Victor Crist: I cut no deals for county commission
January 16, 2009 at 9:10 am by Wayne GarciaIt started a few weeks ago, rumors flying that perhaps Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan was eyeing a jump to another seat on that board in 2010 in order to overcome term limits, which he would face in 2012. The story went that he would jump to the departing Jim Norman’s seat and state Sen. Victor Crist, term limited in Tallahassee in 2010, would run for Hagan’s seat.
I mentioned the possibility that Hagan could jump seats (and it is possible, legally that is) and about a week later, Patrick Manteiga at La Gaceta reported that the two actually had arranged the switcheroo.
But Crist, no relation to the governor, tells me no deal.
“I have to leave [the Senate] because of term limits,” Crist said by telephone from his Tallahassee office, where he had just finished up the special session on budget cuts. “I love public policy. I have options. I have my own political base, accomplishments and track record that I don’t need to cut any deals.”
Crist said he has not committed to any race or campaign and is keeping all his options open. But he did say he wants to stay in public office and continue working on issues he cares about, including improvements in the Suitcase City neighborhood near USF and criminal justice.
(Hey, I forgot when I posted this to add my disclaimer, that I represented Crist in one of his Senate races when I was a political consultant. Sorry about the omission.)
