Why the skin tone element in the headline, and only on one side at that? "A Progressive and a Trump Acolyte" would've worked. Or "A Black Progressive and a White Trump Acolyte", even better.
I don't care if a person is black, green, magenta, or wearing the polka dot jersey for crissakes. Keep it about the issues, please.
3
Trump is warning of violence if the Republicans don't win.
Really?
This is what the Nazis did in Germany during the 1930's
when the brown shirts took to the streets attacking Jewish people, trade unions, other political parties, and any one
who rejected them.
Trump is a vile small con who is using the propaganda of violence to gain and keep political power.
Vote the GOP out - and keep America safe from the Russian mafia.
* Trump is getting really bad and acts like a sociopath,
who seems to reject American democracy and loves Putin and Russia.
8
I have spent the past month in Central FL, and have been inundated by numerous "Pro-Trump" political ads, including those by GOP nominee Ron DeSantis, which should serve as a cautionary tale for the democratic party in that running an anti-Trump campaign is not a guarantee for success, and may be, at least in FL a losing strategy.
As to Mr. Gillum's victory, I must admit I was surprised by the announcement that he had won the democratic primary, especially since until the announcement of his primary victory I had never heard of him.
Perhaps that is because he believed he would not win a significant number of votes in Central FL and decided campaign spending in Central FL would be a waste of his limited campaign funds.
However, on a more cynical note, is it possible the democratic primary was hijacked by the Far Right, to ensure the democrats elected the weakest opponent possible as their gubernatorial nominee?
1
“We’re showing that we can bring together the Bernie Sanders wing of the party and the Hillary Clinton wing of the party,” he said in a recent interview. Democrats cannot win, he added, by “trying to be Republican-lite.”
I'm hopeful for any Democratic wins, but governor races in Florida and Georgia are not in the bag. The Democratic primary winners are right to hope their party members and significant numbers of independents get behind their candidacies in the general election. But that remains to be seen.
Wealthy Republican donors, many flush with billions in recent tax cuts, will spend like there's no tomorrow. And they'll slime and lie and attempt to discourage and divide the Democratic electorate. Driving up your opponents negatives is Politics 101. Congressional Republicans have also done precious little to protect our elections or keep the Russians out.
So, we'll see if enough voters unite behind candidates from the Bernie wing to bring victories. We'll see if the losing wing learned lessons about the consequences of petulance as exhibited during the 2016 cycle.
And if they win, we'll get to see if they can govern as well as they campaign. Many state legislatures are more gerrymandered than federal House districts. Republicans have already demonstrated that obstruction combined with never ending and baseless investigations work to their advantage.
Done right, Democratic wins in 2018 will help propel sweeps in 2020. I'm hopeful. But we'll have to see.
And already, with his Florida shouldn't "monkey around" comment re: Gillum, DeSantis showed his true racist colours right out of the gate.
2
Why not just say progressive, leaving the black out? Honestly, the Tunes really stirs the racist pot up!
2
Why didn't the NYT include DeSantis' remarks to voters, "don't monkey this up". Another GOP racist who's not afraid to show the world for the record just what he is. Florida voters, do not add to the GOP Washington cesspool. DO NOT VOTE FOR THIS PERSON IN NOVEMBER.
2
Let me guess: as a Trump advocate, de Santos will campaign on removing Latinos from Florida. And, I am only being a little sarcastic here. It will be interesting to see how a White Supremacist does in a diverse state. Will Miami still go Republican?
@Russ Most Florida Latinos are Cuban and republican.
1
@Russ As long as there are Cubans in Miami, Miami will go Republican.
Yay. Legalize marijuana. Y'all.
1
Ok, Florida. Now that DeSantis threw in the (paper) towel by telling Fatwa News consumers not to "monkey this up"[sic!!!], it's time to redeem yourselves from Hanging Chads and the idiocy of somehow voting AFTER that for Dubya, Jeb!, Rick Scott, Rubio, AND "covfefe".
Start by voting for Gillum and your local Sane candidates, 11/6.
Monkey This Up for ALL of the vile racist "covfefe" GOP.
1
It's GAME ON! down here in the Gunshine State.
This is gonna be fun.
Go Gillum!
Can the NYT start writing headlines that states every person’s race and color? “White Guy Wins!” or “Brown Girl Moves On”. Pointing out this person is “Black” serves no purpose and I am consistently baffled as to why the NYT continues to point out these characteristics.
3
Lets laugh at the extreme right wing as they play the racist
tactic to get votes from white nationalists - Just Laugh.
Laughter is a very powerful weapon to negate any racist and sexist tactics that the GOP will use to get votes, and to frighten people.
Fear is a political tool to frighten people and then offer extremist solutions - like blaming black and brown people about everything that they construct as the "other".
When Trump scams with the notion of violence which he has used in the 2016 election, then just laugh at his stupidity
to believe that 75% of Americans believes his lies - 75% of Americans reject Trump and his racist and sexist policies.
Just Laugh.
1
I cannot believe how quickly this republican candidate began adding racial epithets to his speech. What is wrong with DeSantis and what is wrong with his constituents? Above all, what is wrong with the Republican Party? It is abundantly apparent they are no longer afraid to hide their racism.
I'm ashamed of this trumpization of America, our society, and our politics.
Every Democrat must vote in November. Verify ahead you haven't been removed from the voter rolls. Too many Republican controlled districts are dropping voters.
Then VOTE a straight DEMOCRATIC ticket in November.
Our Country needs us.
Our Republic is at risk.
1
@BMUS Better their racism is out in the open for all to see. Racism is more invidious when it hides behind the persona of acceptance. Since it is out there, you are correct in saying our country needs us. God help us if we can't vote it out of existence.
1
@BMUS
Correction:
...no longer afraid to *show* their racism...
If Gillam is a hard left socialist as Republicans claim, then DeSantis is a racist corrupt white nationalist with authoritarian tendencies.
10
I don't think the Times should refer to Trumpian ideology as ardent or hard-line "nationalism". Nationalism is a complex social doctrine with positive elements like patriotism, and negative aspects like belligerency. Trump is no nationalist. Trump is a nativist. It's a very big, important difference. To gloss over that difference is to give Trump more legitimacy and deference than he deserves.
1
Well, on the plus side, at least when the guy goes down to defeat it will demonstrate clearly that, no, Bernie would NOT have won and, no, the obstacle that the Democrats face is NOT that they need to be more "progressive". Though hoping for the fanatics on the left to absorb that lesson is probably naive.
1
Why is investing in the health and education of citizens —considered a priority in all other first world nations—deemed “fanatic” in the US?
1
Americans want and need Medicare for All. Why shouldn’t Americans have what citizens of every other first world nation have enjoyed for decades?
1
Gillum has class. DeSantis decidedly does not have class. Gillum appears to represent the best of what it means to be a Democrat. DeSantis sounds like a clone of Trump. Florida, who do you want for governor?
6
Interesting fact--GOP turnout in the Florida Primary exceeded Democratic turnout. You do wonder if Florida Democrats are lacking some of the enthusiasm shown in other states.
2
Congratulations Florida DEMS on handing the presidency to Mr Trump in 2020
You have proven that the Blue party is fragmented to the core, while the GOP candidate’s victory proves Mr Trumps grip on the Reds is solid.
While the Blues can’t find what they stand for (centrism? socialism?), the Reds already have a solid candidate and support from GOP politicos continues to grow every day, as evidenced by candidates of his liking winning race after race.
Mr Gillum will be baby easy to blow out of the water by the GOP, and I mean, so easy he might as well concede today. Why? Oh right, you did not ready the article:
‘donors worried about an F.B.I. investigation into City Hall corruption’
This will haunt Mr Gillum till the end of his days, specially during an election where the tag lines will be: ‘socialist, wants to abolish ICE, extreme left, under FBI surveillance for corruption’, and then ask Floridians if this is who really represents them. The moderates will say no and there went the election.
Ready for a blood bath in November? The DEMS should be.
1
Investing in the health and education of Americans is hardly far left. In fact every other first world nation has provided free health care and college to citizens for decades.
1
Why does this headline need to read, "Black Progressive"... why not simply, "Progressive"?
Your point is at the end of the first paragraph: Andrew could be Florida's first black governor. Let's have their beliefs and values define a headline, not color..
3
Perhaps it goes without saying, but why should it? A more fulsome headline for this story would be "A Black Progressive and a White Trump Acolyte Win Florida Governor Primaries."
2
45th will find out after November Election KALLSTADT is better place than America.
Did Ron DeSantis really think Fox News viewers wouldn’t take note of his deplorable remark, “Don’t monkey this up” in discussing a win by his black Democratic opponent Andrew Gillum? Nope. His Fox audience revels in such snide comments.
Florida contains more than one Villages cesspool of fear and loathing of blacks, immigrants, gays, liberals, strong women, taxes, etc. There’s wealthy Mar a Lago and enough poor rural counties to gin up Trump voters at shooting ranges across the state. Like the 2016 election, a lot of voters will keep silent, only to show their numbers on election day.
Remembering the appeal of remarkable Barack Obama who twice defied the odds to win the presidency, one can only hope Mr. Gillum displays enough charisma to bring about an upset in the general election. It is a huge task for him. I wish him well.
2
DeSantis on Fox News urged voters “not to monkey this up” by voting for his opponent, Andrew Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, and an African American.
That didn’t take long from the guy who worships trump.
Really fine people on both sides of the Florida gubernatorial contest!
The NYT headline should be:
A Progressive and a Trump Acolyte Win Florida Governor Primaries
(When will we ever get over this skin tone nonsense?)
2
I hope the Parkland kids get involved and ask the republican candidates how many $$ they are getting from the NRA.
4
The headline of this article begins,"A Black Progressive and a Trump Acolyte..." Why not this: "A Black Progressive and a White Trump Acolyte"? Or, "A Progressive and a Trump Acolyte"? Must you treat a black person as the oddity in the landscape, like a gazelle in the garden, or a toad on the table? If you've got a point to make about race, then make it about both of them. Otherwise, treat the mayor as you would a normal person. Which is what he is.
3
The Republican party has moved way to far to the right and have been able to dominate national politics through overwhelming rule in State houses across the country. Gerrymandering and right wing minority government has to be broken. I hope Democrats and independents in Florida have the courage to elect Mr. Gillum as the next Governor of Florida.
Congratulations on a great campaign.
2
How long exactly did it take for DeSantis to racially attack Mr. Gillum? I am stunned and disheartened by such an overt call to prejudice.
How long did it take?
14
Sickening isn’t it?
Go Gillum!
@Nancy
According to the Tampa bay Times this morning,
it only took 15 hours.Desantis made a comment on Fox stating not to "monkey around". Code I suspect.
I wouldn't worry too much about Gillum's advocacy for universal health care and abolishing ICE. Those are national issues that he has no control over. I'm more concerned about attack ads that will try to link him to corruption in Tallahassee, and the conservatives who will play the "don't change the status quo" and race card. From what I've read, his programs have had a positive impact in the capitol, and that he has been able to get things done. He's also popular and has innovative ideas.
7
Congratulations to Andrew Gillum. We wish him success in the upcoming election. Great to see an election where money didn't decide the whole thing.
Great to see support for universal health care and for a sane immigration policy, implemented fairly.
Good to see support for legalizing marijuana and the unfair and discriminatory imprisonment surrounding present marijuana laws. But I'm concerned that legalizing marijuana may be a vote-losing stance.
With respect, may I suggest that Mr. Gillum clearly acknowledge known problems with legalization, most especially the lack of guidance as to how much to use. Maureen Dowd knows what I mean, as do many others. Aside from better understanding of dosage, some clear messages about driving after marijuana use would be good.
I agree that marijuana should be legalized, but I'm not convinced that the position won't lose votes. Hope I'm wrong, because I very much want Mr. Gillum to win!
3
@sing75
florida overwhelmingly passed medical marijuana
two years ago.It is popular here as there are lots of
very ill seniors as well.the issues around implemtation
are geooraphics surrounding dispensaries ie: schools
etc .
climate here is quite good for growth and several
company's have already been given the go ahead .
it will also provide great revenue .
I love how all these democrats are like, "you are handing the election to republicans, he is too far left I will not vote!". Well actually, it is you who are handing the election to republicans. Voting is a pragmatic exercise and a duty to our country. It was democrats that handed the election to Trump when they stayed home during last election because they did not like Hillary. We need to stop thinking about our individualistic values and more about the future of our country. Go vote, be a good citizen, or don't join the discussion because you gave up your right. I hope Gillum wins, and I hope all these new voices win, that is what this country needs.
14
@Jorge Nunez
Agreed. The mindset of Americans voters is, to say the least, incomprehensible. It is the never ending American saga of the voter voting against their self-interest or picking "the lesser of two evils".
For years, voters constantly complain that their representatives only serve the interests of their large corporate donors and not them, yet, when a candidate comes along who WILL represent them and their values, they immediately offer up the excuse, "well, I can't vote for that candidate because I do not think they have a chance of winning" Huh?
Well, its is quite simple. If a candidate comes along that does excite you and represents your interests, get out and vote for them! It is a numbers game folks, ignore the meaningless rhetoric and negativity and vote for the politician you want, hence, if they get enough votes they will win!
