Ybor City Stogie (FL blogger) analyzes Charlie Crist as a Democrat. Good summary.

[madfloridian]

I may differ with some of Stogie's points, but overall pretty thorough. For some it will be a tough choice, but I have no problem voting for him. The polls show him far ahead at this point of a long-time Democrat, and right now the biggest thing we must do is get rid of Rick Scott.

Crist's History of Leaning Left

"I would have left the GOP anyway; they're too extreme. We need open-mindedness in a Senator, not ideology. Problem solving requires consensus, and sometimes concession."

Vetoed bill requiring ultrasound exams before abortion
Supports Federal abortion funding and Judicial activism
Opposes overturning Roe vs. Wade
Said "Tea Party is too extreme on outlawing abortion (2010)"
Said "Abortion is a personal decision, but ban partial birth abortion."

Disagree with Charlie on the latter, but many Democrats have the same view.

Economics

Created the HOPE taskforce charged with making reccomendations to keep families from losing their homes.

Strongly opposes NAFTA, supports the World Trade Organization, supports tariffs on products imported from nations that maintain restrictive trade barriers, supports removal of "favored trade status" from nations with a history of human rights violations. Supported cutting all corporate welfare and foreign aid.

Wonder what his stance is on Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). We know what President Obama's stance is and that of many Democrats, too many in fact.

Civil Rights

Wishy-washy on gay adoption rights, opposing it gay adoption initially, then praising the court's decision to overturn the ban.

Lifetime member of the NAACP; one black legislator called Crist "Florida's first black governor." Supports providing compensation to victims of racial discrimination. Opposes banning homosexuals in the military, but supports "Don't ask, don't tell."

Actually I believe he changed his position on DADT in 2010.

Here is Stogie's advice to Crist...not bad.

Be a Democrat, and be one ALL THE WAY. No moderate is going to get a single Republican vote here, so throw your lot in with the Blue Zone on the I-4 corridor and support whatever they want you to support.
Gay marriage -- accept it, embrace it. Tampa, Orlando, Daytona, and the Keys all have huge, active and vocal gay populations. ESPECIALLY Key West. Denounce the mistakes of your past, and embrace the people who will put you in office. Rethink your stance on gun ownership, or at least show some flexibility in your "absolutist" position regarding the Second Amendment. A lot of innocent people have died since that Amendment was passed, and more than a few have been in Florida. Forget about prayer in schools, or religion anywhere in government. The population you're targeting comes from up North, and they're not interested in mixing Jesus with public education.

Earlier this year Crist did come out in support of same sex marriage. He is not the only Democrat to have a mind change on that.

Ybor City Stogie

Also posted at my Twitter account