PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Charlie Crist started in politics while Anna Paulina Luna was still in elementary school.
Crist has served in multiple offices including Governor. While Luna escaped a difficult upbringing, served in the Air Force and paid her way through college.
“It’s a classic matchup of an established experienced incumbent, well known to everyone in the area. Versus sort of an anti-establishment newcomer. New face. New demographic," said ABC Action News political analyst Dr. Susan MacManus.
After switching parties and losing the Gubernatorial race to Rick Scott in 2014, Crist was elected to Congress two years later.
He says he’s most proud of the work he’s done in the House for the environment, co-sponsoring a bill to ban off-shore drilling. More recently he says getting the COVID relief bill passed helped millions of Floridians.
“Helping people in a crisis. I’m used to it, having done it as Governor and Attorney General with hurricanes," said Crist.
Luna is getting support from President Donald Trump.
She says she’s focused on veteran issues, the environment and fighting government corruption.
“I'm for term limits. I think the COVID relief bill is a great example. There were some good intentions, but they had a lot of excesses that went to special interests and D.C. inside groups. And I don’t agree with that," said Luna.
“This is the kind of face that Republicans are trying to put on their candidacies. The face of young women and racial diversity candidates," said MacManus.
Crist is boosted by a district that has 27,000 more registered Democrats and he says he doesn’t mind being labeled as a career politician.
“I prefer the term public servant. It’s something I started in school at St. Pete High School I was my senior class president and trying to help other people and serve them the best way that you possibly can really has been like a calling to me," said Crist.
