Racism quickly becomes issue

Racism immediately became an issue in the Florida governor’s race Wednesday as both nominees made predictions: The Democrat said voters aren’t looking for a misogynist, racist or bigot, while the Republican said voters shouldn’t “monkey this up” by choosing his AfricanAmerican opponent.

Only hours after their primary election victories, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis made clear the high-profile race in the nation’s largest political battleground state was going to be nasty and racially charged. Gillum, a far-left Democrat seeking to become the state’s first black governor, and DeSantis, a Trump-endorsed Republican, are political opposites, both seeking to gin up turnout among the party’s most ardent supporters.

Asked if he’s afraid of President Donald Trump’s support for DeSantis, Gillum told CNN that his race is about uniting the state.

“I actually 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 is going to appeal to our higher aspirations as a state, “Gillum said.

Meanwhile, on Fox News, DeSantis called Gillum an “articulate” candidate, but said “the last thing we need to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda with huge tax increases and bankrupting this state. That is not going to work. It’s not going to be good for Florida.”

Democrats immediately decried DeSantis’ comment as racist, but the DeSantis campaign clarified that his comments were directed at Gillum’s policies, not the candidate himself. “To characterize it as anything else is absurd,” his spokesman Stephen Lawson said.

Gillum called the comment a form of “gutter politics” that he said comes from the “Trump school” of trying to “fire up the base.”

DeSantis came from behind in the GOP primary with the help of Trump to beat Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who campaigned longer, raised more money and built party establishment support.

Gillum upset a field of five that included former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, who was hoping to become the state’s first female governor and win the office once held by her father, Bob Graham. Gillum spent the least of the major candidates, but won the hearts of those who consider themselves progressives, and got a late boost from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

They’re seeking to succeed Gov. Rick Scott, who can’t run for reelection because of term limits and is instead challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

In a state sure to be a battleground in the 2020 presidential vote, the governor’s race will essentially be a referendum on Trump.

“We’re going to make clear to the rest of the world that the dark days that we’ve been under coming out of Washington, that the derision and the division that have been coming out of our White House, that right here in the state of Florida that we are going to remind this nation of what is truly the American way,” Gillum told cheering supporters.

DeSantis also came out fighting, criticizing Gillum as “way, way, way too liberal for the state of Florida.”

“That is not what Floridians want,” DeSantis declared.

DeSantis based nearly his entire primary run Trump and acknowledged his endorsement was the key.

“With one tweet, that kind of put me on the map,” DeSantis said.

Trump weighed in Wednesday on Twitter saying that not only did DeSantis win but that “his opponent in November is his biggest dream.”

STEVE CANNON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Andrew Gillum and his wife, R. Jai Gillum addresses his supporters after Andrew Gillum won the Democratic primary for governor on Tuesday in Tallahassee, Fla. Gillum defeated former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, the daughter of former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham and four other candidates.