, October 12, but was rescheduled due to recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian.
CBS 12 will host the debate, which begins at 7 pm. Floridians across the state can watch the debate on local news stations or stream it online for free.
The 2022 gubernatorial race marks the second time in the last eight years that Crist, who served as the state’s governor from 2007–2011 as a Republican, has challenged the incumbent Republican governor of Florida in November. Crist became a Democrat in 2012 and lost his first bid for a second term when he failed to unseat incumbent Republican Governor Rick Scott in the 2014 gubernatorial race.
Last week, a new poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy showed DeSantis leads Crist by 11 points. The poll indicated that the governor has statewide support of 52 percent of voters, compared to Crist’s 41 percent. Six percent of voters reportedly remain undecided.