WATCH: Florida governor debate delayed over electric fan
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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Florida gubernatorial candidates Charlie Crist and Gov. Rick Scott squared off in their second debate Wednesday evening.
Scott delayed the start of a debate because of an electric fan below Democratic challenger Crist’s podium.
Crist was alone on the stage for about five minutes at Broward College because Scott said Crist's fan violated a rule against the use of electronic devices.
Crist always uses an electronic fan at public appearances to avoid sweating. He called Scott's position ridiculous. The Republican governor eventually strode on stage. Crist kept the fan.
The Crist campaign sent out the debate rules, which do not mention fans being a violation.
The questions didn’t start until after the fan debacle.
Early on, Scott played into his record on jobs and the economy, pointing to Crist for the downturn.
“He didn’t want to call on companies. He didn’t want to do tough things, he didn’t want to cut regulation,” Scott said.
The candidates took opposing sides on the same-sex marriage question during their latest debate.
Scott told the statewide television audience Wednesday that he supports traditional marriage but ultimately it is a question the courts will decide.
Crist said he supports same-sex marriage but agreed the courts will decide.
During rebuttal, Scott pointed out that when Crist served as the governor from 2007-11 as a Republican he opposed same-sex marriage. He noted that Crist later told reporters his opposition to same-sex marriage was for political expedience because he was then a Republican.
When the candidates were asked if justice was served when neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was acquitted of murder for fatally shooting unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin last year, Crist used the opportunity to suggest amending the stand your ground law, which allows use of deadly force if people are in fear for their lives.
"Everyone believes in that American premise and it is the right thing to do to defend yourself and your property," Crist said. "But when it gets to the point where you have a statute on the books that allows the instigator ... to end up killing another human being after they started the incident, there is something fundamentally wrong with that law."
Scott said Martin's death was tragic, but the law should remain as is.
"I believe in the right to defend yourself. I can't imagine losing a child like that but I have talked to sheriffs and police chiefs," Scott said. "I stand with them that we need to have the existing law in place."
After the debate, the electric fan situation was still front and center on social media, with the trending hashtag “Fangate.”
“This silly ‘fangate’ distracted people from the issues of the day,” said Sen. Dan Gelber (D) of Miami.
Neither Scott nor Crist met with the media after the debate.
Polls have Republican Scott and former Democrat Crist neck-and-neck in Florida's governor's race, so both sides saw the debate as an important night for their campaigns.
The debate was held at Broward College, in south Florida, a key area both campaigns said they have to win in November.
The debate also had a social media segment, through which topics came from people watching the debate.
