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Rouson, Crist to propose new elections law

Posted Nov 13, 2012 by William March

Updated Nov 13, 2012 at 02:30 PM

Former Gov. Charlie Crist and state Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, will propose election reform legislation in a news conference in Tampa Wednesday.

The legislation will “reform the flawed Florida elections statutes that changed in 2011 and led to a national embarrassment,” according to an announcement of the news conference. The news release said the bill will have support from newly elected Rep. Dwight Dudley, D-St. Petersburg, and Rep. Darren Soto, an Orlando Democrat who just won election to a state Senate seat.

The move looks like one of the preliminary steps in a campaign for governor by Crist.

Since shortly before the Nov. 6 election, Crist has made himself one of the state’s leading critics of Gov. Rick Scott over the conduct of the election in Florida, with its long lines at polling places. He called Scott’s refusal to extend early voting days “unconscionable” and blasted Scott in an interview Monday on MSNBC.

Asked in that interview whether he plans to run against Scott, Crist said, “Anything’s possible. I’m not ruling anything in nor anything out.”

He said after the holidays, “We’ll see what next year brings.”