1
The same progressive that is called a "monkey" or accused of "monkeying up" the race because of his "socialist" policies. This of course is by the Republican, the ones who always tell the truth (they invariably lie it seems spurred on by Trump's comments), his name is DeSantis. I suggest to all who read this that seeing BlacKkKlansman by Spike Lee is a must. It shows just this kind of thinking in the South which was rampant, including it appears in Colorado, of the 1950s. And as one would expect Mr. Lee had to make a connection to Donald J. Trump and his behavior since he began his campaign based on his very own FAKE NEWS. The only people who in fact spout this now...the Republican Party hopefuls, Trump of course, and the alt Right conspiracy theorists, such as Alex Jones.
7
Courageous, but as a Florida native, I fear this will produce a loss for the Democratic Party. The state is too weighted against blacks. This, a century and a half after the surrender of the Confederacy.
4
When I listened to a New Hampshire voter explain why it came down to Trump or Sanders in their primary, my eyebrows shot up. I wished Clinton had paid some attention. She did not.
The progressive messages of Trump and Sanders overlapped. But Sanders is a real progressive while Trump just takes away progressive programs like health care, diminishes other progressive programs like public education by selecting sham for-profit school enthusiast Betsy DeVos, and gives a giant tax break to rich people. We're at full employment, but wages have not budged and will not budge.
I watched one of our Republican candidates for senator up here just fall on her face saying that, hey, if they get a trickle of that trickle down, that's good enough, right? Yeah, keep going with that one.
Gillum can easily win because he will attract the rational progressives who thought they had a progressive candidate in Trump. They have, by now, figured out that Trump is a con artist. The irrational rabid Trump fan boys are just lost. Forget them.
The Democrats? There are very, very few Democrats who are going to switch over to a Trump fan boy. Exceedingly few.
Good luck, Mr. Gillum.
10
This is what I was afraid would happen. As a knee-jerk reaction to Trumpism, the Democrats have swung the pendulum all the way to the left. While I applaud the success of all the progressive candidates, I fear the centrists, independents and disillusioned conservatives will be too scared to take such a giant leap. Then they'll either stay home for want of a better option, like so many did in 2016, or stick with what they feel is "safe," and we'll be stuck with more Trump clones. Steering the country away from Trump requires someone who can woo the middle right. I hope these progressive candidates can do that.
@Jo While I share a lot of those fears, I'm not certain these fears are true. Florida voted overwhelmingly for Obama, twice. Among the many reasons Trump won in Florida, and elsewhere, was because a whole lot of people didn't bother to vote at all. In 2016 I was quite capable of looking at two candidates and seeing an overwhelmingly rational choice in one of them, but many didn't. Those under 45 are looking for someone to vote FOR, rather than someone to vote against (see: Clinton vs. Trump or even Clinton vs. Sanders). I would argue that the key to a Democratic victory in Florida and elsewhere is getting Democrats to the polls. I don't foresee a groundswell of Democratic voters heading to the polls to vote for a Trump clone because they find Gillum a little too progressive. I would also hope that they've learned their lesson on what happens when you decide to stay at home.
So Floridians don’t mind setting up GoFundMe and begging from friends and family and strangers for money to pay for their cancer treatment? Floridians don’t mind their children graduating college with onerous high interest debt?
The “middle right” also needs Medicare for All.
I can't wait to hear DeSantis explain how the FBI are good guys when they're investigating corruption in Tallahassee City Hall, but bad guys when they're investigating the Trump campaign and Russian meddling.
6
When will the Democrats get that both the Bernie/Progressive wing of their party and Trump voters have one thing right: WE NEED CHANGE. Trump voters have been conned by an "soulless orange haired orangutan" (Reality Winner's phrase), but on this important point, their instinct is correct. To the extent that the Democratic party insists on acting like its 1988 and pursuing status quo policies, tactics,and assumptions, it is doomed.
2
I suppose on some level, it is important that Gillum is Black. I'd like to think it's about his ideas and the trust he projects. I hope he wins.
However, isn't it a bit racist to identify him as such, especially in the headline? Would you point out that the winner was white if that were the case? (Not to mention it's rather obvious in the pictures.)
2
I think of all those people leaving New York, New Jersey and Connecticut who move to Florida to escape high taxes and think: do those people want a high-tax guy like Gillum ?
Hard to imagine.
If they wanted that, they could stay in the northeast
5
Yeah. They would rather start a GoFundMe to pay for their cancer treatments. And they don’t mind if their children graduate with a pile of high interest debt. And they just love paying four times as much for their prescription medications as any one else on earth.
Congratulations to Mr.Gillum, I hope he manages to pull this off.
My only reservation, or perhaps insecurity, is the reporting that Mr.Gillum wants to abolish ICE, can someone explain to me exactly what his proposed policy on this is? Is he suggesting a replacement for ICE? We all should agree that Immigration needs a major reform, but our borders certainly need to be well protected, and I certainly am opposed to the current ICE policies and actions,they are despicable.
3
All one has to do in Florida for democrats to win, especially in the mid-terms, is to re-iterate to retirees that if Republicans maintain the House, it is already in their preliminary budget that in order to provide an excuse for their record deficit largely created by the TRILLION AND A HALF DOLLAR tax cut that went primarily to the wealthy and corporations, they will do a "hatchet job" on social security, medicare and medicaid.
For the sake of ideology, is that what Floridians really want? If so, get ready, you are in for a rude awakening.
2
I wouldn’t bet my life on it, but I think that the geriatrics in Boca Raton have probably gotten all they want out of Trump, and they may even have grandchildren who they pretend to care about.
Then again, they do still really seem to love their money, so it could go either way. Regardless, their voter turnout is not likely to diminish. Now’s the time to remind your vaguely racist grandparents how much you love them.
2
This is going to be interesting. I have always considered Florida to be ruled by a conservative white retirement population that would never elect someone liberal (much less of color) in my lifetime. But Miami and the entire southeast region has thrown that into flux. The state is changing so rapidly and the environmental concerns of global warming and flooding are now taking center stage. Toss in the recent imports from Puerto Rico? Who knows what might happen. Florida may swing big time. Keep your fingers crossed.
2
Mr Gillum won with 34% of the vote, and his opponents were to the right of him.
He needs to unify the party before he can expand it. And if by staying on the left, and he can't unify the base, what will this mean to the Senate race?
2
This will all come down to turnout. Voter registration drives, absentee ballot deadlines -- this is what will matter.
7
Especially in the black community who, during midterms (in Florida), don't turnout as much as they would during a presidential election.
This was a major wake up call for moderates in both parties who were reminded that imagination is a more potent electoral force than pragmatism.
The message is one moderate Democrats had better accept before the upcoming midterm elections and the 2020 presidential election.
America’s problems are due to the failings and excesses of poorly regulated “shareholder capitalism,” and the supporting supply-side economic philosophy that has enriched corporations and the wealthy at the expense of and to the detriment of Americans in the middle and lower classes.
On August 13, the Times reported how the corporations have so far spent the Trump tax cut money: on share buybacks, not on increasing worker wages or improving their businesses.
The only way to place a train back on the railroad tracks that has fallen off the right side of the tracks is to pull it to the left.
9
@Howard Gregory...you mean pull it back to the center, because pulling to the left just pulls the train off the tracks in the other direction. Derailment is derailment, whether left of right.
Wow, a real Democrat! Amazing.
8
Go ahead, avoid the obvious.
He won because blacks voted as a group for him.
Welcome to identity politics.
8
Trumpism is identity politics on steroids.
Didn't Trump win because whites voted as a block for him? Is voting as a block only a bad thing when African Americans do it?
@True Observer
Not only is the statement inaccurate, but it’s hateful.
Gillum will win, and the world will change. Get ready for it. It's coming. It's gonna be good.
10
This will be fun to watch. Clear choice. Wonder how all the retired cultural Marxist New Yorkers will vote--money matters.
4
once again the dems have shot themselves in the foot.
they just handed the election to the republicans! this country
is not going to elect another 'santa clause' giving everything away. the dems win primaries with far left candidates and then lose in general elections. God, I hope they don't do this against Trump in 2020. If they do we will have this moron
in chief for another 4 years.
3
The centrist Democrats, who work for the lobbyists and corporate interests and not for working families, are part of the reason why we have Trump in office. It's time for a change, it's time for true progressive candidates. The DINOS had their chance.
Gillum will never be elected Florida is not a socialist state and we need ICE more than anyone with all the illegals here in Florida remember HILLARY DID NOT WIN FLORIDA AND NEITHER WILL GILLUM ! DESANTIS 2018 /SCOTT 2018 we're a red state and we aim to keep it that way !
5
Sorry to contradict you, but Florida has benefited from Federal "socialist " policies and will continue to do so. Please understand what Democratic Socialism is, you have been living with it, and probably benefited from it . Socialism IS NOT communism. Many democratic countries have socialistic policies and thrive because of those policies.
1
It is my hope that in all of the 2018 races, the Trump Republicans win. Thank you.
6
Clear choice for collusion So you’re for paling around with Putin, white supremacy, and all around knucklehead comments and policies? Nice going!
1
Predictably, less than 12 hours after being confirmed as the GOP candidate -- and of knowing that his competitor is the black guy -- Ron DeSantis found a way to insert the word "monkey" in his considerations about the election.
I don't believe that Florida will tolerate this.
And I also don't believe that independents will support a GOP candidate so subservient to Trump. The pathetic TV ads were DeSantis plays "let's build the wall" with his children should be enough to rule him out as an option to any reasonable voter.
12
@Claudio
Unfortunately, independents probably won't go for a lefty democrat who will be smeared as ready to take their guns away and increase taxes.
@dba I would hope that most independents will have learned the 2016 lesson of what happens when you don't get to the polls.
A lot more FL governor primary votes were cast for Republicans than Democrats -- 100k more. A lot more work to be done in Florida to elect a Democrat Governor. And to keep your Democrat Senator. Are you in?
5
Trump must be apoplectic at the prospect of Mr. Gillum, a smart, tenacious Black American, becoming a serious contender for governor of Florida against Trump's insanely loyal sycophant DeSantis. The outcome of this race will say a great deal about the state of our nation, and where we're headed after the midterms. A victory my Mr. Gillum will offer a ray of hope in an oppressive political landscape. Should his opponent win, it will be the death knell for decency, catapulting a despotic Trump acolyte to the governor's mansion. As a wise and prescient Tim Russert smartly observed in the run-up to the 2000 presidential race, "Florida, Florida, Florida." And here we are again.
1
Any choice at this point is perilous, so why is choosing Gillum, a Black Progressive who can actually excite voters, a mistake? The next election is the most high stakes election in American history, well, since the last election. In the last election, despite conventional wisdom, I was both terrified and certain that Trump would win. Once winning I feared Trump would advocate and promote white supremacy, vilify immigrants, attempt to destroy America's social safety net, attempt to destroy everything President Obama stood for and accomplished, alienate our allies, all while giving Vladimir Putin everything he wanted. It's pretty much played out like that nightmare. Trump is now consolidating his power. If you question it, look what happened last night in Arizona, where Republican Martha McSally won her primary because she transformed herself from Trump critic into Trump lackey. By the time she won McSally went from saying things like "Trump's comments are disgusting," and "That's just not how leaders carry themselves," to supporting every Trump policy, attacking Jeff Flake for criticizing Trump, banning reporters when she spoke, and insisting that legitimate news stories critical of Trump are all "fake news." Trump rewarded her by calling her "Terrific." The only way to save American democracy is to take some real chances. Democrats and Independents will never stop Trump and Republican authoritarianism with half measures. It's only one reason why Gillum was the right choice.
3
I love reading the comment talking down to progressives.
How did your plan for gaining two centrist Republicans for every blue collar workers vote lost work out for you?
1/4 penny per stock traded electronically would pay for free tuition to every American student.
How can you keep rolling your eyes talking like a Republicans that we can't afford nice things?
Democrats better start having answers to our problems instead of pretending to while voting with the donors interests in mind.
I wonder who got the most support from Trump in Florida's gubernatorial primaries, Republican DeSantis or left-wing Democrat Gillum? The nomination of both is more than Trump could have hoped for.
3
Gillum's victory further reinforces the belief that Bernie Sanders would have defeated Trump in 2016. Trump was fortunate that Hillary was unappealing and even loathsome to Sanders' supporters who either didn't vote in the election or cast a protest vote for Trump. No matter who the Dems put up in 2020, the specter of an unpopular Hillary will be gone and by then and Trump will have done enough damage to this country to have lost all but his most steadfast, ardent supporters. The next big step to achieve is scrapping the archaic electoral college and correcting all the corrupt gerrymandering. In a true democracy, the candidate with the most votes wins. Period.
6
@nzierler I don't think it does so at all, and we have yet to see how things go in November. Sanders was never under the Klieg lights and the Republican attack machine that the general election would have provided. It would not have gone well (though I was a Sanders voter in the primary), and Bernie fans exclaiming to the contrary reveal their naivete about how easily he could have been taken apart.
2
@nzierler...Didn't the unpopular Hillary receive 68,000,000 votes - more than any other candidate? Of course she has loathsome to you Sanders Socialists. Heck, America is loathsome to you folks. Wasn't Sanders rejected by the Democratic Party during the 2016 Presidential primaries, of which he has never been a member - oops, except for a blink of an eye in his state primary? The Electoral College is not archaic, unless by archaic you mean it was archaic in 2016 but not in 2008 and 2012, or in 1992 and 1996. Archaic sure happened in a hurry, didn't it?
