Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, in a third and final debate with Republican Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday, said "it's worth it" to risk losing jobs in the state in order to raise the minimum wage,
CNN reported.
CNN's chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper, who moderated the Jacksonville debate, asked Crist specifically what he would say to the Florida business owner who said that she would have to lay off one of her 17 employees if the minimum wage was raised:
"It's worth it," was Crist's reply.
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Voters nationwide overwhelmingly say that
jobs and the economy are their number one concern, polls show.
At Tuesday night's debate, which was televised nationally, Crist's comment was made in support of a policy that could cost the state 50,000 jobs, according to
The Miami Herald.
Under Scott,
unemployment has dropped to 590,000 from 1 million in January 2011, when he took office. Some 700,000 residents are working part time because they can't find full-time jobs or have dropped out of the labor force.
Crist, a Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat, supports raising the minimum wage to $10.10 saying, "Well, the reason I think it is worth it because people deserve it," though some firms might have to lay workers off as a consequence.
Scott told Crist that he was responsible for the loss of some 800,000 jobs between 2007-11, while Crist was governor.
He also said Crist's wealthy upbringing put him out of touch with ordinary working Floridians.
"I grew up with families that struggled. I don't know my natural father. I lived in public housing. I have an adopted dad," Scott said. "I didn't grow up with money. You did. You grew up with plenty of money. Charlie, you lost more jobs than any state but one," CNN reported.
Crist blamed the loss of jobs during his tenure on the "economic meltdown" that had hit the country, CNN reported.