The former Republican governor of Florida (and John Slattery lookalike) Charlie Crist has endorsed Barack Obama.

In an opinion piece for the Tampa Bay Times, speaks out strongly in favor of the current President.

I'm confident that President Barack Obama is the right leader for our state and the nation. I applaud and share his vision of a future built by a strong and confident middle class in an economy that gives us the opportunity to reap prosperity through hard work and personal responsibility. It is a vision of the future proven right by our history. We often remind ourselves to learn the lessons of the past, lest we risk repeating its mistakes. Yet nearly as often, our short-term memory fails us. Many have already forgotten how deep and daunting our shared crisis was in the winter of 2009, as President Obama was inaugurated. It was no ordinary challenge, and the president served as the nation's calm through a historically turbulent storm.

Crist currently has no party affiliation, having left the Republican party in 2010. He writes that the current party "has failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership or seriousness voters deserve."

An element of their party has pitched so far to the extreme right on issues important to women, immigrants, seniors and students that they've proven incapable of governing for the people. Look no further than the inclusion of the Akin amendment in the Republican Party platform, which bans abortion, even for rape victims.

Crist's piece invites further speculation that he will become a Democrat and run for governor. It will be clearer if he is invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention next month.

[Image via AP]