Debate: Electric Fan a Hot Topic 
 
 DAVIE, Fla.—After one of the strangest starts in memory to a political debate in Florida, Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic challenger Charlie Crist sparred heatedly Wednesday night over a wide range of issues and depicted each other as dishonest and untrustworthy. The Republican governor finally emerged at least six minutes late as flummoxed moderators struggled on live TV to figure out what to do with a bemused Crist standing solo on stage at Broward College. @nbc6 pic.twitter.com/IQsxmMtmLg — Steve Litz (@SteveNBC6) October 15, 2014 
 
 “Are we really going to debate about a fan?” Mr. Crist said, adding that he wasn’t aware of any rule violation. They’re losing their plans.” 
 
 Former Florida Governor and Democratic candidate for Governor Charlie Crist, left, and Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott participate in a televised debate at Broward College on Thursday. “The people of Florida know that I didn’t cause the global economic meltdown, … any more than Rick Scott caused the national economic recovery,” Mr. Crist responded. “You can’t trust Rick, and it’s sad,” Mr. Crist said at one point. Fan at Charlie Crist’s feet keeping Gov. Asked what was trending early into the debate, Naples Daily News executive editor Manny Garcia reported the obvious: 
 
 “Well, the fan.” 
 
 It took less than 40 minutes before the Crist campaign fired off a fundraising email signed by campaign manager Omar Khan saying Scott embarrassed the state: “If you’re as amazed as I am by what you just saw, chip in a few bucks right now to make sure this guy doesn’t get to stay our governor.” 
 
 The Scott campaign released its own statement: “Charlie Crist can bring his fan, microwave, and toaster to debates — none of that will cover up how sad his record as governor was compared to the success of Rick Scott. Crist should buy a fan for the 832,000 Floridians who lost their jobs while he was governor.” 
 
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 2016 Election Calendar | WSJ/NBC Polls | 2016 Poll Standings 
 
 
 
 Politics Alerts: Get email alerts on breaking news and big scoops. The poll showed voters don’t really trust either candidate; with 32 percent saying Scott was honest and ethical and 34 percent saying that of Crist. As of last week, it had drawn $55 million in spending on TV campaign ads—more than for any other race for governor or U.S. Senate in the country. “Talk about all talk and no action,” Mr. Crist said. “Obamacare is a bad law,” he said. No action.” 
 
 Mr. Scott responded by attacking the health-care law.
– Florida Gov. Rick Scott almost called off his debate with Democratic challenger Charlie Crist last night over a fan—and not the kind that would want the Republican's autograph. At the start of the debate, Scott refused to come out for at least six minutes because Crist had an electric fan at his podium, which Scott's campaign claimed was a violation of the rules, reports the Miami Herald. "This is remarkable over a trivial issue no matter what side you're on," said one of the moderators before Scott relented and emerged for what turned out to be a heated and ill-tempered debate with the formerly Republican former governor, reports the Wall Street Journal. After the debate—which touched on issues including same-sex marriage, climate change, and Medicaid funding—the Crist campaign released a copy of the debate rules, which showed that fans were allowed, and accused Scott of throwing a "temper tantrum," reports the Washington Post. The Scott campaign fired back, saying "Crist can bring his fan, microwave, and toaster to debates—none of that will cover up how sad his record as governor was compared to the success of Rick Scott. Crist should buy a fan for the 832,000 Floridians who lost their jobs while he was governor." The latest polls show the two in a dead heat.