Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott came out victorious in a nasty and expensive campaign against Democrat and former Gov. Charlie Crist.
The brutal and at times bizarre race was easily the most expensive in state history. Both candidates are well known in the Sunshine State and have raised plenty of cash in addition to the millions that have poured in from outside groups.
Scott hammered Crist for his ideological evolution. Less than four years ago, Crist left the governor’s mansion as a Republican, then ran for Senate as an independent, and this year ran for his old job as a Democrat.
Crist hit Scott for his tenure as the head of a hospital chain fined more than $1 billion for defrauding Medicare and various other government healthcare programs in the 1990s. He also was mocked by Democrats for initially refusing to participate in a debate because Crist brought an electric fan on stage. The candidates feud over the fan made for one of the most comically bizarre moments of the midterm elections.
Complete 2014 election coverage and results
- Andrew Rafferty