DeSantis Cares About the White House, Not a 'Damn About Your House': Crist

Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist said that Governor Ron DeSantis was more concerned with his ambitions for the White House than the citizens of his state.

Crist's comments came during an address in Miami Gardens on Tuesday, amid a south Florida visit by President Joe Biden to give one final push for the state governor hopeful and other Florida Democrats ahead of the November 8 midterm elections. In his speech, Crist attacked DeSantis for his position on women and gender issues as well as his role in Florida's "soaring cost-of-living."

"As you know and I know, Ron is tearing us apart," Crist said to supporters. "Attacking anyone who doesn't look like him, who doesn't act like him, who doesn't think like him.

"Governor DeSantis only cares about the White House, he doesn't give a damn about your house," Crist added.

DeSantis has been repeatedly considered as a potential GOP candidate for the 2024 presidential election, something that Crist has aimed to use in his favor by pushing DeSantis on if he intends to serve a full four-year term if he is reelected.

Crist has also tried to win votes by attacking DeSantis' "culture war" policies, such as the governor's "Don't Say Gay" bill that passed earlier this year, or his position on abortion access.

"He wages culture wars, because he knows that voters focus on real issues, like women's choice, and the soaring cost of living in Florida, that he couldn't win," Crist said during Tuesday's rally.

Biden also attempted to rally Florida voters on issues like abortion during his portion onstage, and urged Democrats to keep control of Congress in order to protect social programs like Social Security benefits.

"Democracy is on the ballot this year," Biden said. "Along with your right to vote and your right to privacy."

DeSantis currently holds a nearly 9-point lead over Crist, according to FiveThirtyEight. Democrats are also falling short in Florida's key Senate race between Val Demings and Republican incumbent Marco Rubio, where Demings trails her opponent by 7 points.

Early voting statistics from Florida's Division of Elections show that Republican voters have outperformed Democrats a little over a week into the early voting period, which ends on Sunday. Democrats, however, have outpaced Republicans on mail-in votes.

Demings, who worked at the Orlando Police Department before serving in Congress, has also repeatedly attacked her Republican opponent on his stance on abortion access. In previous interviews, Rubio has stated that he does not personally support abortion even in cases of rape or incest.

"Now I stand before you tonight as someone who's investigated cases of rape and incest," Demings said Tuesday. "Matter of fact, a lot of rapists are behind bars right now because of my 27 years at the police department.

"Well Senator Rubio, I have a message for you. Rape is a crime. Incest is a crime. Abortion is not," Demings added.

Newsweek reached out to DeSantis' office for comment on Crist's remarks.