Could the outcome of the Florida gubernatorial race be decided by something as simple as a fan? It just might.

Okay I originally saw this last night on the Rachel Maddow show and I was so stupefied that my jaw was literally hanging down. I just sat there waiting for Rick Scott to take the stage, completely amazed by the fact that he might not do so simply because his opponent had a fan under his podium. 

Here is how the Tampa Bay Times reported on the incident now referred to as, of course, "Fan-gate:" 

In the weirdest start of a gubernatorial debate, Florida Gov. Rick Scott initially refused to take the stage Wednesday night because Democrat Charlie Crist insisted on using a fan to keep him cool. 

The Republican governor finally emerged at least six minutes late as flummoxed moderators struggled on live TV to figure out what to do with a bemused Crist standing solo on stage at Broward College.

A Crist adviser tweeted this out early this morning making the case that Crist was in the right.

Debate "organizers" are wrong. Rules were settled two days prior to the debate. pic.twitter.com/JIRbWAsxdr
— Kevin Cate (@KevinCate) October 16, 2014

Hell I don't know if Charlie Crist pulled a fast one, or if Rick Scott is really this petulant, but either way it is never a good thing for the state, that you are asking to elect you to their highest office, to see you throwing a tantrum and threatening to take your ball and go home over something so incredibly trivial.

I think if Crist wins this election that he should get that fan plated in gold and put it up on  a display case in the Governor's mansion.