Clinton to keep low profile in race for Fla. governor
Hillary Clinton is coming to Florida next week to support Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum — but don’t expect the campaign to make a big deal about it.
Clinton will hold closeddoor fundraisers in support of Gillum but no public events, the campaign clarified Friday.
Gillum announced last month that he would campaign Oct. 23 with Clinton in South Florida, adding that he was “honored to have Secretary Clinton join me.”
That wasn’t greeted well by some Gillum supporters, who wrote on Twitter that Gillum would be making a mistake by appearing with Clinton.
“Gillum’s already got South Florida in the bag,” Miami filmmaker Billy Corben wrote on Twitter. “Why polarize? Even Hillary voters don’t want to see or hear from her again.”
Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis blasted Gillum for inviting Clinton to appear on the trail.
Gillum has touted an endorsement he received from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, but he supported Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary.
Gillum, who is mayor of Tallahassee, was one of 39 people considered by Clinton’s campaign as a possible vice presidential runningmate, according to emails published by Wikileaks.
Clinton fared well in South Florida in 2016, winning 66 percent of the vote in Broward County. She made numerous campaign stops in South Florida, including one at Florida International University to introduce U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine as her pick for vice president.
Gillum is enlisting Democratic allies to support him elsewhere in Florida.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is hosting rallies in Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville Monday and Tuesday. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey also is supporting Gillum’s campaign.