Racism becomes issue in Florida gov. race
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Racism 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 African-American 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. Mr. Gillum, a farleft Democrat seeking to become the state’s first black governor, and Mr. DeSantis, a Trump-endorsed Republican, are political opposites, both seeking to gin up turnout among the party’s most ardent supporters.
On Fox News, Mr. DeSantis called Mr. 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 Mr. DeSantis’ comment as racist.
“That was more than a dog whistle,” said U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat. “That was absolutely a racist, disgusting statement. I don’t think there’s any other way to interpret it.” A Fox News host later said on air that the network did not condone Mr. DeSantis’ language.
The DeSantis campaign clarified that his comments were directed at Mr. Gillum’s policies, not the candidate himself. “To characterize it as anything else is absurd,” his spokesman Stephen Lawson said.
Meanwhile, asked if he’s afraid of President Donald Trump’s support for Mr. DeSantis, Mr. 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,” Mr. Gillum said.