1
@nzierler: Thanks for confirming the role that Sanders' supporters played in preventing Hillary from been elected. It's clear.
Florida has never elected a liberal governor, not even one comparatively liberal by the standards of the time. Bob Graham is about as close as they have ever come and look at how his daughter did. Gillum has almost no chance of winning barring an earth-shattering turnout of new voters or Trump being uncovered as a paid Russian agent, but in this day and age, almost anything could happen. Even if he does win he will be faced with a solidly Republican legislature who not give him an inch.
2
1. now folks just have to show up for the vote
2. hard not to think of the Gore/Bush fiasco
3. A win in November would signal quite the change and also explode a few heads in the in the panhandle
8
Congratulations to Andrew Gillum for the remarkable victory. But sadly, this is as far as he goes. FL will not elect a progressive Democrat, let alone a black Democrat, for governor.
I have no problem with so called "progressive" views. As a centrist Democrat I've long supported women's rights, environmental protections, some form of Obamacare, etc. But progressive candidates will mainly be successful at the local / district levels, especially in swing states like FL.
Swing state governor races, and the presidential race in 2020, will not be won by progressive Democrats on the far left. Thinking they will is fantasy. The progressive voice is important, but it will be a huge mistake for Democrats to run a progressive candidate for POTUS in 2020. Imagine a disappointed 2016 Trump voter actually casting a ballot for Bernie, or Elizabeth Warren. They won't. But they might vote for a centrist Democrat. The White House is won in the middle. But sadly, there is no energy in the middle right now, it is all polarized to the far lefts and rights.
3
@Jim W
I am afraid individuals like yourself are ignoring the obvious. Several polls, as close as three days before the vote, were indicating Mr Gillum was in a distant third or last place and had no chance whatsoever of winning, yet, he won it going away.
Clearly, the polls are polling the wrong people or in the wrong manner because there is a significant group of voters out there they are ignoring or pretend don't exist. For those that keep saying they like a candidates policies and vision, BUT, keep believing that they can't get elected is because those that keep saying it don't vote!
Over the last ten years, centrist corporate/establishment democrats have lost almost 1000 seats at the state and federal levels because their candidates did not obviously appeal nor had a vision to a large group of voters. Mr. Gillum did and that is why he won. People want an alternative that speaks to them, that is why the "scam artist" Trump is President. He told people what they wanted to hear and that is about all they got.
Progressive democrats can and are committed to actually doing something about it.
1
@Deus...The Polls had Hillary by a landslide as late as the afternoon of Terrible Tuesday. So much for the Polls. About the only thing you can say about the Gillum victory is that he received more votes than a gaggle of moderate Democrats who chopped up the Democratic vote. Gillum, like every politician, will now be promising people what he thinks they want to be promised. Free health care, free tuition, no borders, no ICE, suppression of capitalism and so on. Sounds like a Sanders rally. We'll see what freebies Floridians want from their next Governor. Getting those freebies is another story.
1
I just want to say, and a Florida resident who is also progressive politically, I find distasteful that much of the coverage (not this article, thankfully) on Gillum focuses on his Sanders endorsement. He is his own man, was a Clinton delegate, and does not owe his victory to Sanders. He is a young, black progressive, and this is emphatically NOT the Trump-Sanders battle that was not in 2016.
59
@PiThank you from another Florida resident.
@Piz Mr. Gillum came on the scene when he was a friend of Gwen Graham who took him to one of President Obama's state of the union addresses.
@Piz .. point taken... but he wouldn't of won without Sanders 2016 political impact/influence and his official endorsement... period!
A great but ephemeral win for Gillum, unlikely to translate into success in November.
The last Dem to win FL elections for governor was Lawton Chiles in 1994 vs. Jeb Bush. The 64 year old Mr. Chiles was a well-respected, pleasant and relatable good 'ol boy, also a Korean war veteran, UF Law School graduate and former FL congressman. The support of centrist whites was critical in getting Chiles elected who edged Jeb (50.8% to 49.2%). Black folks represent about 15% of the FL population and many supported Chiles, but the larger white vote was critical.
I respect Gillum and like his story, but realistically speaking, FL is not ready to embrace him. The state's demographics haven't changed much. As 2020 approaches, I hope that the state supports more centrist candidates in primaries ahead, in order to beat Trump and his cronies.
4
Considering the number of people on Medicare and Social Security, in Florida, for them to vote in a Trump supporting governor, certainly would be against their own interests. Fortunately, the elderly, Hispanic and Cuban vote is not in Trump's court or are willing to support people who support the Trump agenda.
By the way, Trump won Florida, like he did the mid-west, and Pennsylvania, because of low voter turnout by the choice of presidential candidates. Let's hope the Democrats are smarter, in 2020, in who they choose as their presidential choice.
Let's also hope, for this year, the Democrats talk to the issues, and let Trump fester in a small corner some place. Bad mouthing Trump, only will embolden the Trump base; ignoring Trump will win Democrats state houses, governorships and Congress. Trump is his own enemy, and each day his past is quickly catching up to him. A lot can happen in the next two months leading up to Election Day. So, ignoring him, by Democrat contenders, is the best action.
8
Progressive goals all require funding, ideally raised in a progressive fashion via an escalating tax on income. Florida, on the other hand, has no income tax at all. Lack of an income tax makes Florida one of the most conservative states in the Union. Given that reality, why does anyone here believe a true 'progressive' can win state-wide office?
5
It has been a perennial debate among Democrats, which approach is best - do we split the difference as Centrists for ‘the widest appeal’, or do we outline a less compromising ideology and vision of progressivism?
Given yesterday’s result, I get the feeling we are going to find out. And no, Conservative critics can spare us the dressing down; their own party has hardened ideologically far more than progressives, alienated centrists considerably, and has still landed where it has. Wherever the center is, and what it’s contemporary value may be, is no longer a rhetorical question.
5
To be consistent, your headline should read,"A Black Progressive and a [WHITE] Trump Acolyte".
Gillum words and actions attest to representing ALL Florida's citizens. His success to date includes many Christian conservative republicans who clearly understand that GOP/tump does not represent all citizens or even basic Christian moral teaching.
5
@johnw....ALL Florida's citizens? He only received 34% of registered Democrats who bothered to turn out. He represents a sliver of the Florida pie. That's ALL.
Another Bernie Sanders wannabe who will get his lunch handed to him when Floridians get a load of his far left agenda. Please Democrats, liberals and progressives, keep putting candidates like Gillum up against traditional Republicans. You are revealing your party to be what we have always known it to be: dysfunctional.
4
While no candidate is perfect, Gillum won't monkey up the state one bit. I hope Florida Dems get behind him in a major way.
6
I am from Florida; happy as heck. This will be a battle of people(Gillum) vs Trump Tyrant surrogate(Desantis). Bring it on. Basta. Vote out Republicans to save health care; jobs and a living wage. Ray Sipe
18
People are deciding on America over a Russian style Oligarchy.
Who could have imagined?
6
All anyone in this country no matter what their color, religion etc a chance of a better life. Is that so hard to understand by the elites or the phony religious zealots.
Political titles don't matter when you go to the hospital and find out that your mother has dementia and you have bone cancer.
If corporations and CEO's can get tax breaks etc etc, we can find the money to provide health care for all.
It was a great hard fought win last night in Florida and we will get out the vote for democracy. Support the real candidates people in this country come November
5
Can Gillum become a point of nucleazation for the growth of liberalism, fairness, and honesty in the Sorry South? Perhaps the vision of better times can overcome the social strictures which have dominated the area for over a hundred years.
5
I thought the democrats were counting on "progressive" women? Guess that was a little overhyped? Yes?
2
@jaco - No.
1
Congratulations Democrats! You've obviously learned absolutely nothing from the victories of Conor Lamb and Doug Jones and nominated a far-left candidate for Governor of Florida who doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Hades of winning the general in that red-leaning state. Ms. Graham could have won that election but you chose Gillum/Sanders - so I hope you enjoy being governed by the loathsome Ron Desantis who - bonus points! - will oversee Congressional redistricting after the 2020 census. You've also boosted the chances of Rick Scott being elected Senator as voters who might otherwise stay home will come out to vote against the candidate who wants to abolish ICE and provide Medicare and a lot more free stuff to all. Enjoy your sugar high now because come January you'll have a lot more wounds to lick and complain about - all of which are self inflicted.
5
@John J.
It is people like you that hold this country back.
My so called free Medicare cost me, $132 a month, another $150 per month for my supplement and $50
a month for my drug plan, double that to include my husbands. We have no dental plan. The social security I have I paid into my entire working life as did my husband. At 71 he can't still afford to retire. Have no clue what sugar you are talking about.
Have you ever thought that if we invested in this country with a stellar and fair education for all and affordable health care that we would be a stronger,
intelligent, less bigoted and a much more happy country.
Nothing in life is free, we pay a price for everything.
As far as Desantis and Scott go, aligning themselves to trump is a terrifying association and should be sending red flags to anyone who voted for trump. If they are truly paying attention to what he is actually doing and not his theatrics to distract you. Unfortunately most of them are looking to be entertained by a reality tv actor, while he is literally screwing you and this country.
The ignorant bully in the Oval Office is already attacking Gillum with lies and racially coded insults. His modus operandi is to appeal to the worst in everyone. This has worked too often. There are many racists with guns in Florida.
Gillum needs Secret Service protection immediately.
7
The Trumpers have already started their racist attacks against Mr. Gillum, with the Republican candidate calling him a "monkey."
6
Florida screws up again. Crashing from the guard rail on the right to the guard rail on the left hurts regular Americans. So after 50 plus years of only voting DEM, I won’t be this time. Gillem is way too far to the left. He makes Bernie seem coherent for a moment or two.
19
How does a progressive policy platform hurt regular americans? Helping working class people is the entire point of being a progressive. Stop being so gosh-darn afraid of new solutions to old problems. This kind of old-hat, status-quo thinking is what prevents the working class from getting what it needs.
6
@Steve
You'll support all the things that you don't like about conservatives rather than support some things you don't like about progressives? Even after you've seen the catastrophe this conservative wave has wrought? Get your priorities straight, Steve.
3
@Steve
I suggest you look at what we have in the WH now, and reconsider your proposed vote, we need the Democrats in power to heal the damage brought on by this Failed Administration. I implore you to look at the bigger picture & cast your vote for the country and it’s healthy return to sanity. Mr. Gillum is part of a large political party, but a party who cares about you and your family. I also have issues with a couple of Mr.Gillum’s policies, but overall if the GOP do well in the mid terms, this country will be in dire straits. Let the political pendulum swing the other way.
1
I am curious if the constant flooding associated with non-existent climate change may have had anything to do with this?
3
Bet on the progressive Democrat Blue Wave vs the Red Tide (that lifts 1% of boats).
3
“We’re showing that we can bring together the Bernie Sanders wing of the party and the Hillary Clinton wing of the party,” he said in a recent interview. Democrats cannot win, he added, by “trying to be Republican-lite.”
I'm hopeful for any Democratic wins, but governor races in Florida and Georgia are not in the bag. The Democratic primary winners are right to hope their party members and significant numbers of independents get behind their candidacies in the general election. But that remains to be seen.
Wealthy Republican donors, many flush with billions in recent tax cuts, will spend like there's no tomorrow. And they'll slime and lie and attempt to discourage and divide the Democratic electorate. Driving up your opponents negatives is Politics 101. Congressional Republicans have also done precious little to protect our elections or keep the Russians out.
So, we'll see if enough voters unite behind candidates from the Bernie wing to bring victories. We'll see if lessons were learned about the consequences of petulance as exhibited during the 2016 cycle.
And if they win, we'll get to see if they can govern as well as they campaign. Many state legislatures are more gerrymandered than federal House districts. Republicans have already demonstrated that obstruction combined with never ending, baseless investigations work to their advantage.
Done right, Democratic wins in 2018 will help propel sweeps in 2020. I'm hopeful. But we'll have to see.
I think what is going on in these elections are indicative of the changes we need. trumps only success came from him preaching about the change needed in stuffy/swampy Washington that were leaving out middle America, even though we know that he lied and has only made it worse with his cronyism, swamp building and self serving interest in making money for his so called dynasty. Much more of the same and worse.
The candidates that are winning in the Democratic primaries are again outspoken on the changes we do need and are not afraid to speak out. This country is diversified and it is time all the citizens have a voice in government that truly works for all of us and not the 1% and Corporate America. Change and growth are good. Let the wave build and let us all prepare ourselves for probably a dirtier campaign than even the last by the Republican Party
Get out and vote. the people are the majority, 99%! This country has Always Been Great, we just need to elect the people who will build upon it, not destroy it.
4
I am confused, if this is the "blue wave" then why did more Republicans vote in the primary than Democrats?
I think Democrats in very blue states/cities are out of touch with the rest of the country.
1
Politically, the interesting thing will be to see how Mr. Gillum, as one of these "outspoken progressive" candidates, tacks back to the center during the general election campaign. He must do this if he is going to win; the fact is that over 50% of the Democratic primary voters cast their ballots for his opponents, and there were slightly more Republican voters overall than Democratic. One of the problems of staking out extreme positions on either side of the political spectrum is that it is more difficult to walk those back once you're in the general election because the hypocrisy is clearer. So, Mr. Gillum has his work cut out for him.
