Candidate Profile: Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist

Charlie Crist

Candidate: Charlie Crist

Residence: St. Petersburg

Education: Undergraduate degree, FSU; Law degree, Cumberland School of Law

Charlie Crist is the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for Governor. After serving one term in the position as a Republican, Crist will seek to oust his former party - and Rick Scott - from the Governor's Mansion if he defeats Nan Rich in the Democratic primary.

Growing up in St. Petersburg after his family moved from his birthplace of Pennsylvania, Crist received an undergraduate degree while at Florida State University before receiving a law degree from the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama. He was elected to the Florida Senate in 1992, serving one term before campaigning to take the seat of U.S. Democratic Senator Bob Graham, which he lost.

Crist was elected to Governor in 2006. After his term ended, Crist declined to seek reelection, instead choosing to run for outgoing U.S. Senator Mel Martinez's seat. When he lost the Republican nomination to Marco Rubio, he ran as an Independent in the general election where he was again defeated by Rubio. 

Switching his party affilation to Democrat at the end of 2012, Crist announced his candidacy for Governor in 2013. The Democratic primary will take place on August 26.