US Representative Charlie Crist, the Democratic nominee for governor of Florida, resigns early from Congress, leaving the Pinellas County seat vacant until after the November election.
Crist said the resignation will be effective by the end of the day on Wednesday. In a statement, he said it was an honor and privilege to serve as a representative.
His statement didn’t say why he resigned — although there are only a handful of weeks left for Crist to campaign before facing Prime Minister Ron DeSantis in November’s gubernatorial election.
Crist thanked his constituents and said he was proud of his work supporting veterans, expanding solar energy and securing funding for community initiatives.
“But these achievements begin and end with you, the people — my bosses — who have guided my work in Congress since day one,” Crist said in a statement.
Crist represents Florida’s 13th district, which runs from Clearwater to southern Pinellas. He was elected to the seat in 2016, ousting incumbent Republican, U.S. Representative David Jolly. He was re-elected in 2018 and 2020.
During his primary campaign, Crist was criticized for relying on proxy voting, which was allowed due to COVID-19. He used the proxy mechanism 107 times between January and April this year — while another representative voted on his behalf while he stayed away from the US Capitol. His office defended the proxy votes and said he was still making sure his constituents’ voices were heard.
In the race to replace Crist, Republican Anna Paulina Luna takes on Democrat Eric Lynn, who backed Crist.