4
How can we be sure that the election will not be hacked? GOP will do anything to keep power.
3
Centrist Democrats don’t cut it as a cure for our perverted form of capitalism. We need some social democrat progressives at the forefront that can instill hope for real change for working people of all races. The DNC has got to learn from its long history of defeat now and move to the left.
In short: Florida will have yet another Republican governor. I'm a long-term Democrat, but I will not vote for a democratic socialist ... and Gillum's platform is essentially that of democratic socialists.
Remember: There is a major gulf between Democratic Socialists and Social Democrats.
6
A Gillum victory in the general election could be just the wake-up call the Republican Party needs.
1
Andrew Gillum seems like a good guy. But having lived in Florida for seven years, he is going to have an uphill battle with the conservative, racist white voters who are, sadly, Florida's most consistent voters. Yes, they include senior citizens, but they also include a large swath of younger, highly conservative Christian voters with families who live in suburbs and have very comfortable lifestyles. They are segregationist to an extreme, very suspicious of all black people, are against public schools and "socialism," and spout the usual pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps rhetoric made popular by Reagan. They love Trump, they love that he says out loud what they don't dare to, and they have been stirred up by Republicans to believe that there is some kind of weird coalition of black and Hispanic socialists out to destroy them and their way of life. Don't laugh - these people exist and they vote. Gillum is going to have to somehow figure out how to do an end-run around them and get out the progressive vote (which also exists in Florida and does indeed contain progressive senior citizens, like my parents, who are in their upper 80s, as well as college students and others in the bigger cities). Good luck, Mr. Gillum, you're going to need a lot of it!
4
Let me explain some basic math to Democrats who are claiming "social security is a GREAT program"
The maximum contribution to SS is $7,961.80 from you AND another $7,961.80 "on your behalf"
The average return on the s&p 500 for the past 90 years is 9.8%
If you compound those numbers, you would have almost $7,000,000 after a 40 year work life. At that point, you could invest in Tbills earning 2% and collect about $135,000 a year for the rest of your life (state tax free) PLUS you get to leave the 7 million bucks to your kids.
Or
You can collect about $2,700 bucks a month (taxable) till you die and leave zero to your kids.
2
As I read story after story, the criminal activities of trump, his aids, his cabinet members, the money taking, legal bribes from lobbyists, from every politician, this authoritarian/nationalist push, the infighting in both parties, a country so divided that it is coming apart at the seams, just how Russia (which is really the CCCP again), the constant bickering among our own citizens (and I admit I have taken part in that many times as well), it truly saddens me as to what our country has become. The vast majority of the people are blind sheep and don’t have a clue what is transpiring right in front of them. The unbelievable distribution of wealth doesn’t bother the vast majority of people but someone getting Medicaid or receiving food assistance or housing assistance makes people go nuts. This entire US vs Them mentality is destroying our country faster than the actions of trump can impose. Why is it so hard to just get along and agree on some common good for people instead of issue after issue being a knock-down, drag-out, fight? There is no such thing as “government handouts” as most people pay taxes and should be aided when in need , and why is helping your fellow citizens such a bad thing? We need real people in office. People who are only interested in building a better country and making policy that helps everyone and not just certain groups. We need to come together, go out and vote, and vote for the people running that are going to embrace bringing us back together.
3
For those Democratic voters who think that Bernie progressives are too far left, rest assured that America will never go too far left. All we need right now is to keep Republicans from going too far right. And it is urgent that we do.
14
Reading a lot from the usual Florida pundits about how Gillum will be unelectable in a state-wide general election here in Florida.
All I know is that in the 21 years I've lived here all we've had on the Democratic side of every state-wide election is a carbon copy, middle-of-the-road, status-quo and boring candidate to vote for. And they all lose by about one percentage point or less.
I am hoping Gillum increases DEM turnout by FINALLY giving us an exciting candidate to vote for.
14
Why the need to trumpet the candidates' race - how is that relevant to his politics exactly? Especially when you run the photo right next to the article. The constant need the Times has to make everything into a race war is baffling and troubling. A candidates' views and platform should be the focus and what people vote for - not the color of his or her skin - way to be backwards NY Times.
13
@kb: Not baffling. Calculated to divide America along racial lines.
7
@kb
Gillum’s Win was historic.
Are you seriously asking how race relates to politics? Surely not.
Finally, tell DeSantis to remove race from his rhetoric. Yeah, start with that.
A choice between an African American and a candidate backed by a White Supremacist. Interesting times.
7
But he's probably a 'Nole! But that's okay -- c'mon Gators, let's put this guy in office.
2
It's sad but a fact that a progressive Democrat has little chance in a state steeped in narcissism, racism, and fear. This race will be less about policy than race, and Florida just isn't ready for a black governor, regardless of his or her politics. See RevolutionOfReason.com
4
You are very wrong. I live in Florida, not Kentucky, I earn mid 6 figures, am a Democrat and gladly voted for Andrew Gillum based on what he said and how he conducted himself. I am also white. He was the best choice of all. He will be the best choice by far, in the Fall.
6
@Julee Jackson
He's the best choice if the goal is destroying Florida's economy.
1
@RLB
I’m ready for Gillum.
For the first time, I will be out on working in my state to get my candidate Gillum elected.
10
Florida does not need to go backwards - Gillum is a Progressive who took almost a million dollars from Communist George Soros ....
8
@pawanna You'd like Soros to be a Communist, although it's completely untrue. Please learn the definitions of simple words, as it helps build the thin veneer of credibility you seek.
6
@pawanna
Your ignorance is unfortunate . George Soros a “communist”? George Soros is a capitalist with a heart, and a sincere,healthy concern for this country.Please cut the scare tactics, this is not the ‘50’s, McCarthyism is dead.
2
It's wonderful to watch a self serving bigot doing verbal battles with misogynist corporations. Trump vs Google and Facebook! Step right up! A shill's dream. Meanwhile in the real world, racists and rapists are losing power. They are taking that slow walk to the gallows;even they recognize it. Listen to the senseless drivel. A President who dodged military service because of an ingrown nail or something so, talks about violence if he loses the elections. Imagine him in a bomb proofed vehicle leading the charge? African Americans like Mr. Gillum are real evidence of America's social evolution. This goes back beyond Frederick Douglas and his forbears who were abused by now Ivy League schools and others. Just as I am unlikely to reverse to being a quadripod, the Gillums of this country are here to stay. It's taking a long time. Get used to it.
4
Congratulations Mr. Gillum!
Go get him!
6
I see that the Times report of the death of progressive candidates was, um, premature. Come on editors, the public is progressive - get with the program.
4
Why is the NYT NOT bombarding its readers with the facts surrounding Rick Scott's amassing of his wealth via his corrupt practices dealing with Medicare?
8
This just in:
“GOP candidate Ron DeSantis warns Florida not to ‘monkey up’ the state by electing his black opponent Andrew Gillum”
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/08/gop-candidate-ron-desantis-warns-florid...
5
"Democrats are expected to pick up the liberal-leaning seat, which is currently held by Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a veteran Republican who is retiring."
Really? Some unkind poster on a political website published pictures. Maria Elvira Salazar is an attractive, Spanish-speaking woman in her 50s. Shalala does not speak Spanish, looks even older than her 77 years, and was heavily involved in the Clinton Foundation. Of course, many voters will vote strictly on party and policies, but many will be put off by an elderly Clinton acolyte.
I would say that if Salazar runs a decent campaign, I would not bet against her.
2
@Jonathan: Many of us aren't "put off" by the elderly. With age comes wisdom. And those of us who are mature and experienced are much more likely to vote than younger people. Tsk, tsk, Jonathan.
@Carson Drew
With age comes a shrinking brain. Not sure that constitutes wisdom.
Regarding "her centrism and the implicit case for electability proved to be of little asset in a year when emotions have gripped both parties"--this implies that voting for a progressive is not a rational choice, but one based on "emotion".
But running to the (right of) center has for the last several years been a choice based on the emotion of fear--fear that if Democrats don't pander rightward, they'll lose. Voting for the more progressive candidates now is an entirely rational decision if you believe in progressive policies and are brave enough to believe that we should no longer base our choices on the emotion of fear.
There is zero state income tax in Florida. How will Andrew Gillum pay for his "heath care for all!", "50,000 to start for teachers!" ?
4
@Jerome
Read his platform.
He’ll do it by making corporations pay more.
If the teacher's unions in AZ support the Republican candidate for Governor, well, then the teachers will have themselves to blame for their misery.
4
Congrats, Governor DeSantis!
And thanks again, Bernie.
6
With Mr. Gillum’s upset victory, the governor’s race will feature two young, hard-charging politicians who represent the beating heart of their parties. Gillum will LOSE!
4
Gillum's main promises are legalizing marijuana, abolishing ICE, and impeaching Mr. Trump. Such a candidate, I doubt, will get much more votes than he got in the primary. Democrats are doomed in Florida with such a candidate.
8
I am much more of a centrist democrat than Mr. Gillum, but he is now the democratic nominee for the 3rd largest state in the country and all democrats must come together to help him win in November.
The country has taken an unprecedented and dangerous turn towards fascism and democrats, who are the last hope of preserving our democracy, must not squabble or nitpick with each other. We must commit to fighting as one against the Republicans and the would-be dictator who leads them.
9
Left wing, blue dog, centrist or Bernie bro, it does not matter. The singular most important thing about the next two national election cycles is to purge the nation of Donald J. Trump and his ilk. Qualified or unqualified, intellectual heavyweight or wacky nut-job, every thinking American must only vote D and ignore R. The Trump led GOP has now completely devolved from a political party to a paranoid and immoral disease. This malevolent virus must be purged at any short-term political cost to your desires for philosophical perfection. The very soul of the nation depends on it.
11
Why this is a surprise? The country is falling into an abyss and perhaps into Fascism (see Krugman's op-ed yesterday) and the only way out is to get rid of both the GOP and the Schumer-Pelosi-Clinton gang in the Democratic Party. It is candidates like Gillum and Ocasio-Cortez who are the future of this nation, if it is going to have one.
5
Floridians are not going to vote to have their Trump-tax cut taken away from them in November.
4
@batazoid - Florida needs to care more the big picture. That state has never been able to see the forest for the (palm) trees, and it has screwed us over royally, in one fashion or another, since 2000. Personally, I'm sick of Florida.
2
In 2016 Democrats chose Hillary over Bernie and the country got Trump. Have Floridians learned from that lesson? We now have Trump, much to the dismay of all but the majority of Republicans bigots. Will Floridians choose Trump's lackey or the truly progressive Democrat?
1
I am a new Floridian. I didn't vote for Gillium because I don't believe a black person can carry any state in the deep South. I think all of the Democratic candidates had very similar messages, so it was difficult to chose one. I will vote for Gillium in November.
Since the election was so close, how do we know for sure that the vote wasn't hacked? Would the Republicans rather run against a black person, a Woman or another White male? Since the Republicans are so racist, it isn't hard to imagine that the vote may have been hacked.
We had paper ballots, but they went through a scanner to count the votes. Arkansas had the same type of system, and the printer of the ballot created a ballot that produced opposite results, and was proven by a paper trail. I would like a recount to be sure it wasn't rigged in the Republican's favor.
2
I wondered the same thing.
I wonder if there is anyone in Florida considering running as an independent for governor. I don't know the law down there as to whether it would still be possible to get on the ballot.
1
This FL governor's election (and just as important, the senate race) is a litmus test of America right now. As one commenter already noted, will we choose hope and change, or more of the fear-mongered muck. I can't read the tea leaves, but I know which way I'm voting.
2
I resent the authors false choice that Democrats must choose “progressives” or “pragmatists”. Centrism is not pragmatic - it’s lost the Democratic Party thousands of seats. Progressive policies, particularly those around making capitalism and democracy work for all Americans, are far more pragmatic for 99% of Americans than the current donor-class corporate kowtowing centrist Democratic Party policies that have essentially sold out their voters for big money donations.
4
Let's not dismiss our candidate because "we're the Tax and Spend Democrats". Take a breath.... Let's not forget that, with a vibrant economy, GDP growth, no significant conflicts.... we're tacking on 1T to the national debt each year.
That makes no sense to me and it shouldn't to you, either.
1
How might the outcomes of these various races been affected had Ranked Choice Voting been in effect?
1
When democrats/progressives get out the vote, they win. The republican party is half the size of the democrat party and for very good reason; republican policies are only for the corps and against the majority of people in this country. They took action to increase emissions and make climate change worse. The kids really need to get to the polls to stop the madness. Vote this November to change that. Every republican must be voted out of office.
2
I voted for Mayor Gillum as did my 21 and 19 year old. I pray to God he wins after what Rick Scott has done to this state. We are suffering from red tide caused by the effects of over development and big agriculture, phosphate mining etc, education and healthcare are declining. Why anyone wants to support the GOP in state politics is beyond comprehension the only benefits for supporting the Republicans in Florida affects a VERY small tiny minority of very WEALTHY people. Hopefully fellow Floridians see the light and vote for all Democratic candidates in November.
