Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist won his state’s Democratic gubernatorial primary overwhelmingly Tuesday, setting up what’s likely to be a down-to-the-wire duel with incumbent Rick Scott.
Experts were watching to see if Crist, a former Republican, could do well among voters in his new party. He did, winning 74 percent of the vote. Marc Caputo analyzes the race in the Miami Herald.
Florida was among the states voting in Tuesday primaries. In Arizona, State Treasurer Doug Ducey, a former Cold Stone Creamery executive, won the gubernatorial nomination.
Gov. Jan Brewer backed former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, and former GoDaddy executive Christine Jones also put up strong challenges.
Ducey topped them. "Today is especially a great day for ice cream," he told supporters. "Tonight, our best effort has given us victory."
He’ll face Fred DuVal, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton, in what so far is a tight race.
One Arizona race was too close to call Wednesday morning. Two Republicans vying to challenge Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., considered one of the more vulnerable House members, was still undecided.