Florida will have a new Governor tomorrow. But with the changing of the guard may come a change in the state's status. On Tuesday, Charlie Crist will take the oath of office, succeeding Republican Jeb Bush, who has served as governor of Florida for eight years. But his departure may mean less clout for the state with the President's office according to U-S-F Political Scientist Dr. Darryl Paulson.

“You know when Jeb went to Washington, he didn't stay at the Holiday Inn, he stayed at the White House. And when he asked his brother, it was pretty well assured he would get what he asked for, so I think that close personal relationship is gone.”

Paulson also says Crist's decision not to appear with the President in Tallahassee during the general election created a quote "testy" relationship between Crist and the president. But Paulson doesn't expect that to cause long term problems.

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Early on in the Republican gubernatorial primary, Charlie Crist and his rival debated over who was more like Governor Jeb Bush. But when he takes the oath of office tomorrow, Crist is expected to be a very different kind of leader. U-S-F political scientist Dr. Darryl Paulson says part of the reason is that Bush has been such a dominating governor, by controlling the Legislature, setting the agenda and determining how to acheive it.

“To me it seems like Charlie Crist is going to be much more of a consensus governor, that he's going to try to involve the Legislature to a much greater extent in whatever plans he wants to incorporate. And not only that I think he'll be the kind of governor who will probably reach out to a broader spectrum of people, including Democrats in order to achieve the objectives of his administration.”

Crist has already suprised some by selecting Democrat Bob Butterworth to lead the Department of Children and Families. Paulson says if Crist can resolve the state's problems with property taxes and property insurance, he almost assure his re-election four years from now.