Post Editorial Board Endorsement: Elect Democrat Charlie Crist for governor

Major hurricane damage, a property insurance market hanging by a thread, ever increasing gas, grocery and utility prices in a state with a dearth of affordable housing — Florida faces challenges that demand the response of an experienced chief executive.

The Palm Beach Post believes that man is Charlie Crist, congressman and former Governor. Unlike the current occupant, Crist used the levers of state government to bring people together to address challenges, not to bluster, consolidate power and campaign for higher office.

The former Republican-turned Democrat admittedly is an underdog for a return to the governor's mansion. His opponent, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, has a significant lead in almost every poll and a campaign war chest that rivals that of any presidential contender, an office few doubt he will seek once re-elected.

Voters shouldn't tolerate anyone using the election for governor as a springboard at the expense of sober leadership. Florida faces too many challenges and can't afford a placeholder. It needs a governor committed to this state and its urgent needs.

On the campaign trail: Charlie Crist speaks in West Palm Beach about housing affordability and property insurance

Democrats unite: Charlie Crist, other Democrats meet in Broward, say they seek to 'save the soul of Florida'

Crist, 66, a Democratic congressman from St. Petersburg, has the experience that will serve Florida well. He has shown moderation and a willingness to work across party lines, qualities state leadership today sorely lacks and that drama-weary Floridians miss.

As a state senator, Crist was known as "Chain Gang Charlie," after sponsoring a chain-gang amendment to a crime bill. But, he also cast the deciding committee vote killing a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before a woman could have an abortion.

As an elected education commissioner, Crist supported then-Gov. Jeb Bush's school reforms but also pushed for higher pay and other incentives to attract and retain quality public schoolteachers, an approach Florida needs to address its current teacher shortage.

As attorney general, Crist refused to let his office to be drawn into a right-to-die case that became a national spectacle. Republican leaders in Tallahassee and Washington wanted the government to overrule a court order to take Terri Schiavo, a St. Petersburg resident, off of artificial life support. The law they crafted, and their efforts to ram it through Congress and the federal courts, were ultimately ruled unconstitutional.

The Great Recession, the housing bust spurred by bad loans and dubious mortgages, the BP oil spill — Crist faced crises of a magnitude that DeSantis has luckily avoided, Hurricane Ian being the exception. He also made appointments in state agencies to provide consumer protections and better regulations on big businesses, particularly private insurers and utilities.

For those who believe that democracy is on the ballot, Crist is the far better choice. He restored voting rights to allow non-violent felons who have served their time and paid all fees and fines. He issued orders to extend voting hours during the 2008 presidential elections to give voters more time to cast their ballots. He eased fears of election fraud by signing legislation requiring paper backups on all voting machines in Florida.

Our opinion: Who committed Florida's biggest election fraud?

More: Voter intimidation? Black voters over-represented among those arrested so far for election crimes

If elected, Crist has pledged to find ways to cut property insurance rates and help address sky-high housing prices. He will work to maintain a woman's right to an abortion, improve public schools, address veterans' homelessness, reduce gun-related crime and create a new program to help new residents better acclimate to Florida.

There are two other candidates in the race: Carmen Jackie Gimenez of Hallandale Beach and Hector Roos of Miami, running as no party affiliation and Libertarian Party candidates respectively. The two contenders, however, are Crist and DeSantis.

Gov. DeSantis began his first term with promise. His early efforts to raise teacher pay, restore the Everglades and his initial handling of the pandemic were admirable.

Related: Hurricane Ian: DeSantis bristles when questioned whether state could have been better prepared

FOR SUBSCRIBERS: DeSantis defends property insurance actions as Crist seizes on issue

He now relies on hubris and manufactured culture-war drama to govern. Whether it's snapping at kids for protecting themselves from COVID, redrawing congressional districts to reduce Black electoral power, duping gullible migrants, promising rollbacks of gun restrictions and of abortion access, his priorities have shifted from the plight of the average Floridian to showing a partisan base that he owns the libs.

Florida deserves better than that, which is why we back Crist for governor.