A mom and 4 guys — a governor among them?
Early and absentee voting is underway for Florida’s primary election Aug. 28, and Democrats have a solid field to choose from in what will be one of the nation’s most closely watched contests for governor. A previous opinion column I wrote for the Orlando Sentinel looked at the Republican match-up between Adam Putnam and Ron DeSantis. Who among five Democrat candidates for governor seems poised to win and what are the candidates saying?
Gwen Graham wants everyone to know she’s a mom. In the last televised debate before the election, sponsored by West Palm Beach television station WPBFChannel 25, she mentioned motherhood a dozen times, apparently to remind women voters she is one of them. Her opening line in the debate is, “This is not a drill,” although it’s not clear anyone believes it is. In previous debates, she has said that while she served as a member of Congress, President Obama told her, “I am so proud of you.”
It appears Graham is overloaded on advice from political consultants on delivering sound bites. This is not to pick on the candidate; she has led most polls this summer and may be Florida’s Democrat nominee and arguably should face higher scrutiny. She’s at her best, however, in more unscripted moments.
One of the panelists at the Aug. 2 West Palm Beach debate put to Graham a politically difficult question, a trap really. When asked if she would support Bill Clinton campaigning for her in Florida in light of the “me too” women’s movement, in which the former president has well-known liabilities, Graham emerged unscathed. Empathizing with women’s challenges in male-dominated workplace settings and weaving in Hillary Clinton’s service in the Obama administration, Graham refused to dismiss the notion of Bill Clinton supporting her campaign.
Should Graham become the party’s nominee for governor, if this exchange is any indication, thinking on her feet will not be a problem as she squares off against her Republican opponent. Moreover, she earned the endorsement of Florida’s teachers union, has experience in public education and has made increasing funding and ending high-stakes testing signature issues.
Philip Levine, who through significant portions of this primary season has been competitive with Graham in the polls, has developed a consistent message about how his record as mayor of Miami Beach would translate into addressing statewide Democratic priorities. On climate change: The former mayor claims he “took on sea level rise like no other city in the world.” Indeed, Levine championed a $500 million infrastructure plan intended to protect the city from flooding. The candidate touts enactment of a living-wage ordinance and reforming the police department.
Levine’s momentum may have been compromised somewhat with the late entry of billionaire businessman Jeff Greene into the race. Greene, who like Levine is able to self-fund his campaign, has co-opted Levine’s approach of applying business acumen to government operations. Levine is also a successful businessman. Now Greene is running as the resume candidate whose experience and personal financial situation presumably would make him the best candidate to return the governorship to Democrat control since the 1990s. Polls are providing mixed messages on Greene’s effect on Levine. The most recent poll, conducted this month, shows Levine edging even Graham, while others earlier this summer indicate Greene is nipping at Levine’s heels.
Andrew Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, is an interesting candidate whose personal story of growing up as the son of a school-bus driver and construction worker comes across as authentic and laudable, given he was the first in his family to earn a college degree. Saying he’s the only “non-millionaire” running for governor, Gillum has opened a political lane for himself running as a Bernie Sanders-style progressive. Earning the endorsement of the Vermont senator, the candidate supports the most aggressive of government health-care expansion plans, “Medicare for all.” Portraying himself as the most anti-Trump candidate, Gillum supports the impeachment of the president. Despite filling a political void on the left, it may turn out Florida is not ready for this brand of progressivism as Gillum is running behind in most polls.
Last but not least, Orlando businessman Chris King has been mired in single digits in every poll. Nevertheless, he may have summed up what’s ahead better than anyone, recently referring to Ron DeSantis, riding a wave of Donald Trump’s support, as the president’s “apprentice.”
Given Florida’s national political importance, its reputation as a swing-state and a dearth of Democratic governors in recent years, it’s no wonder all eyes are on this election.