Crist seeks donations after Jolly re-enters House race

Florida Democrat Charlie Crist is renewing his House campaign’s fundraising efforts after Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) announced he would re-enter the race for his seat. 

Crist until Friday had a smooth path to winning Jolly’s open House seat, but he quickly asked supporters for more money after Jolly announced he would abandon his Senate campaign and seek reelection. 

The district is considered to lean toward Democrats after a recent redistricting process, but Jolly’s re-entrance could make it a tougher race. 

{mosads}In a fundraising email to supporters, Crist called Jolly a “well-funded former Washington lobbyist” who wants to take away women’s rights, drill on beaches and block gun control. 

“You may remember, when we announced last year, he came to that playground and heckled us like Donald Trump,” Crist wrote.

“He called me names, because I dared to stand up for our values,” he said, referring to Jolly calling him a “huckster” at his campaign announcement last fall.

Jolly, who won a seat in the House in a March 2014 special election, initially announced last year he wouldn’t run for reelection and would instead seek the seat being vacated by Sen. Marco Rubio.

But now Jolly says he will run for another term amid the growing belief that Rubio will reverse course and run for reelection to the Senate.

In a statement, Jolly cited “unfinished business” as his reason for wanting to keep his seat in the House. 

“I have unfinished business. We have unfinished business together. Today I’m asking you for the opportunity to keep doing my job,” Jolly wrote in a statement Friday. 

Thanks to redistricting, Jolly’s district now appears to favor Democrats and includes Crist’s hometown of St. Petersburg. 

Crist, a former governor of Florida, has been active in the state politics for more than three decades. 

He lost a 2010 GOP primary for an open Senate seat to Rubio and in 2014 lost a bid for governor to incumbent Rick Scott (R). 

Jolly has the advantage in fundraising, taking in $1.3 million from the first of last year to March 31. He ended March with $563,000 on hand, according to FEC filings. 

Crist has raised $779,000 from October 2015 to March 31. He ended March with $604,000 on hand, filings show.