Democrats see Florida governor’s race as critical chance to stop DeSantis from reaching White House

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Democrat Charlie Crist, who won Florida’s gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, has a new campaign pitch: telling voters he can stop Republican Ron DeSantis from becoming president in 2024 by denying him a second term as Florida’s governor.

The tactic could energize Florida Democrats to turn out at the polls in November and attract nationwide donors who see Mr. DeSantis as a significant threat and are willing to help fund Mr. Crist’s campaign to stop his advance.

The day after Mr. Crist’s primary victory, he advertised himself as the Democrat who can block Mr. DeSantis from ever reaching the White House.

“Ron DeSantis’ political show is over when we defeat him on Nov. 8 and end his 2024 presidential run,” Mr. Crist said Wednesday.

Democrats are eager to oust the Florida governor. His national popularity is rising, and polls show him as a top contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, especially if former President Donald Trump decides not to run.

Mr. DeSantis is considered so influential within the Republican Party that he has been recruited to help candidates for Senate and governor this summer by headlining rallies in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Mr. Crist, a former Republican who became an independent and then a Democrat, will need more money to take on Mr. DeSantis, one of the most well-funded gubernatorial candidates in history.

Mr. DeSantis has raised more than $165 million for his campaign and his political action committee, thanks in part to significant donations from dozens of ultra-rich business tycoons.

His near-record haul and long list of high-profile donors have fueled speculation that Mr. DeSantis and his wealthy contributors are looking beyond the governor’s mansion and are planning for a 2024 White House bid.

While Mr. DeSantis is pulling in about $10 million a month in donations, Mr. Crist is trailing far behind. He was bringing in about  $1 million monthly leading up to Tuesday’s primary. Mr. Crist defeated fellow Democrat and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.

“What you’re seeing with that messaging is Charlie’s attempt to nationalize the race, certainly to bring in national money,” said David Jolly, who served in Congress as a Republican and is now an independent political analyst.

Mr. Jolly ran against Mr. DeSantis and Mr. Crist in Florida races for the Senate and House, respectively. He said he thinks Mr. Crist’s pledge to block a DeSantis White House run will attract out-of-state dollars that he desperately needs to fuel his campaign for governor.

“Democrats want to stop Ron DeSantis from reaching the White House, and it’s a very good case to say if Charlie beats him in Florida, DeSantis is probably not as strong a contender for the White House,” Mr. Jolly said. “So it allows him to speak to a totally different audience, and a national audience, but it doesn’t cost him anything at home.”

Polls show Mr. DeSantis leading Mr. Crist by about 6 percentage points. Analysts say Mr. Crist will have difficulty overcoming a significant swing in voter registrations that has expanded Republicans’ lead over Democrats by 200,000 voters.

Brad Coker, managing director of Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, said Mr. Crist’s national message about Mr. DeSantis may not resonate with the undecided or wavering Florida voters he is hoping to attract.

“The only people who are looking at this race through the lens of 2024 are political insiders and partisan Democrats, not persuadable swing voters,” Mr. Coker said.

Mr. DeSantis has raised his national profile and his approval rating among Floridians by rejecting lockdowns and mandates associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has helped keep the state’s economy strong. He also has attracted support among a large swath of voters for resisting Biden administration policies and liberal agendas in schools and businesses.

Mr. DeSantis has signed legislation banning lesson plans and training on racial injustice at schools and businesses, and he has prohibited discussions about LGBTQ issues with young students. Critics call Mr. DeSantis’ policies racist and transphobic. The governor has countered those labels aggressively.

Mr. Crist launched his general election bid Wednesday with a promise to unite Floridians. He accused Mr. DeSantis of dividing the state and called him “the biggest threat to democracy.”

Ms. Fried, his former opponent, threw her support behind Mr. Crist as the candidate who can keep Mr. DeSantis out of the White House.

“We are going to make Ron DeSantis a one-term governor and a zero-term president of the United States,” Ms. Fried said.

Critics were quick to repost a video of Mr. Crist, in an interview with Florida’s Voice News, rejecting voters who back Mr. DeSantis.

“I don’t want your vote,” Mr. Crist said. “If you have that hate in your heart, keep it there. I want the vote of the people in Florida who care about our state. Good Democrats, good independents, good Republicans. Unify with this ticket. Those who are haters, you are going to go off in your own world, and you’d better get right.”

A spokesman for Florida Democrats did not respond to a request for a comment about the race.

Mr. Crist now serves in the House, representing Florida’s 13th Congressional District. He served as Florida governor from 2007 to 2011, and it was the only time he won a statewide race. Mr. Crist lost a Senate race in 2010 to Republican Marco Rubio and was defeated by Republican Rick Scott when he ran again for governor in 2014.

Republican Governors Association spokeswoman Joanna Rodriguez said Mr. Crist’s campaign tactics won’t help him defeat Mr. DeSantis.

“We’re confident there is very little Charlie Crist can do to stop his inevitable rejection by Florida voters for a third time this November,” Ms. Rodriguez said.