With Rep. Charlie Crist appearing to surge early in the 2022 Democratic gubernatorial primary race, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is once again calling out the former Republican governor for “flip-flopping on abortion rights” over the course of his political career.
“I believe in a woman’s right to choose. I always have,” Rep. Crist recently said. “I am still pro-life — meaning I am for life. I hope most people are, and I think it’s important to understand the distinction.”
Fried’s fundraising email reads:
In a recent fundraising email to supporters, Commissioner Fried used a recent Politifact “False” rating made against Rep. Crist for his ever-evolving position on abortion.
“A few weeks back, Charlie Crist confirmed something we all suspected — that he still considers himself “pro-life.”
And of course, he’s spent the last few weeks backtracking, claiming that he’s “always” believed in a woman’s right to choose, and basically trying to say he meant live, laugh, love when he said “pro-life.”
Today, the Tampa Bay Times published an overview of Charlie’s record on abortion rights. And their verdict was the same as ours: when Charlie says he’s “always” believed in a woman’s right to choose, he’s flat-out lying.
The rating? “FALSE”
Politifact's assessment of Crist's past and present position on abortion is detailed and accurate.
Again, this is not the first time Fried references Crist’s apparent change of position on abortion.
In September 2021, Fried tweeted the infamous 2010 video of then-Governor Crist proclaiming that he was “pro-life.”
“I am pro-life, I am pro-gun, and I am pro-family, and I am anti-tax and I always have been," said then-Gov. Charlie Crist at a Miami Christian Coalition breakfast during the 2010 U.S. Senate race against now-Senator Marco Rubio.
Last year, Crist told The Floridian that he has “always been laisse-faire” on abortion.
The Floridian: What was the name of the bill in the appropriation where they are getting rid of the Hyde amendment?
Crist: It’s already gotten rid of, and I supported it.
The Floridian: Before when you were running for governor and Senate, you were “pro-Life, pro-Gun Charlie, what changed your mind about the whole Abortion issue?
Crist: I’ve always been laisse-faire about it, really have. I remember as a state senator, I voted against the healthcare bill that was going hurt that.
Fried concluded by making the case that she was the only truly “pro-choice” candidate in the race, saying that she has been so her entire life and “never sacrificed women’s health for political gain.”
