Florida's gubernatorial election is heating up, and candidates are baring their teeth.
Gov. Rick Scott (R) and former Gov. Charlie Crist (D) are fighting over their success with Florida's economy and the failures of each other.
Exactly how much of a role does the governor play in the state's economy?
According to News 13's Florida Decides poll, more than 71 percent of people say they believe the governor has a great deal of control over the state's economy.
The candidates are running with that idea. Scott claims hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost during Crist's tenure as governor. Crist has fired back with ads of his own, stating: "Here's the truth: The recession wasn't caused by me or by you. You know who caused it? ... Guys like Rick Scott ... "
So, who is right?
Sean Snaith, an economics professor at the University of Central Florida, said neither candidate can truly claim responsibility.
"I think that governors do have an effect, but they don't control — ultimately — the destiny of the state's economy," Snaith said. "Some of it has to do with policy in the state, but a lot of it has to do with forces that are much larger and beyond the control of Tallahassee."
When the state's economy began to crumble during Crist's administration, Snaith said, the entire country was feeling the downturn, as well. There was little any politician could do to turn the situation around, he said.
So, good or bad, the credit for the state's economy may be nothing more than who is in the governor's mansion when the campaign ad is written.