9
Now the entire electorate in Florida will get to choose going backward into the 19th Century with a Trump Republican or forward into the 21st Century with a Sanders Democrat. The distinction could not be clearer. Florida was the pivot upon which the Bush v. Gore election rotated. How will the Florida governor's race play now 18 years later? Just how purple is Florida in 2018?
2
@RLW Many Florida voters have parents who were born in the 19th century, and will vote conservative. DeSantis in a landslide.
There's a simple way to beat Trump's man in Florida. Here's what I would do in Gillum's place:
I would talk about Social Security. I would say rather than giving the bulk of tax cuts to the very rich and wealthy, I would have asked for an increase in S/S payments and expansion of Medicaid to the Elderly who are on a limited income.
I would talk about drug prices. I would say unless the pharmaceutical companies lower the prices of drugs to the levels at which they sell in our neighborhood, I would work to find a way to have Canadian companies sell drugs in Florida.
I would be for more sensible gun controls that have been tried and tested elsewhere and found successful.
4
Perhaps a stretch that Gillum can turn Red Florida Blue. But I'm guessing when the elections roll around the moderates and independents will at least turn it a shade of purple.
These things just don't happen over night.
1
I voted for Gwen Graham and hoped she would win, it did not happen. I will vote for the democratic candidate Gillum this November. I am only afraid that a backing by Sanders in this purple state has me a little on edge. Perhaps the Millenials, African Americans and others who want to end republican 20 years in the governor's office may now end.
4
Mr. Gillum's victory proves that polls and pundits who eschew them are becoming increasingly irrelevant.
2
Or that the voting machines have been hacked.
Mr. Gillum is a fine candidate, I have no quarrel with his views, I will vote for him. But his victory in this primary is an artifact: Graham, Levine and Greene split the vast majority of the Democratic vote. Gillum received a narrow plurality. If Florida had runoff elections, he would not be the nominee for governor. His values fall far outside the norms of the Florida electorate. He hasn't a snowball's chance in the Everglades in July of becoming governor and if he were elected, his veto would remain useless in a predominantly Republican legislature.
Florida was part of the Confederacy and remains on the conservative side of US politics. It went for Trump in 2016. A black man will engage reactionary forces that Trump will use coded or not so coded language to mobilize. I've seen this repeatedly in Southern states, particularly in North Carolina. The Democratic party nominated Harvey Gantt, well-spoken and intelligent black mayor of Charlotte, twice for the U.S. Senate. I voted for him both times. He lost both times decisively. I am sorry to say, Mayor Gillum will suffer the same fate.
25
@Wilton Traveler Harvey Gantt didn't do well against Jesse Helms - but neither did any of the white candidates the Dems ran before him, many of whom were better-positioned and better-funded.
Governor Scott was a great Governor, the state is extremely well run. New Yorkers and others around the world are moving here in droves. Now the Democrats run a Progressive candidate who does not have a great track record in Tallahassee?? Just like the way Californians have pushed the great state of Colorado left, New Yorkers threaten to do the same for Florida. I will never understand Northerners who come to Florida to escape the high taxes and repressive govt. and vote the same way.
18
@MiguelM Ray; Fl; Wrong; Scott is corrupt; owned by the NRA and still rich($400 million) from the hospital/Medicare scandal from his past.Scott is the poster boy for Republican; greedy; power hungry and win at any cost. Many people died in nursing homes from last years hurricane. Americans are angry that Trump and Republicans have taken America to new lows. Vote out Republicans for jobs; health care and living wage. Ray Sipe
5
@MiguelM. Family members of mine who have moved to Florida did so for the weather. Period. Not because of taxes or repression. Where are you getting your data?
5
@MiguelM
They aren't fleeing taxes and government. They're fleeing so they can have 12 months of summer weather and afford big single family houses (which is increasingly difficult to get in the more desirable parts of Yankeedom).
2
Andrew Gillum may well turn out to be successful in the Florida general election but for now the fact is that he won the Democratic primary with only 34% of the votes. This points out one of my ongoing concerns with the American electoral system, which is that no one should be able to win an election with a simple plurality. If no one gets 50% of the votes, then the top two vote getters should have to participate in a runoff election. Some states already do this and given modern voting technologies, it should be possible to do it a week after the original vote. It’s the only way to get winners who really have the strongest support of their constituents, since the current system empowers a passionate minority, on both left and right, as opposed to one that benefits a more representative majority. It would also keep fringe candidates from having an outsized influence on the final vote in general elections, such as happened in 2016 with Jill Stein and in 2000 with Ralph Nader.
6
I checked out Andrew Gillum's campaign website. He takes a lot of positions on federal issues in addition to local issues. He seems to be a progressive on federal issues and a moderate on local issues. (Am I wrong?). Seems like a good strategy, since he won't have to deal with the messy details of implementing single-payer healthcare, let's him ride a progressive wave, and appeal to moderates as well.
4
That’s a good point. He can support Medicare-for-all without having to deal with it. Still better, I think, for local pols to focus on local issues they can impact. Good for Mr. Gillum. I hope he succeeds in his quest.
I voted for Graham. For all the plaudits for Mr. Gillum, the moderate Democratic vote was split 4 ways. I was hopeful the Democrats would take the Florida's Governor's mansion and hold on to the Senate, but I am now a pessimist.
The Bernie Sanders wing may claim a victory here, but I think it bodes badly for November. I am not a fan where Bernie Sanders is leading this party.
Be that as it may, Gillum's win could be a bell weather where we are headed politically. Wild swings from one political extreme to another until one side either wins out or moderates revolt.
4
Most Americans want and need Medicare for for all and free college education. Why shouldn’t Americans have what citizens of every other first world nation have had for decades? This would strengthen the middle class and spur the economy. People would have more money in their pockets.
4
@Zejee - Because the taxes required to pay for these things would be 100% of their incomes? Either that, or doctors and college administrators would have to take zinging pay cuts.
1
Subsidized health and education is a sound, healthy investment for a country's future. The Failed Trump Tax bill will be withdrawn when the Democrats take control, that's a good start to subsidizing health and education.
1
Article says Mr. Gillum spent money from his personal fortune. He didn't have one. Misplaced comma!
4
Why so much hand wringing?
Florida Democrats have been nominating centrist types for governor and getting their collective posteriors kicked for years. Why not try something different?
If Gillum can excite the young, minority and politically bummed out, maintain the loyalty of centrist Democrats and run a strong populist campaign that could attract some crossover from disillusioned Trump supporters he could very well win and that would be a great thing.
14
@Brooklyncowgirl Great point. How do you lose to the country's biggest Medicare fraudster, time after time?
Keep nominating centrists.
If Gillum wins, look to the Republican Florida legislature to rush through acts to strip the governorship of power much as they did in North Carolina. Republicans are disgraceful losers.
11
A progressive acolyte and a conservative contender win Florida races. That could easily describe this headline based on the articles facts. The NYT use of their descriptors (Trump acolyte..etc) is the reason I never trust this newspapers political bent. Your dishonest. You earn the title of fake media. Rest of the paper, excluding International coverage which again is so slanted and full of lies, is wonderful. If only you could separate the two sides of this journal.
5
Comparing your paper to the Wall Street Journal, you post a picture of your Democratic candidate alone. The Journal at least includes both. Secondly, the first thing that you think is important is his race, the color of his skin. This is obviously the case as it is the first adjective you use to describe him, and the first word in the title of the reporting piece that is usually supposed to not carry opinion. But your opinion is implicit. The Journal on the other hand thought it was important to include that fact lower down in the article where it states he would be Florida's first black governor. From just the title, it is clear the NYTimes wants a Democrat, and it is also clear that you are willing to play identity politics, and play race baiting to get there. One thing I know for sure is the last time we picked a national leader based on the color of his skin, Obama, it did not turn out well at all. Finally we are recovering from that disaster. No that is not to say that a black person wouldn't do wonderfully as President or Governor. Of course he could. If it was Thomas Sowell for instance. But Democrats who continue to play identity politics rather than picking the best person for the job will come back to bite them. Americans are smarter than to be swayed the sentimental (idiot) compassion the Democrats offer.
9
@PJ ABC - There is a black candidate running for the Senate in Michigan. But because he is a Republican and a conservative, you probably haven't heard anything about him in the media.
5
It didn’t turn out well after he dug the US out of the worst recession? Have you been living in a cave? Trump wouldn’t have been able to claim economic victory had Obama not had pulled the country out of an economic disaster.
2
@PJ ABC
And you offered us Trump?
I am an avid Times reader and was disappointed with the headline. Miami Herald said it better “Tallahassee Mayor Shocks Democratic Rival”. Too bad for The NY Times he’s a color first. If you’re going there why not say “White Trump Acolyte”? Big fail in my eyes NYT. Or should I say this black woman’s eyes?
14
I predict we'll see good evidence in November of exactly how toxic the Sanders movement is for the Democratic party, and for independents more generally.
16
I disagree. Americans need single payer healthcare and free college education, benefits that other first world nations have had for decades. Why shouldn’t the richest nation the world has ever known invest in the health and education of its citizens?
2
@Rennie Let us all hope that the "toxicity of the Sanders Movement" is all in the eyes of Trump supporters and that this "Progressive" mayor of Tallahassee wins really big in November.
1
I first became aware of Andrew Gillum at a rally to Keep Families Together- He was out there, in the 90 degree heat, speaking to people directly. He was intelligent, well-spoken and most importantly, he showed up. I was impressed by him, did some research and cast my vote for him yesterday, not expecting a win. He won Miami-Dade, Broward, Tampa, Orlando and Tallahassee- Florida is a diverse state, and I believe he can carry this nomination to a win for the Governor's office.
27
Gillum got game.
The pot legalisation , medicare for all ,(polls at 72% nationwide, 51% of Republicans want it !), are solid "for the people" election planks.
Count this guy out at your peril
5
@folderoy - The pollster asks if you want Medicare for all, but he never tells you how high the tax would have to be to pay for it. When voters hear that, they sing a different tune.
Que the pundits who will say that both parties have gone to the extremes. The truth is that the DFL has been compromised by fake democrats calling themselves blue dogs as well as other corporatists who talk a good talk but side with the overlords every time. The truth is that the GOP has not won over the years, the democrats have failed. They have failed to be for the people. It's time to change that. The truth is that Trump did not win, the democrats lost by continuing to try and be republican lite. There is nothing extreme about a real progressive platform. You can convince the GOP base that they deserve to suffer, and some weakling democrats, but the majority know that they deserve better than the greedy corporate lackeys that now reside in DC.
I predict that if the DFL threatens to take over the senate, fake democrats like Joe Manchin will switch parties. That is because they have always really been republicans.
Again, the press will try and paint the Trumpists and the progressives in the DFL as being equally at the fringes. This is one of the great lies that exist in the press and is a result of ever news paper being owned by a large corporation. Truth has die, but not in the way that Trump suggests. It has died because newspapers and cable news are just as greedy as any other corporation.
6
Degrees from Yale and Harvard equal unblinding support for Donald Trump! A commercial shows DeSantis' son with building blocks, with the candidate saying, Build That Wall! And his wife sounds so sincere, plus she's so pretty! That's what a majority of Americans will want?! We are sinking into the abyss!!!
16
change and hope, the reboot. get it this time.
4
Democrat (n) - a party known for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Republicans are running on a Democrat = Boogie man platform. We'll see how well fear sells.
4
Where can I donate, please take my money!
4
A pro-Trump candidate using charges of corruption against their opponent....pardon me, I just had to take minute until the laughter passed. Now if you'll excuse me, this New Yorker has to go set up a recurring donation to Mr. Gillam's campaign.
10
@Brooklyn Dog Geek
You are spot on.....the word Trump is the dog whistle for Corruption.....in fact, it is not even a dog whistle, it is out there in front of our eyes, except the eyes of the GOP and their supporters.
1
Florida voters now must choose between two cultural extremists. Neither can lead our country toward a collective sense of oneness--of national unity. America is broken. Its social fabric has been ripped apart by the divisive identity politics of Democrats, and its democracy is currently dying under Republican Trumpism. This election in Florida is devoid of any hope that things will improve.
4
@micheal Brousseau
are you serious? America's being ripped apart by the "divisive identity politics of DEMOCRATS"?????
4
What is extreme about investing in the health and education of our citizens — the way other first world nations have done for decades?
2
Hats off to Gwen Graham for her support of Mr. Gillum in a display of unity the Democratic Party needs.
22
I’m assuming most middle of the road/moderate Democrats will vote for essentially any democrat in this and next election. Whereas progressives may boycott an establishment candidate.
6
@Dev
I'll be honest, as a "middle of the road/moderate Democrat" I kind of resent having my vote taken for granted. Me, no one has to please, but "progressives may boycott an establishment candidate" so by all means, cater to them!
2
"It sets up twin governors’ races in neighboring Southern states between left-leaning African-Americans banking on the region’s new, diversifying electorate, and ardent, Trump-style nationalists."
Oh, come on. "New diversifying electorate" may describe Georgia, but Florida has been a net recipient of migrants from other states since at least the 1920s. Since 1900 Georgia has experienced an average population growth of 15% per decade. For Florida it is 39%, and has actually slowed in recent years.
2
Now Democrats should really around the Democratic candidates going into the general election. We cannot afford to be split and to be squabbling. There's too much at stake here.
