Approximately four months before the end of his term, Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist of Florida’s 13th Congressional District announced his resignation from his position as the district’s representative. Crist is presently vying for governor of the Sunshine State.
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Crist stated, “I officially resign my position as the Representative for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, starting today, Wednesday, August 31, 2022.”
Karla Hernández, the president of the left-leaning teachers union United Teachers of Dade, was named as Crist’s running mate after he won the Democratic gubernatorial primary in Florida last week.
During the general election, Crist will run against current Republican governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis, who took office in early 2019, previously held a position in the House of Representatives before resigning in 2018 to run for governor.
In a letter dated September 10, 2018 to then-House Speaker Paul Ryan, DeSanits stated, “As the Republican contender for Governor of Florida, it is evident to me that I will likely miss the great majority of our remaining session days for this Congress. It would not be proper for me to take a wage under these circumstances. I formally resign from the House of Representatives with immediate effect to uphold my values and defend the taxpayer. I request that my resignation be made retroactive to September 1 for salary reasons so that I won’t be paid for the month of September.”
Crist said last week that he does not want the votes of DeSantis backers and that they have hatred in their souls.
From early 2007 until early 2011, Crist held the office of governor of Florida, a position he was elected to as a Republican. He unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010 as an independent. He ran as a Democrat but lost the state’s 2014 governor’s race. Since 2017, Crist has represented Florida in the US Congress.
In a statement, Crist noted that representing Florida’s 13th Congressional District has been both an honor and a privilege. “I committed to protect our veterans, bring employment to Florida, combat climate change, and put people before politics when I first took office almost six years ago. As I finish my term in Congress, I am immensely proud of the work we’ve accomplished to keep those commitments, including the passage of legislation to support our veterans, the expansion of solar energy in Florida, the acquisition of millions of dollars in direct funding for neighborhood projects, and the return of more than $6 million in earned benefits to the Pinellas County population.”
