Trump choice picked for fight to be Florida’s new governor

AN ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT Republican backed by Donald Trump and a black Democrat endorsed by Bernie Sanders will face each other in Florida’s election for governor in November.

The race, in the country’s biggest swing state, has brought to light sharp divisions in the US over issues such as immigration, the environment and healthcare. The outcome will be a temperature test for voters’ attitudes ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

Congressman Ron Desantis, the president’s pick, beat the establishment favourite Adam Putnam in Tuesday night’s primary for the Republican nomination.

Mr Desantis, who makes frequent Fox News appearances, is known as an immigration hardliner in a state where Hispanic voters hold a large sway.

On the Democratic side, Andrew Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, also beat the establishment favourite Gwen Graham, a former congresswoman.

Mr Gillum, on the progressive side of the party, was backed by Vermont senator Sanders, and campaigned for universal healthcare. He will become Florida’s first black governor if he wins in a state that has not elected a Democratic governor since 1999.

His Republican rival was accused of racist dog-whistle comments, as he urged voters not to “monkey this up” by voting for the Democrat.

Voters also went to the polls in Arizona on Tuesday night, where Martha Mcsally, a moderate, won a Republican party nomination for the Senate.

♦ Don Mcgahn, the White House counsel who reportedly spent 30 hours in interviews with Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election-meddling, is to leave his post this autumn.