Election 2014 Results: Crist Wins Florida Governor Primary, Ducey Takes Arizona GOP Nomination
Primary election results were announced Wednesday for Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma and Vermont.
In Florida, Former Republican Governor Charlie Crist, who swapped parties to run as a Democrat governor and staging a political comeback was selected as the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican Governor Rick Scott.
"Frankly, I think I was on their side when I was in the other party," Crist said as he prepared for his victory speech according to USA Today. He said a friend once told him, "Charlie, you've been a Democrat your whole life, you just didn't know it.' Well now I know it."
Returns in Florida, showed Crist with a 3 to 1 lead against the other candidate, former state Senator Nan Rich -- at 74.4 percent of the vote with 622,982 ballots cast, with Rich wining 25.6 percent, with 214,741 ballots cast.
Scott, who won 87.6 percent of the vote in the primary, has already spent millions of dollars on ads criticizing Crist and pointing out how he has changed from opposing to supporting same-sex marriage, gun control and Obama's healthcare plan.
"Florida is the ultimate media state with 10 television markets. Because of its size it is hard to have a really effective grass roots organization, so television and radio advertising become all important," said Ed Rollins, former assistant to President Ronald Reagan, in his Fox column.
A Crist vs. Scott general election is likely to lead to a high profile debate over Obama's healthcare overhaul.
Florida has a population of 19.3 million, 76.3 percent are white and 23.2 percent Latino. Unemployment in the state is 11.5 percent.
Arizona
In Arizona, state Treasurer and former CEO Doug Ducey won the Republican gubernatorial primary. Ducey won 36.4 percent of the vote, 149,281 votes, with 97 percent of districts reporting, compared to Smith and Jones at 22.1 percent and 16.3 percent, respectively.
Arizona is 78.8 percent white but 30.2 percent Latino.
His focus is government and business. The tentative front runner's backers have ties to the Koch brothers. Ducey was endorsed by Texas Sen.Ted Cruz, who called his plan for addressing undocumented immigration "the most serious and credible plan to address the border crisis."
This race will determine who replaces Republican Governor Jan Brewer, who is term-limited. Ducey will face former Board of Regents member Fred Du Val.
Of the four Democrats jockeying to replace Latino congressman Ed Pastor (D), who is retiring after two decades in Washington, State Rep, Ruben Gallego won 48.3 percent of the vote against Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, who won 36.5 percent.
Vermont
In Vermont, of the three Republicans competing to run in the gubernatorial election, entrepreneur, Scott Milne won 84.2 percent of the vote, 11,491. Milne will face two-term Governor Peter Shumlin who won 82.6 percent of the Democratic vote of 15,291 votes.
Vermont has a population of just over 600,000, is 95.1 percent white and 1.6 percent Latino. 6.4 percent are unemployed.
Oklahoma
Former state Senator Steve Russell (R) won 59.3 percent of the vote with 100 percent districts reporting with 19,371 ballots cast. He faces state Sen. Al McAffrey (D) in November.
Oklahoma has a population of 3.8 million, 73.5 percent are white and 9.3 percent are Latino. The state has an unemployment rate of 6.8 percent unemployment.
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