Biden taps Charlie Crist, ex-Florida governor, for UN agency role

President Biden on Wednesday announced he will nominate former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist for U.S. representative to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Crist, a former congressman, unsuccessfully ran for Florida governor again to unseat Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2022.

The ICAO spot, which requires Senate confirmation, is a representative to the United Nations and comes with the rank of ambassador. The ICAO works to create international uniformity in air navigation regulations and standards.  

Former airline pilot Chesley Sullenberger, who is famous for landing a plane in the Hudson River in 2009 when the engines were disabled, served in the role under Biden for five months in 2022 before stepping down. He was confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate. 

Crist was governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 and was elected as a Republican before becoming an independent in 2010. He then joined the Democratic party in 2012 and ran for governor again in 2014, losing to former Gov. Rick Scott (R). He was elected to Congress in 2016 and resigned from the House in 2022 to launch his most recent gubernatorial run. 

The White House outlined that Crist “guided the state through challenging times, including the Great Recession and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill” when he was governor. It also praised him for making public education a top priority and for being a “staunch environmental advocate.”