NBC & Dems show zero confidence in Crist beating DeSantis in November: ‘1 in about 292.2 million’ chance

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In a report on the results of Tuesday's Democratic gubernatorial primary in Florida, NBC News national political reporter Marc Caputo acknowledged the slim chances that Democratic candidate Charlie Crist would have in beating incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., in November.

The Democrats’ nervous outlook about Crist – who beat state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried to clinch the Democratic Party nomination – was apparent at the very outset of Caputo’s piece. The subheadline read, "From DeSantis' standing in the polls to GOP voter registration advantages, Crist, the projected winner of the Democratic primary for governor, faces long odds in November."

The doubt over Crist’s chances against the popular Republican governor was present throughout the rest of article. It opened with the implication that any challenger to DeSantis would be an "underdog."

"Rep. Charlie Crist cruised to a primary victory over state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried in Florida on Tuesday night, NBC News projects, answering the one big question Democrats have fretted about for months: Who will be the underdog to face popular Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis?," Caputo asked. 

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NBC News published a piece Tuesday stating the Florida Dems see little chance in beating Gov. Ron DeSantis this November. (Fox News)

If that wasn’t indicative enough of the nervousness surrounding a Democrat facing DeSantis, Caputo added, "Heading into Election Day, few Democratic insiders and political observers gave Crist or Fried much of a chance in November, citing every recent public poll showing DeSantis leading Crist."

Mentioning some factors discouraging Democrats in the state, Caputo wrote, "As DeSantis’ historic $140 million re-election war chest grows by the day, national Democrats have signaled they won’t invest in Florida as heavily as in the past." He added, "The state’s growing Hispanic electorate has been shifting rightward since 2018. And, for the first time ever, there are now more registered Florida Republicans than Democrats — a key indicator of voter intensity."

Caputo also featured a quote from Florida Democratic data scientist and Crist supporter Sean Phillippi, who stated, "‘Fatalistic’ is probably the best word to describe Democrats’ mood."

Even worse for Democratic voters thinking there was a shot, Phillippi flat-out denied any hope of Crist winning the governor’s race. When asked if there was a chance, he responded, "God, no. … The voter registration information is very telling and very predictive."

In addition, Caputo disclosed that "20 top Democratic consultants, lawmakers and organizers in the state who supported Crist or Fried and spoke for this article" agreed "unanimously" with "Phillippi’s sentiment."

An adviser to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Charlie Crist acknowledges that Crist's chances of beating DeSantis are slim. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The insecurity about the race even came from Crist's and Fried’s respective camps. The piece stated, "Five of the Democratic sources said that consultants for Crist and Fried privately confided to others that they just wanted to keep the race close against DeSantis and that they didn't believe either would have a realistic shot in November."

Screven Watson, a former executive director of the Florida Democratic Party, told NBC, "We’re battered, bruised and broke. The three Bs. Unfortunately, there’s a feeling of predestination. Democrats have given up here, and national donors don’t see this as a good investment."

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Watson added that "there’s a feeling" that the loss is "inevitable."

Caputo also described Crist’s defeated outlook on his own race, writing, "Even Crist has implicitly acknowledged he’s running a losing campaign by promising to run the way Biden did in 2020, when he lost Florida by 3.3 percentage points to President Donald Trump, the biggest presidential victory margin in the state since 2004."

The most depressing quote came from one Crist adviser who told Caputo the odds of his boss winning: "It’s the Powerball election. There’s still a chance!" The reporter provided the dismal context, stating, "The chances of winning the Powerball jackpot: 1 in about 292.2 million."

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When asked whether Crist had a chance of beating DeSantis, one Democrat data scientist told NBC News, "God, no. … The voter registration information is very telling and very predictive." (Tristan Wheelock/Bloomberg via Getty Images)