5
@Marisa Leaf...….The Democrats now need to stop some of their idiotic spats they have over nonsensical subjects and get behind their candidates. The Democrats always always fall into this trap time and time again and the Republicans always use it against them. I have been watching many of the primaries, what baffles me sometimes is the nonsense which comes out of their candidates mounts . It is time for the Democrats to wake up plain and simple.
2
If Democrats think that moving to the left is the answer to beating Republicans, I think they are in for a rude awakening. The majority of the country is still pretty centrist and will not go for a radical progressive agenda.
In addition, with the debt at $21T and rising, additional expenditures without either higher taxes or cuts elsewhere in the budget will not fly.
39
@Rich: Because running to the right, trying to capture the "Nixon Democrat", "Reagan Democrat", or "Bush Democrat" has worked so well over the years, right?
The net change in seats at all levels held by Democrats over the last couple of decades has been in excess of 1,000. Maybe it's time to re-think that strategy.
1
@Rich
I don't think running to the left is the problem here. There are still many Jews from NYC who moved to Florida in retirement and are a major Democratic voting block who remember the schisms between blacks and Jews in NYC beginning in the late 1960s and therefore while not wanting to vote for a Trump acolyte might end up staying home on election day instead of voting for Gillum.
I hope I'm wrong but I fear that I'm not.
1
@Rich Its a matter of perspective. I personally think, and I believe at this point its mainstream opinion, that the medicare for all, $15 min wage, free public college are polices majority of the country wants. And what centrists believe in is actually what is radical.
Also, your argument about the debt, matter of perspective as well. Its all about prioritization of budgets and removing the double standards (never criticizing defense budget, rep tax cuts, etc).
Graham was a disappointment during the live debates, pivoted out of questions that had simple answers. Gillum was extremely well-spoken during the debate and was one of the only candidates who had his planned policies included in his advertisements —while Graham, Levine and Greene ran attack ads on one another: Graham family ruining the Everglades, Levine ties to Russia and praised Trump on the radio, Greene praised Trump on television. Gillum ran on legalizing pot to use the money to improve education and raise teacher salaries; charismatic; healthcare for all; comes from a working class family; actually believes in science. Churches in Florida ran a “souls to the polls” campaign to mobilize voters. It’s not hard to see how he won, nor should we be considering equality some sort of radical platform of the far left.
113
As an older, white suburban female Florida voter, I began this race supporting Ms. Graham. She is centrist, and a woman and I know we need more women in state houses, but I knew that she didn't really represent much change - except perhaps to provide a more honest and caring leader who was not completely driven by the selfish greed and dishonesty of current Governor Scott. Once I learned a bit of the progressive candidate Levine, I was for a time in his camp. Then I discovered Andrew Gillum. He spoke to the people. He speaks for the people. I think we will find that Mr. Trump has done us a huge favor by supporting another horrible candidate on the right. Andrew Gillum will lead the future of Florida by respecting the will of the people. This is what we all need.
147
@Jill
You are living in a liberal bubble. The Republican candidate is a very effective communicator and will win this race against the Mayor.
2
Yes, Neil the republican candidate is an effective communicator. Last night on Fox he began his fear and smear campaign citing Tallahassee crime stats without sources. We're all fed up with that malarkey and see right through it!
2
The lines are drawn. Fear sells to the fearful, hope sells to the hopeful. As Mr. Gillum said, money doesn't vote, people do. It's time for a massive November turnout of people to vote for hope over fear. It's time to return America to its core values.
73
@CP:Yes to following Left wing wishes: open borders, bad trade deals, bad H-1B visas, increase taxes, increase NATO costs, increase wars, demonize straight people etc. Can't wait.
8
@Larry:
Utterly false nonsense, which is why your side is being given a glaringly humongous run for its money when it should be a slam dunk. The "demonize straight people" is particularly comical.
Thanks for the boost, although we don't need it.
3
Medicare for All, free college education. Nobody is advocating open borders.
1
Thank you, NYT, for including that little gem of a campaign video for DeSantis. Absolutely, hysterically cheesy.
12
Sadly, white Florida Republicans ate that cheese up.
3
I’d be curious to know the overall turnout of each Party in Florida and Arizona. I think this might give us at least an inkling of who is likely to turn out in November.
8
@PaulB67 There were 110,000 more total Republican votes cast in the Florida primary, than in the Democratic primary. There were approximately 100,000 more total Republican votes cast in the Arizona primary, than in the Democratic primary. So the Republicans have the clear turn-out advantage in each state.
3
@PaulB67 - In terms of the Governor in Florida, 1.45 million voters showed up for the Democrats and 1.51 million showed up for the Republicans. Independent voters can't cast a vote in the primaries. Back in 2014 5.66 million voters cast a vote for one of the two top candidates.
Advantage Republicans because they've won for 20 years & the Democrats are just so good at losing ... advantage Democrats because the country seems to be leaning blue this year and Gillum appears to be a different kind of candidate.
By the way, I'm a registered FL Democrat who cast an early vote by mail for Gillum. I was pleasantly surprised last night when I heard he had won.
19
@PaulB67 If the primary contestants were close it may mean that party members couldn't decide who to vote for so they didn't go to the trouble of participating. I don't know that primary turnout is an indicator for votes come the general election.
1
Don't see myself or my friends voting for Gillum. Just cannot get over he is a Bernie Sanders endorsed candidate which is the kiss of death. DeSantis won't get my vote either. Other candidates running as Democrats will be ticked but the governor's box will be left blank. Will be interesting to see how many other will do the same.
5
@R. B., you're missing the point. Not voting for Gillum will be a de facto vote for De Santis. Please don't do that; it's how Trump won.
11
Isn’t that what the Bernie Sanders supporters did to Hillary Clinton? The Republicans have no problem pinching their noses and pulling the R lever. Democrats need to do the same. Otherwise you’re voting for DeSantis/Trump.
9
And that’s how we got Donald trump. Thanks a lot.
2
Notice that the DeSantis campaign is already rolling out what is shaping up to be the go-to word for Republican candidates to use to attack their Democratic opponents in 2028: "corruption." If you decided to play a drinking game by listening for Democratic candidates to be called "corrupt" in attack ads, you'd get pretty plastered.
It's almost like -gee- they maybe picked up on the fact that Democrats have started talking about the "culture of corruption" in the Trump administration and the GOP in general, and decided early on that they would co-opt that talking point in the hope that voters would get weary of everyone calling everyone else "corrupt" and start tuning it out.
The thin basis for most of these claims against Democrats belies the actual culture of the GOP, which tolerates anything to get ahead, and anything to reward the big money interests. But questionable alliances and deal making by Republicans is just "politics."
Yeah, "but George Soros", right?
25
@Paul J. Fitzgerald "The thin basis for most of these claims against Democrats belies the actual culture of the GOP, which tolerates anything to get ahead, and anything to reward the big money interests."--Spot on, sir.
5
The Gillum nomination makes Florida an easy Republican win in November. Comparisons between President Obama, who ran as a centrist, and Mayor Gillum are ill-conceived. Gillum was the benefiaciry of a perennially weak field of Florida Democratic candidates. Before getting too excited about Gillum, enthusiasts should consult results from the last time the Democrats ran an African American candidate for high state office. In 2010, Kendrick Meek drew around 20% of the vote. Gillum will do better, but he won't come close. Too bad.
4
@A It's never been done before and therefore it won't work, is your mentality? Demographics are constantly changing as are peoples mindsets. I don't think you should write Gillum off so soon.
5
Mr. Gillum has serious issues with being seen with, traveling with, and doing business with shady characters. The Rs are gonna be all over that. FBI this and FBI that. He is extremely vulnerable to legitimate attack. Unless the Russians help him out, I don't see him surviving the general election.
11
Eileen, define shady! Like the Russians Trump has been hanging out with for longer than Gillum has lived?
26
@Eileen I doubt what you are saying is true, He is
progressive and backed by Bernie Sanders and others who support only candidates who are not corrupted. Are you saying his backers do not do their homework? True progressives are bulldogs about corruption in politics. They spit on any corrupted politician and are strongly for money out of politics. They also want a fair break for every one. I suspect what you are saying is just the propaganda preached by the corporate owned people. You know the ones who lie because they are paid to do so.
4
JT Burnette, Adam Corey, Scott Maddox, "Mike Miller." The latter is an undercover FBI agent posing as a developer with whom Gillum was photographed on a trip that was paid for in cash. The Tallahassee Democrat has extensive reporting on the ties Gillum has with all the above. And above is an abbreviated "greatest hits" list. I supported Gillum until the corruption of the City of Tallahassee was laid bare.
2
Gillum's victory last night was historic, but if he wants to win in November, he needs more than the left wing of the Democratic Party. To that end, Jack Seiler, former member of the Florida House and mayor of Ft. Lauderdale, would be a perfect balance to Gillum as a running mate. His presence on the ticket would help make Gillum's candidacy viable to all Florida voters.
7
Anyone that feared white supremacism and stupidity were waning in America should just read the truly deplorable nonsense contained in this comment section.
30
GO! Andrew Gillum.
24
"In the final weeks of the election, Mr. Gillum aired an ad trumpeting his support for universal health care, legalizing marijuana and abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency."
Sounds to me like Mr. Gillum had a winning platform for Floridians. The marijuana plank in particularly is ingenious. Nothing closes the political divide quite like pot. No joke.
I was out collecting signatures for a ballot initiative this year. I spent a good portion of my time explaining how my initiative wasn't the marijuana initiative but people should sign anyway. I was really shocked at how excited people got for marijuana. You don't expect that response in random suburban Utah. But there you have it. Apparently getting stoned cuts across otherwise impenetrable political boundaries.
Smart move Mr. Gillum.
20
I can assure people smoke marijuana in suburban Utah.
step 1: win primary. step 2: unite party. step 3: get out the Democratic voters. The energy from the progressive wing can win Democratic primaries, but it does not put steps 2 and 3 into autopilot. The general election isn't about Bernie Bros and Clinton pros - that might have been the primary - it's about beating back the most venal partisan racist cult to come to power in American history.
33
Democratic primaries will continue to skew ever more left because of Democratic charters which have strict quota requirements - 50% women, 50% men and so forth, furthermore blacks, gays, to some extent women get to go to the head of the line.
Question the character or creed of a minority member and you will be labeled racist, sexist or if you are lucky simply bigoted.
A mental perspective shaped by television that can't distinguish the difference between Hogwort and Cal Tech, between dreaming and letting dreams be your master
a politically correct straight jacket that makes the uttered nonsense of a Trump seem brilliant by comparison
10
@Ben Ross
So Ben, trump's utter nonsense seems brilliant to you?
Interesting Freudian self-analysis there with the Hogwort thing.
23
You don’t understand. Most Americans want— and need Medicare for All and free college education. Why shouldn’t Americans invest in the health and education of citizens— like other first world nations have done for decades?
It's so gross to see grown men and women like DeSantis kissing the feet of the wretched Trump. That his allies are emphasizing the wall in their commercials is proof positive that white nationalism and xenophobia is key the Trump wagon, not "economic insecurity." DeSantis's commercial in which is wife is the narrator is more like a parody SNL would run, but it's a real commercial. This country has sunk so low.
51
Florida is approximately 1/3 Republican, 1/3 Democrat, and 1/3 No Party Affiliation. The NPA's in this state lean conservative. This math does not bode well for the Dems in Florida.
Florida progressives won this battle, likely at the expense of winning the war.
15
@jsb Gee, I guess what the majority of Democrats want down there does not count, I mean like health care for all and a living minimum wage and you know a fair shake for everyone. I guess you think Republican light, corporate democrats who bow to their dark money donors would win better, and then the people in Florida are stuck with the same old stuff in a friendlier but still rotten package
6
That was the logic used in nominating Clinton in 2016 and look how that turned out.
1
This is the best the Democrats can do in the crucial state of Florida (decider of Presidential elections): a 'progressive' funded by controversial billionaires (Soros and Styer), whose three brothers all have criminal records, and whose town (Tallahassee), where he's mayor, is under FBI investigation for municipal corruption? Really?
11
@richard, Gillum might be a long shot because we all know Florida’s right wing run the state. But don’t badmouth Mr. Gillum. I listened to several debates that he was in, he’s smart & very articulate & seems to have a moral compass. The corruption investigation is not centered on him. The FBI is looking at money given to community redevelopment. The target is a lobbyist who Gillum cut ties with at least a year ago. Gillum unlike others has no money which might make his run difficult. Honestly if we are going to try & clean up politics Floridians need to vote for him!
21
@Richard
Sounds kind of like the Clintons.
Another upset, this one in Florida. Not as spectacular as that of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but an upset from the new progressive wing of the Democrats nonetheless. Is the party going to learn that it needs to move left and be bolder in its program? Will it make space for younger candidate and ask the older generation to begin to step back? Campaign money came come from other sources as they show as well. Wake up conservative risk averse party elders. The same advise goes to the mainstream liberal media (like the NYT)that tends to ignore them until it is too late, and then keep ignoring them in favor of reporting every tweet of our illustrious president. The media is definitely biased in its coverage even of the Democratic side. In trying to play them down or ignoring them, it is missing a big part of the story out there.
8
This proves two things:
1. The GOP base is now solidly behind Trump
2. The Blues are fractured, unable to rally behind one ideology.
Just like the GOP made a huge mistake adopting the Tea Party, the Dems made a 16 year mistake snubbing first (Sanders), and adopting now (Ocasio-Cortez followers) the Socialists.
