Andrew Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, won the Democratic nomination for Florida governor on Tuesday against much better-funded opponents in a stunning primary victory.
Lagging in third or fourth place in recent polls, things started looking up for Gillum, 39, after he secured a Bernie Sanders endorsement earlier this month.
A surge of liberal support from African Americans and young people is credited for Gillum’s success in the primaries. If he wins in November, Gillum will be the first Black governor in Florida’s history.
At the #Gillum for Governor victory party in Miami. People are ecstatic. Reminds me of 2008 feeling. All happening in a purple state. pic.twitter.com/YDnI1b2Eo0
— Patrick Hidalgo (@PatrickHidalgo) August 29, 2018
During a GHOGH podcast, Gillum said that he doesn’t look anything like the past five losing Democratic nominees for Florida governor:
“In this state, the … Black vote in the Democratic primary might represent about 30 percent of the electorate. Yet we’ve never had (a Black nominee). I mean, it is stunning and, and they will put up insurmountable barriers … to keep a candidate like me from being able to get out there and to really truly compete. It’s all because they are addicted to a playbook. They’ve got a typograph of what our nominees are supposed to look like, sound like, where they are supposed to come from, what the pedigree of their family is supposed to be. And I will admit happily that I don’t fit that profile, but that profile has been losing in the state of Florida for 20 years. Five consecutive elections for governor, we lost, right?”
In November, Gillum will have to beat his Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Gillum has been saying for months that he would love to take on DeSantis, Miami Herald reported.
“Trump and Ron DeSantis are both scraping from the bottom of the barrel,” Gillum said Wednesday on CNN. “I believe that Florida and its rich diversity are going to be looking for a governor who’s going to bring us together, not divide us. Not misogynist, not racist, not bigots. They’re going to be looking for a governor who’s going to appeal to our higher aspirations as a state, who’s going to talk about what it means to build a Florida that makes room for all of us, and not just some of us.”
Tonight, we proved what's possible when people come together & show up to build FL into a better state for all. I'm truly honored to represent people across the state as the Democratic nominee — and I promise to stand up for everyday Floridians and the issues that matter most. pic.twitter.com/zC19uMBIer
— Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) August 29, 2018
Setting himself apart as the only “non-millionaire” in the race, Gillum presented as a champion of lower and middle-class Floridians. His progressive agenda includes supporting a $15-an-hour minimum wage and Medicare for all. He opposes Stand Your Ground, the self-defense law that was again invoked last month when an unarmed man, Markeis McGlockton, was shot in a parking space dispute.
Florida voters are famous for deciding their candidate preferences at the last minute, Miami Herald reported:
“Supporters at Gillum’s noisy victory party cheered deafeningly and hugged each other as the gap in votes between Gillum and (former U.S. Rep. Gwen) Graham began to narrow shortly after 8 p.m., as polls closed in the western Panhandle.”
A Miami native, Gillum won by more than a 2-to-1 margin in Miami-Dade and Broward, the state’s two largest Democratic counties, beating Graham in the highest turnout for a midterm primary election in Florida history, Miami Herald reported.
Gillum discussed the DNC taking the Black vote for granted, its silence on the killing of 60 Palestinian protestors, and whether big tech and Silicon Valley elites can be regulated at the state level during a GHOGH podcast with Jamarlin Martin.
Listen to the Gillum interview on the GHOGH podcast, and check out other GHOGH podcasts here.
#BREAKING The AP reports #Gillum spent only $6.5 million on a primary where billionaire Jeff Greene spent $38 million and millionaire former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine spent about $29 million of his fortune. @CBS12
— Michael Buczyner (@MichaelBCBS12) August 29, 2018
I SEE YA FLORIDA #GILLUM ☺️ pic.twitter.com/RaJAiFka6I
— GoddessZeenahh🌻 (@tweetin_on_em) August 29, 2018
Did my duty, with three enthusiastic kids tagging along. Hoping to see @AndrewGillum as our next governor! pic.twitter.com/Tdz5edOUak
— Farron Cousins (@farronbalanced) August 28, 2018
Miami-Dade is fired up & breaking turnout records — thank you @RepWilson! #BringItHome pic.twitter.com/XfH7vpN7kw
— Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) August 28, 2018