Crist asks DeSantis to commit to full second term amid speculation over presidential run

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis refused to commit to a full second term during his debate with gubernational opponent Charlie Crist on Monday.

Crist probed DeSantis about this during the debate, suggesting that DeSantis will bail on his position during the term in order to focus on a run for the White House.

“Why don’t you look in the eyes of the people of the state of Florida and say to them if you’re re-elected, you will serve a full four-year term as governor,” Crist asked DeSantis. “Will you serve a full four-year term if you’re reelected governor of Florida? It’s not a tough question. It’s a fair question.

“I know that Charlie’s interested in talking about 2024 and Joe Biden, but I just want to make things very, very clear,” DeSantis shot back. “The only worn-out, old donkey I’m looking to put out to pasture is Charlie Crist.”

DeSantis didn’t directly answer Crist’s question about whether he would serve a full term. DeSantis is currently the second most popular potential 2024 GOP candidate, with former President Trump being the top potential candidate.

DeSantis and Crist also clashed over immigration. Crist hit out at DeSantis’ move last month to fly about 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.

“I thought what the governor did was a horrible political stunt,” Crist said, saying that it was a misuse of taxpayer money.

Crist did accept that there was “problem” at the southern border, however said, “You can change policy and do what’s right to secure the border by having comprehensive immigration reform.”

DeSantis argued that the high levels of migration at the border are due to policies supported by Crist in congress.

“We had the border that was in much better shape in January of 2021. The Biden administration reversed almost every policy that was in place and they opened the floodgates. That’s why we have the problem.”

DeSantis and Crist were able to find agreement on the sentence of Nikolas Cruz, the man convicted of killing 17 people in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Both men believe that Cruz should have got the death penalty, and not life without parole.

“This is one thing we actually agree on,” Crist said. “I believe that that young man should have gotten the death penalty for killing 17 innocent students in our schools.”