Crist wins Democratic primary, to face DeSantis in November

(NewsNation) — Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will try to reclaim his old job for a second time in November and oust a rising Republican star in incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Crist, who has switched parties since his departure from Tallahassee in 2011, won his Democratic primary Tuesday against Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, according to the results by Decision Desk HQ. The former Republican pitched himself as a moderate, while Fried tried to appeal to voters with “something new.”

This will be Crist’s second attempt to reclaim the governorship. He was defeated by Rick Scott in the 2014 election, losing by 1 percentage point.

“Tonight, the people of Florida clearly sent a message. They want a governor who cares about them to solve real problems, who preserves our freedom; not a bully who divides us and takes our freedom away,” Crist said in his victory speech.

Calling the general election “the most consequential” in Florida history, Crist said DeSantis is “dangerous” and a “bully.”

“He imitates the worst authoritarian leaders on the globe,” he said. “We can put a stop to this wannabe dictator.”

DeSantis, who is considered a potential candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, cast the November election as a referendum on President Joe Biden and “woke” ideology.

“Florida is the state where woke goes to die,” he said. “We are fighting for the soul of this country.”

Also in Florida, Rep. Val Demings won her Democratic Senate primary and will face incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio in November. Demings, a former Orlando police chief, has sought to counter attacks that she is soft on crime by pointing to her career in law enforcement.

Elsewhere, in a major matchup in New York, Rep. Jerry Nadler won the Democratic primary in the 12th Congressional District against Rep. Carolyn Maloney. The longtime representatives, who each chair powerful House committees, were forced to run against each other following a redistricting process that left New York with one fewer House seat.

Another notable Democratic congressional primary in New York was in the 10th District, where Dan Goldman was seeking to win office for the first time. Goldman was lead counsel during the first impeachment inquiry of former President Donald Trump.

In Oklahoma, Rep. Markwayne Mullin was projected to defeat T.W. Shannon is a runoff in a special primary to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. James Inhofe, who is retiring in January.

Here are full results from each state:

FILE – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried speaks during an interview, April 21, 2022, at the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
FILE – Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., second from right, talks with a supporter outside of the United Teachers of Dade offices, May 31, 2022, in Miami Springs, Fla. Crist was endorsed by the Florida Education Association (FEA) and teachers unions from across Florida in his campaign for governor of Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
FILE – Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 19, 2022. In one of Oklahoma’s U.S. Senate races, Democrats Madison Horn and Jason Bollinger square off Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, to decide who will face incumbent Lankford in November. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)
FILE – House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., center, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. Mullin is a candidate in the Republican primary runoff election for U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
FILE – Oklahoma state Rep. T.W. Shannon is pictured during a Republican candidate forum in Lawton, Okla., Friday, June 6, 2014. Shannon is a candidate in the Republican primary runoff election for the U. S. Senate. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
FILE – T.W. Shannon walks from President-elect Donald Trump after meeting at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster clubhouse, in Bedminster, N.J., on Nov. 20, 2016. Shannon is a candidate in the Republican Primary runoff election for the U. S. Senate. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
FILE – State Rep. T.W. Shannon gestures during a Republican candidate forum for the open U.S. Senate seat, in Lawton, Okla., on June 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
FILE – U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., listens to testimony during a Senate Indian Affairs Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 27, 2022. In one of Oklahoma’s U.S. Senate races, Democrats Madison Horn and Jason Bollinger square off Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, to decide who will face incumbent Lankford in November. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
FILE – Rep. Carolyn Maloney, left, with her daughter Virginia talks to reporters after casting her vote in the Democratic primary election, Aug. 18, 2022, in New York. Maloney is running against attorney Suraj Patel and Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York’s 12th Congressional District Democratic primary. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
FILE – Suraj Patel talks to reporters after voting early in New York, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. Patel is running against Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York’s 12th Congressional District Democratic primary which will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
FILE – Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill on Sept. 16, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
FILE – Rep. Jerry Nadler speaks at the NY-12 Candidate Forum Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in New York. Nadler is running in New York’s 12th Congressional District Democratic primary against Attorney Suraj Patel and Rep. Carolyn Maloney which will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)