The third and final statewide debate between Republican Governor Rick Scott and Democratic challenger Charlie Crist took place last night at WJXT-television in Jacksonville. There was no live audience and no media were allowed to attend.
Governor Scott and former governor Charlie Crist spent the debate sharply criticizing each over everything from the minimum wage to the death penalty. The candidates also engaged in some of the most heated personal attacks in an already harshly negative campaign. In one exchange, Crist accused Scott of being isolated and aloof.
“If you’re somebody like Rick Scott and you have a private jet and you fly 30,000 feet above people all the time, or you live in an ocean front mansion, you’re out of touch”, charged Crist.
Scott’s response was to call Crist out over his privileged upbringing.
“I watched a parent lose the only family car. I watched a father struggle to buy Christmas presents. I went through all that as a child", said Scott. "Charlie never went through all that. Charlie grew up with plenty of money. He’s never had to worry about money. He’s never had to worry about being laid off.”
The debate also featured questions about Cuba, immigration, and whether ex-convicts deserve to have their voting rights restored after they are released from prison. At the Wyndam Riverwalk Hotel not far from the studios of WJXT where the debate was taking place, Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Adrian Wyllie, watching a live stream of the broadcast, answered each debate question before a roomful of his supporters.
Wyllie was not allowed to participate in the three officials gubernatorial debates because his approval ratings in the polls failed to reach the required 15%.