Intend of aiming for 2020, start working on 2024, you already lost the next election.
5
@shark The blues aren't fractured. We had 3+ strong candidates running for Governor and any one of them would have been a good choice. Many people were conflicted on who to vote for but ultimately expect to see the dems rally together around Gillum.
7
As a liberal democrat, I am not feeling good about Mr Gillum's chances. Not that he wouldn't be a great Governor or that, let's be honest, is a far better candidate than Trump hugger Santos, but, as my son, who has lived in the South for years, says: "Dad, it is the south." I know, the demographics are changing, but, I fear, not enough yet to overcome the deep racism of the region.
17
We have to be careful with the name tags here.
The press have been labeling the Hillary wing as the establishment and the Bernie wing as the outspoken progressives.
What the American people want from either party is not the above or the ego maniac demagogue Trump.
They want a moderate progressive that is for first term abortions, a common sense immigration policy, reigning in Wall Street, more equality between the haves and have nots, and of paramount importance a national, affordable quality health care policy for all Americans among other moderate progressive items.
The don't want a bigot, ego maniac, reactionary demagogue like Trump or an establishment identity obsessed liberal like Hillary or a wild eyed progressive like Bernie who wants to bring back socialism.
Bernie actually campaigned in red/blue states and came across as more of a moderate progressive despite his past association with socialists.
However, the bottom line is whoever is for what I stated will win and if there is nobody, the electorate will choose the least worst of the alternatives.
13
I totally want a wild eyed progressive like Bernie. Bring it on!
2
@JJ
right! We've tried the "Hillary wing" of the Dems, (whatever that is!) and it failed....time for radical change!
I fail to understand why there is such push back to common sense policies where a candidate promotes equality for all.
Do you want your state to be swallowed up by the ocean because of climate change, where the previous Governor did not even allow people to say the words ?
Do you want to have continued two tier systems for everything such as education, health care, taxes and the like, where you pay more and the rich and corporations pay less ?
Do want you to continue treating people on the basis of their skin color, instead of their character ?
Do you want to continue treating women as second class citizens, where they are not even allowed to have full control of their own bodies ?
I suspect not, which is exactly why Gillum is going to win.
44
@Jordan
Forget "socialism", what Bernie and his followers are MAINLY for is "Medicare for All" which anyone with a brain can see would be a positive in this nation, alone among all nations, which doesn't help its citizens with healthcare....as bankruptcies rise based on medical issues, as openly venal drug companies raise prices of life saving drugs, what else makes sense?
1
@RLiss - There is one simple question: what tax would be required to pay for 'Medicare for all'? Are the voters willing to pay it?
The legislators seem to think the answer is no.
1
To all those out of state commenters who didn't watch the Dem candidates debate. it was clear the 2 mayors had a grip on governing, Levine and Gillum. Graham answered almost every question by starting out with 'as a mom'. Ovaries alone aren't enough to win. A proven record and fresh thinking will win all the kids the Parkland survivors have registered to vote.
14
Thank you, Andrew Gillum, for taking on this very difficult but important task. It is about addressing the big problems we face as a society: Climate change and poverty. Also in Florida. I hope the white voters there will provide their support to a man who can help us all.
36
But neither of these candidates represents the mainstream of the population, just as neither Trump nor Sanders represented the mainstream of America. It is not just the flawed primary system. We desperately need a new party that represents neither extreme. No wonder there is so little confidence in Congress or the Presidency, and such low voter turnout.
40
@Paul,
Yet the person more likely to compromise and work with the other side is the progressive candidate.
I can’t see the trumpeter doing that.
15
@Paul
What is actually required is mandatory voting. (by paper ballot and via mail, with a national holiday to vote in
person as well)
That would correct low voter turnout and restore Democracy. (and I suspect would eliminate most republicans for office, since the more people that vote, the more Liberal candidates win)
6
By any reasonable measure the Democrats on the whole are that center party you desire, which is why there is now a left of center emergence. American politics have skewed right for almost 40 years now (starting in 1980) even though the populace has needed social investment.
The centrist Democrats have become old school republicans. The party that needs to die is the racist, nationalist new republican party.
And frankly no one gets fired up about a center party because they have no passion. You get good centrist policies when left and right are acting in good faith for the betterment of the country. But when one party loses its ability to lose gracefully things breakdown, you end up with gerrymandering, stolen elections and stolen supreme court nominations.
5
The Socialist movement is not "progressive"; rather, it is regressive bringing us back to primitivism and hive behavior, Differentiated consciousness is "progressive". Controlled group behavior, sloganism, inability to differentiate and unballance of the feminine are all regressive.
2
@logodos - The "unbalance of the feminine" - otherwise known as 52 per cent of the population, represents the hope for positive change. Historically, women have been denied the opportunity to bring their perspective to government. Where they have been elected in significant numbers, governments place an increased priority on social legislation that help people directly with an increased social safety net and improved health care that directly improve the lives of everyone. The "unbalance" is when you have the current predominantly or exclusively male legislatures who historically favour increased money for the military and cuts to social benefits.
20
If standing for the things that FDR did, makes me a socialist, a regressive, a conservative, so be it. The Democrats have moved right for almost half a century now. The Sanders wing is just a correction to policy the Democrats used to win on.
8
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
5
Um, seems you neglected to mention the Democratic nominee for governor in Oklahoma.
8
@Boo Radley I suppose it is because there wasn’t a democratic runoff, but it would have been inclusive to have noted the democratic candidate is Drew Edmondson. As a long suffering liberal in red, red Oklahoma I’m hopeful that Drew can win. After our current governor and legislators, were in dire need of a change!
3
I’m white, retired and ecstatic over Gillum’s victory. It will take Independents voting with Dems to beat the Trump Troll DeSantis, but I’m sure that most Floridians have had about enough of living the Republican nightmare.
40% of Floridians are unable to scrape together $400 in the event of an emergency - stagnant and poor wages for several decades. Unaffordable/inadequate access to health care because of Republican hatred of the ACA/Medicaidand
Literally hundreds of tons of dead sea life awash on our shores daily - the result of support for the Sugar industry and poor agricultural practices. Eight years of a Governor who banned the use of the term “Climate Change” by state employees. Children and adults gunned down in the prime of life because of lax gun regulation and laws of self defense based on sheer paranoia.
Trust me, there’s a lot more to Florida than geriatric Trumpoholic Republican transplants stored at “The Villages.”
Gillum Social Justice Democrats and awakening Independents will sweep theseoligarchs and authoritarians from office. We know that it will take years to create a functioning society by and for the people. But it is Democracy or a bigger Mara Lago.
219
@RVN ‘69
What an excellent and concise comment. It's not like Progressives are wanting to take away anything - they merely want a future for all that is also equal to all.
I think Democracy is going to win out.
33
@RVN ‘69
gallium wasted no time in playing the race card by focusing on minority support. his knee jerk amateur calls for abolishing ICE AND Impeaching the president shows him to be a radical who could not govern Florida effectively.
6
@RVN ‘69
With you all the way, white and retired!
4
Somehow the thought of a socialist winning in Florida seems a bit far fetched. Florida isnt the Bronx and Queens.
And guess whats on the ballot again this midterm election? ObamaCare, just like 2010. With McCain gone, Republicans will vote on ObamaCare again, as long as they retain control of both Houses.
Seems that "blue wave" may just well be ebbed by a red tide.
8
@Sports So go out and vote to end this bad cycle.
3
@Sports: I never read that Mr. Gillum is a socialist, just a progressive Democrat, but that being said, socialism may be the best thing to happen to Florida after eight years of Rick Scott, the Stoneman Douglas high school shootings, more jobs but with lower salaries and increasing poverty levels and a deteriorating environment.
8
What is your definition of socialism? Because I do not think it means what you think it does.
4
How interesting
De Santis who trailed Putnam until Trump endorsed him, crushed Putnam, while spending a lot less than Putnam.
The establishment (Graham) got defeated by a socialist. We now see a totally fractured Democratic party: the ex-Dems vs the Socialists. The end is near.
AND ... a lot more (10%) Republicans went voting than Democrats. That's the best sign of all, considering the Socialists had more reason to vote than the Deplorables.
AND ... all the polls were wrong. No surprise there. Who could say loud he/she supports Trump without risking his/her life. (The socialists are out there watching you).
What a great night it was.
10
@Jeff Stront:
If you're living on the grid, you're a socialist.
Good grief. Please stop the laughable 1950s scare tactics.
2
Milleniums and people of color: show up at the polls. Your country needs you. Vote!
79
@Cathryn
"Identity politics" yet again.....
As a retired 60-something white person I will vote for Gillum happily. Would have voted for Bernie for president if the corrupt DNC would have allowed me to.
I voted for Gillium; my husband voted for Graham, one vote for conviction, one for electability. Both of us were enthusiastic supporters of Hillary and do not consider ourselves "progressives" or Bernie Sanders Democrats. Gilliam has taken stands on support for expanded healthcare, for public education, for protection of Florida's fragile environment that I consider mainstream Democratic principles and not Bernie Sanders "socialist". I also agree with the article that it helped Gillium that his competitors didn't attack him and that he avoided the slime factor of appearing to have bought the election. I would not have volunteered my time to Graham's campaign but I will, with excitement, to Gillium's.
69
He didn't say "expanded health care" he said Medicare for All. It should be a mainstream Democratic value but it's not. Medicare for All is no more socialist than public education or America's military. If so, we've been socialists for a long, long, time.
24
What a blessed outcome!
Whether or not Gillum wins the general, he has won the more important fight.
Because before progressives can help the nation, we first need to fix the Democratic Party. And to do this, it is essential to erase the stain of wealth white privilege that has imposed itself on the People’s Party. Gwen Graham was the very poster child for this kind of entitled arrangement.
Personally, if you’re not a person of color or some other form of “other” or minority, I think your role in the Democratic Party should be to listen, volunteer, to donate, and to vote - and that’s all.
2
@Trans Cat Mom - - Please re-think your last paragraph because it sounds like you want whites to just give money, vote, shut up, and expect nothing in return from the Democrats. More of that, and DeSantis will win by a landslide.
8
People will not engage with a party they have no voice in. And for the time being, white folks are a substantial portion of the electorate. So your advice to sit down and shut up is counterproductive, IMHO.
6
So part of the platform of Gillum is to "abolish" ICE. Trump campaigned by shouting everywhere that people want borders. Trump won Florida. I presume Gillum stands no chance. I hope voters prove me wrong.
7
I’m a lifelong Floridian. In 2016 I voted for Bernie in the primary before I was forced to vote for Hillary in the general election. And I just voted for Gwen Graham before Mr. Gillum won the Democratic primary for Governor last night.
I think it’s great that Gillum won. I did not think he had a chance. But it appears he will motivate more young and minority voters than GG would have. And we have a lot of young and minority Democrats in Florida. Problem is they didn’t vote in 2016. My guess is that they will this time, in November.
I’ve also got to say that it makes me sad that anyone would TRY to be like Trump in order to win an election. It sickens me that DeSantis has gone this way. Trump is a horrible person and will prove to be a very dark and ugly stain on our Nation’s history. How or why anyone would want to emulate him is beyond me. And, more to the point, it saddens me that anyone would intentionally vote for a person of such little integrity or character.
Go Gillum!
164
@Scott F
I agree. I too voted for GG thinking she had a better shot against Trump Jr. (aka DeSantis). I'm actually now more excited about this election because Gillum seems able to stir up the energy and passion needed to win.
Florida can be disheartening at times for a liberal, but remember the state went for Obama twice.
1
Democrats are now guaranteed to lose governor races in Florida, Georgia, and Arizona. Gillum, Abrams, and Garcia aren’t going to be part of some progressive wave, they’re going to be embarrassing predictable defeats. Republicans, independents, and even some Democrats voted for Trump because they were repulsed by the Democratic candidate. These three are Hillary 2.0.
The newly energized voters Democrats are counting on in the general election won’t be enough to offset the surge in conservative voters. Presented with two unacceptable options, some moderates won’t even bother voting. And remember that Seniors are still retiring to the Sun Belt in large numbers. They aren’t going to vote to increase taxes, establish new welfare programs, and Abolish ICE.
16
@Chen Those seniors aren't going to vote to increase taxes but they'll vote to cut their social security?
21
The Social Security trust fund will be exhausted in about two decades. So most of these voters won’t live to see that day. Proposed conservative changes to Social Security will reduce COLA and much reduce benefits to future retirees. Current workers are in trouble, will need to work longer, and possibly never be able to retire, since Social Security is usually a large part of most people’s retirement income.
1
@Chen That canard has been used for decades. Nice try.
2
"One for all and all for one."
Divisive politics in this country must come to an end. Theres no viable alternative.
12
This should be an easy win for DeSantis. I doubt very much that all those Florida seniors, who have paid their dues, and are comfortably retired, will pull the lever for a politician who will wants to give away free stuff. Likewise, the military crowd in the Pan Handle won't put up with it--or will the Cuban community--so many of whom have fled socialism.
You heard it here first, folks: DeSantis: 62, Gillum 38. And that should effectively drive a stake into the heard of the "free stuff movement" of Democratic Socialism.
