Rich Nugent: Charlie Crist ‘Failed as Governor’ and ‘Abandoned Our State’

Despite his time as Hernando County sheriff, U.S. Rep. Rich Nugent, R-Fla., generally stays out of state politics. It was a little surprising to see the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) trot out Nugent on Wednesday to take aim at former Gov. Charlie Crist who launched a gubernatorial bid earlier this week.
Nugent hit Crist for seeking a U.S. Senate seat in 2010 instead of running for a second term as governor. Crist ran for the Republican nomination but, after being passed in the polls by Marco Rubio, left the GOP to run with no party affiliation. Crist joined the Democrats at the end of 2012.
“When times were tough and Florida families were facing huge job losses and record unemployment, Charlie Crist failed as governor,” Nugent said. “He abandoned our state during tough economic times to focus on his next runs for political office. We need a governor who we can trust to be laser focused on creating jobs, paying down our debt, and improving education. That governor is not Charlie Crist.”