Reported By Troy Kinsey
TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Charlie Crist is a Republican.
But in so many ways, you wouldn't know it -- from championing felon rights to backing the federal stimulus package, he's bucked his party's agenda until now.
Crist welcomed President Barack Obama to the Sunshine State with open arms seven months ago.
The president was here to campaign for the stimulus.
That was then and this is now.
"There are concerns that we have about the direction of this administration," Crist said on CNN.
Crist said the country won't vote for Obama again.
The governor even hit national news Tuesday morning to talk up his opinion.
News 13 caught up with him in Tallahassee.
We asked: "Why the change of heart?"
"The people chose President Obama, and they wanted change, but I think they're getting more change than maybe they bargained for," Crist said. "And there may be a little bit of buyer's remorse as it relates to the expansive growth of government."
Hope, change and yes we can were Obama's campaign message, and now Crist wants to make it his.
Sure, he's campaigning for the U.S. Senate. But, he's also an emerging face in a broader movement to return Republicans to power in Washington.
There's talk of the governor as a Republican presidential prospect in 2012.
But, his real focus may be more immediate, according to Florida State Political Scientist Carol Weissert.
"I don't know what's in Charlie Crist's head, but I do know that there's a Republican primary," Weissert said.
Weissert said the governor has a lot in his favor, but needs to get back to Republican basics.
"He's got a lot of money. He appeals to a lot of Democrats, independents, wishy-washy Republicans, but he's got to get the hardcore Republicans, and potentially a problem," Weissert said.
Which is why a governor who in many ways has led more like a Democrat is now criticizing the country’s top Democrat.
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