Democrats push for unity
Gillum, Nelson call on party to pull together to win governor, U.S. Senate races
Andrew Gillum, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and three of the Democratic Party’s unsuccessful gubernatorial candidates appeared together in Orlando on Friday to show party unity after a hardfought primary.
Gillum, 39, and Nelson, 75, had contrasting tones and styles, but the Tallahassee mayor and three-term senator both stressed the importance of defeating Gov. Rick Scott, Nelson’s Senate opponent, and Gillum’s GOP rival, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis.
Gillum told the crowd of several hundred at a packed Painters and Allied Trades union hall that when he grew up, there was a sense of community, that “If I did good in life, we could all do good in life . ... Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis want to run us in the other direction. They have made very clear their politics of division and derision and separation.”
“But I want to let them know that on Nov. 6 we are going to send an unquestionable message, not just here in the state of Florida, but in the nation’s capital,” Gillum said. “And it will reverberate around the world. That there are more of us who are common and who are decent and who are self-respecting
and who still believe in the American dream. … That there are more of us than there are of them.”
Nelson spoke of how he knew Gillum from his days as a student at Florida A&M University and that he sponsored a young Gillum’s trip to the National Prayer Breakfast. He embraced Gillum both literally and figuratively. Some political scientists suggest that Nelson’s lowkey campaign could be given a boost by the young people and African Americans that Gillum, who is black, could bring to the polls.
“You all are here, obviously fired up,” Nelson said. “And you know what’s at stake. … As we carry the banner of the Democratic Party, I am going to work side by side with Andrew and are going to lead us to victory. We are going to turn this state around.”
Nelson hit Scott on environmental issues, including the red tide and Lake Okeechobee algae blooms, climate change and sea level rise. He also chided Scott for his recent statements about health care.
“Lo and behold, something America has come to expect is that every person ought to have quality health care,” Nelson said. “And see what the governor of Florida [has spent] the last eight years trying to kill the Affordable Care Act. And not only that, he’s going into federal court with the attorney general of Florida and saying pre-existing conditions protections are unconstitutional.”
With the fervor of a preacher, Gillum told the crowd, “We cannot, not one of us, sleep on this election.”
“We’re going to organize like we have never organized before,” Gillum said. “We’re going to travel the state, the red areas, the blue areas, the purple areas, and talk to every voter. We have got to stop treating this race for governor as if it’s the Electoral College. It is not. Because there may be areas of this state we may not win. But we can lose them less … by going there and talking honestly and truthfully with people.”
Former Miami Beach Mayor Phil Levine, who joined former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham and Winter Park businessman Chris King in praising their former rival, declared, “The last line of defense against Donald Trump taking over the state of Florida is Andrew Gillum,” Levine said. “We cannot lose this election.”
In response to the event, Scott said in a statement, “Bill Nelson and Andrew Gillum’s radical, liberal ideas and focus on raising taxes threatens to undo our work and hurt families and job creators.”
“We can’t accept that,” Scott said. “We need to continue our legacy of creating jobs, growing the economy and making Florida the best place for families to succeed. That’s what I’m going to do as Senator and what the Republican nominees will do for Florida.”
The Republican ticket, including Scott and DeSantis, will hold a unity event of their own in Orlando on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Times reported. DeSantis’s former GOP opponent Adam Putnam also was reportedly set to attend.