PENSACOLA — As part of his ‘Hope for Florida’ tour, Charlie Crist made Pensacola one of his final stops before Tuesday’s primary.
What You Need To Know
- Charlie Crist meets with small business and minority business owners
- He said that while the Panhandle is sometimes overlooked by Democratic candiates, he wanted to talk with residents
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He said while it’s a location sometimes overlooked by Democratic candidates, he wanted to make sure that residents in every part of the state could have their voices heard before heading to the polls.
His focus during his visit was small business and providing support for minority business owners in particular.
"By listening it gives you a better opportunity to understand what they're dealing with on the ground every day... day in an day out,” Crist said during his visit.
Business owners across the city of Pensacola shared their stories of financial struggle since the pandemic hit.
Nehemiah Johnson Jr. bought Viola’s Mens Apparel from his cousin nearly three years ago and he says he’s received little financial help and struggled to even secure a PPP loan.
“My biggest challenge has been just having the income and sustainability to keep the store afloat,” he said.
Johnson says he wants elected officials in Tallahassee to really understand what he’s up against in todays economy.
“From my elected officials I would like actual help,” he said.
Crist will continue his tour with stops in South Florida and Jacksonville.