With a little over a week before Election Day, the gubernatorial candidates are hitting the campaign trail.

Former Gov. Charlie Crist started his day in south Florida, rallying his supporters for the first weekend of early voting.

Crist's trail is taking him through Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Jacksonville and Orlando. At every stop, the former Republican is firing up his new Democratic base, specifically African-American Democrats.

Typically turnout among black voters is a lot lower in non-presidential election years, but 2014 could be different. After a week of early voting, Democratic turnout is nine points higher than it was at this point in 2010.

To hear it from Crist, the reason is Gov. Rick Scott.

"He's burning his bank, well, God bless him," Crist said. "Money can't vote. People vote, and that's where you come in and that's how we win."

With polls showing Crist and Scott locked in a dead heat, every vote is critical, and so is every rally. That's why Republicans have become uninvited guests.  Armed with megaphones and talking points, their attacking Crist not only for switching parties, but also for running what they call a corrupt campaign.

"It's just a degrading thing and essentially Charlie started the war on women and we don't want to stand for it," said Republican Party of Florida chair Leslie Dougher.

Given the size of the state, there's no way any candidate can cover the ground Crist is covering on Saturday without flying by plane. The campaign is renting one and members of the media are on it, but not photos are allowed.

Crist talks a lot about Gov. Scott being a millionaire and owning a private plane, but the image of Crist flying private, even for a day, could help undercut that message.