Crist Warms to Adoption by Gays

On Thursday -- for the second time in a week -- Florida governor Charlie Crist expressed his openness to allowing adoption by gays. The practice is banned in the state under the harshest law of its kind in the country and is being challenged in court.

According to theSt. Petersburg Times, Crist, an independent candidate for U.S. Senate, appeared with other statewide candidates in Sarasota at the Florida Press Association and Florida Society of Newspaper Editors convention.

Crist "said he no longer supports Florida's ban against gay couples adopting children," the Times reported. "A better way and approach would be to let judges make that decision on a case-by-case basis."

The comments follow a video interview with Time magazine, in which Crist said the best thing regarding the gay adoption law in Florida is to have "a live and let live attitude."

"I guess the best decision maker would be a judge," said Crist. "Currently we have a law on the books in Florida that precludes that from happening. I'm sure the next legislature, or maybe the next governor, might address those issues."

Crist said in the video interview that he still believed only heterosexual couples should have the right to marry.