12
@Jesse
Do you even know what Socialism is ? How about we take an easy one - Social security. It is workers contributing throughout their working lives into a system, that once they reach old age, can take out from in the form of a pension. It is not ''free stuff''.
Oh, btw the election will be 51% - 48% for Gillum .
92
@FunkyIrishman No, that's not what it is. Social Security is not contributing into a system. It's paying for current retirees with a non-binding promise that future workers will pay for you when you retire. There's no accrued benefit, and there's no legal obligation.
@FunkyIrishman, thank you for bolstering my point. All of the existing socialistic programs we're already stuck with--Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and SSDI, are all over-subscribed, underfunded, and teetering on the edge of insolvency. The liberal cure???....add more money.
As Margaret Thatcher so beautifully exclaimed: "The problem with Socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money". That time has come--and the nation is no mood to add more programs which will end up in the same situation.
Well, it's nice to see that nothing about the
Trump administration has changed Bernie. He still puts himself about others. Mr. Gillum's victory guarantees a Republican governor in a very crucial swing state. Now the Democrats truly will feel the 'Burn'.
22
@Richard Mclaughlinnuclear lol. Keep believing that. I'll enjoy your tears in November.
3
@Richard Mclaughlin If you are a Democrat, why do you keep up this divisive song like other "establishment" Dems? Study what Bernie and Gillum say. Maybe you don't like every point, but at least they have points to make! They stand for what our party should stand for, not hatred, divisiveness, insults, meanness.
4
@Richard Mclaughlin
Don't blame Bernie and the young Democrats. Ms. Graham was not going to make it either.
1
Democracy is, at its finest, unpredictable. The people get to actually get to be heard, and express their joy, their anger, and their hope for the future.
This early November will one of the most exciting times in American electoral history, as, at least for today, if the Dems win the House, there will be a firing of Sessions, an impeachment trial, new investigations as to Trump greed and connections...
I wonder how one invests in MSNBC and CNN. They are going to get a lot of eyeballs.
Hugh
8
This blind idea that the moderate independents, who will control the outcome of the Florida election and numerous congressional elections as well, will elect a “progressive” from the far left of the Democratic Party is just what the doctor ordered for the new Republican Party. Having essentially jettisoned the the moderate old guard Republicans , the Republicans would be vulnerable to the old style moderate Democrats who are capable of winning over the independents who control these elections. The idea that Clinton’s loss showed the end of the ability of Democrats to win with a moderate candidate is wrong- Hillary was a deeply flawed candidate who didn’t know that folks were tired of her gangs act.
7
@Steven Harfenist nah. People are tired of division and chaos. DeSantis is running as a Trump clone. Guillam will energize the voters to show up. The reason Hillary lost. Millennials will also show up.
DeSantis loses by 4%.
5
Why has the polling been so wrong? Graham was predicted to win by 7 points and lost by 3; DeSantis was predicted to win by 7 and won by 19. Those are both big misses. And why do Trump supported candidates keep winning when his approval ratings are so low?
14
@Michael James
Trump consistently polls in the 80s amongst republicans, but poorly with everyone else, resulting in overall approval ratings generally below 50%.
5
@Michael James US pollsters undersample Republicans consistently, and fail to appreciate that 'independents' break more frequently yo the Rights rather than the Left. Hence abject failure of pollsters to predict Trump election in 2016, and soon-to-be-proven failure of 2018 'blue wave'
9
@Richard false. Another Trump supporter playing the victim role. What happened to the bootstrap Republicans of old?
I like this. The Democrats chose someone the people can get excited about. Mr. Gillum is young, full of fire, new, and not another machine politics retread. We are in a war for the future of this nation.
You fight wars with passion, but you win wars with strategy.
Gillum represents the passion. Half the county doesn't bother to vote. If he can excite some passion, many of those individuals will come out and vote, especially the young.
Everytime the media interviews Trump supporters, I see gray heads. I see retired people. I see people that are at least 50. I don't see throngs of 20 and 30 somethings. And I certainly don't see people of color, any color other than white.
That's the strategy. Get the under 50 crowd, women, and everyone who isn't an angry white man, to vote. The old white guys are going for Trump.
The Republican is a Trumpist. Good! let them all go down with the dictator. Tie them all to Trump's criminal enterprise.
Trump supporters like to issue threats that if Democrats make this about race that they will lose. It is about race. It is about white nationalism. That's why they voted for Trump. When they are faced with that reality, they recoil because that makes themselves look like racists. If the shoe fits wear it.
Most encouraging of all here is that the low money candidate won. Sincerity won. Talent won. Personality won. Big money lost. Machine politics lost.
That's the strategy to win.
205
@Bruce
Aye, but it also helps if you have strong policies and ideas on your side, and of course, are fearless in promoting them. No longer are there candidates that tailor their message to who they are talking to - refreshing.
12
@Bruce Rozenblit
You've left out the fact that the other Democratic primary challengers essentially cancelled each other out, leaving Gillum to win with a paltry 34% of the vote.
6
@FunkyIrishman very good point.
History may not repeat but it does rhyme:
1968/2016: country in turmoil, Republican President wins close election; media consolidate in attack
1970/2018: President's party makes net losses in House, net gains in Senate
1972/2020: tired of centrism, Democrats go full blown progressive (McGovern) and lose Presidential race in a landslide
1974/2022: President's misdeeds catch up with him, resigns
1976/2024: Democrats revert to centrist candidate, win White House
7
When I first glanced at the headline, I thought it said Trump troglodytes, not acolytes.
33
Is there a difference!@Debbie
1
Two African-Americans nominated by their parties to take the reins of leadership in two deep Southern states: Georgia and Florida.
In a country that's perhaps permanently divided along the issue(s) of race, and in especial, the principal region where slavery was hegemonic, Stacey Abrams and Andrew Gillum stand poised to perhaps write final chapters to an American dynamic that has, much like smallpox, plagued us.
It would seem that all that stands in the way of epoch-defining victories are the entrenched forces that have done so much to hold back progressive tides: de facto segregation; voter ID laws; under-representation at the local, county and state levels.
However, it isn't enough to vote for either Ms. Abrams or Mr. Gillum simply because they're black. They must, as candidates, demonstrate a willingness, a talent, a sincere appreciation of the diversity of the citizenry of their states and appeal to those who wish an end to the divisiveness that has underscored our Republic for years without count.
Donald Trump's name will loom large over the optics in both states. He will fear-monger and warn of "violence" and a Democratic tide of lawlessness simply to frighten those would not see another way.
Now, in both states, the citizens have the starkest choices before them as never before.
102
@Sox
Excellent comment. I concur.
7
@Soxared, '04, '07, '13: I did not vote for Gillum because he's African-American, I voted for him because his platform most closely matches my idea of where Florida and the the country as a whole needs to go.
And, on an unrelated note, this Mass expat hopes you get to add '18 to your handle. It would be fitting, coming a century after the last championship before the Curse of the Bambino set in.
7
@Soxared, '04, '07, '13 I was born and raised in Florida. Worked in Georgia for over 25 years. Both states are ready to elect a moderate African American governor. But neither state is going to elect a progressive governor no matter what their ethnicity. The far left has almost no power in either state. This has nothing to do with de facto segregation; voter ID laws; that's absurd. It's 2nd grade math. There are more Republican voters than Democratic voters. Gillum, Abrams and the progressive cause will go down to epic defeat in November. This is especially true of Gillum. That point can't be emphasized enough. He actually lost his primary race. Over 66% of the voters cast their ballot for other candidates. Gillum won with 34% of the ballots because his opponents Graham, Levine, & Greene split the moderate vote. Had Gillum gone head to head against Graham he would have lost in a landslide. Gillum would have made the race competitive. Gillum makes it a lock for Republicans.
10
Looks like it's a mixed bag with democratic winners, some are centrist, some are farther left. I think that's good, it forces us to be open and civil among ourselves rather than the Hillary vs. Bernie squabbles. Bottom line is to support the democrat, whatever their stripe.
60
What I feared has happened. Newton’s third law has proved correct again, in response to trumpism we are getting socialism.
10
@Lol
Every poll for Progressive policies (even Socialist ones - think of Social security which has the moniker right in the name) poll wildly popular, which dictates that the United States is a clearly center left country.
Having said that, there are no longer human rights and social wedge issues on the ballot for republicans to win on anymore. This election will be a rebuke to the extremism of the republican party and it's President along with voting for fairness in relation to economic issues.
See you in November for the massive blue wave !
66
@FunkyIrishman - “Every poll for Progressive policies (even Socialist ones - think of Social security which has the moniker right in the name) poll wildly popular..”
Wildly popular with those who wouldn’t have to pay the massive taxes to support those policies. That’s the issue.
@Josh
Every other industrialized nation seems to do it with far better outcomes and for relatively moderate taxes that are more than than the U.S. That is excluding how much less they have to work, are far more happier, are better educated, have better health care ,and of course, live longer.
Not massive at all.
2
if the same number of voters for vote same party as they voted yesterday. 1618371 republican and 1509793 democrat. the democrats will lose by 108578 votes.
9
Plain leaf: the big question this morning is who will the 3 million independent voters pick in Nov?
3
Now this is a real choice for Florida. Trumpism or progressive. Future or past; diversity or white supremacy; clean water & air or toxic red tides, flooding, and emphysema; good jobs or more of the same; strong public education or for profit charter schools; stand your ground murders or justice for all. Can't wait for 11/06/2018 and hoping for Gillum's win.
299
@Pat: I'm hoping for exactly the same thing - and I've got skin in the game.
14
@Pat
If Gillum wins, the great state of Florida will bring back the State tax to pay for the socialist programs he espouses. No way to win the the republican, middle American, or retiree vote. Desantis is the sane vote for fl. A proven leader, a great US rep who has served his constituents well
@Pvbeachbum: Boogeyman buzz word Socialism
Andrew Gillum may stand more of a chance than many commenters on this article think. Governor Rick Scott was trailing Christie (the Republican who turned Democrat) in the last election for governor and was able to garner support when he announced he would, like Christie, would support expanded Medicaid. After winning the election by about 1/2%, Scott of course reneged on his campaign promise, much to the dismay of many working poor. There are many in Florida who desperately need this expanded Medicaid, and these voters, regardless of party affiliation, may just bring help bring Gillum into office. Trump support is strong in Florida but there are many practical progressive types. Florida voters consistently support education and the environment on ballot initiatives but the legislature has been ignoring those or undermining those for years. This election will be a good test to see if the voters are sick and tired of the legislative disdain for what voters want and if they are willing to put aside strict Republican party loyalty and get behind Democrats who support the more progressive ideas that are championed on ballot initiatives. Florida is not like Alabama and maybe not even Georgia; this state is an important venue to test the progressive message for the national stage.
273
@E Holland This state is a not ....I repeat not an important venue to test the progressive message for the national stage. That's insane. The last time Floridians elected a Democratic governor was Lawton Chiles in 1994....yes it's been that long. Chiles, never flashy, was considered a moderate lawmaker who rarely made waves. If you think a defiant progressive like Gillum who only won 34% of the Democratic vote has any chance in this conservative state then you are not paying attention. The Florida GOP is popping champagne corks. He's the perfect candidate to run against. He's too far to the left on the issues Sunshine State voters care about. He and the progressive cause will go down to an epic defeat in November.
23
@E Holland: You talk about "Christie" in Florida. I believe that you mean Charlie Crist.
Now, there is a "Christie" who is rather well-known politically, but I think you'll find that he's from a state a bit further north along the coast than ours.
11
@Bill Brown No actually the perfect candidate for a Trumpist to run against is a boring, predicatable centrist that's all about maintaining the "status quo" and not doing anything for the people. That's why Hillary lost the Rust Belt and Florida. Places that went for Barack Obama twice. When you run on policies that are popular with the people, like: medicare for all (70% approval rating as of right now) you win. It's that simple.
I’m happy Gillum won, and would have also been happy with Graham
The GOP turnout exceeded the Democratic turnout
Florida has over 3million independents so they will decide the election.
The GOP will lock step follow Trump’s voting instructions so Democrats need to show up, and Gillum needs to find a way to appeal to independents.
Trump will roll out every racist dog whistle and sadly that will appeal to a very large swath of Floridian voters.
With Scott running for Senate and most likely winning that will pull a lot of voters to the GOP side of the ticket.
28
Roll the dice and answer....who do you really think independents will likely support?
2
@Blue
Where are the Puerto Rico voters, big opportunity for them to help themselves and their home land. They need to stand up and fight the racism that trump used against them.
37
@Laughing Out Loud Gillum. You don't know Florida politics.
Trump screwed DeSantis when he turned his back on Puerto Rico. Many of them moved to Florida and are very motivated voters.
Like everything Trump does, he didn't think long term. For the first time, many Puerto Ricans will have vote that counts. You think they're going to vote for a Trump mini-me?
Good luck with that.
Nothing is going to change in FL. The Republicans got more total votes across the board.
18
Gillum's victory will be a disaster for Florida Dems in November. He won with 34% of the ballots because his opponents Graham, Levine, & Greene split the moderate vote. A big percentage of these centrist voters will stay home dooming Gillum's prospects. Even if by some miracle he convinces them to come out simple 3rd grade math indicates more people voted Republican than Democrat in this primary. His GOP opponent Ron DeSantis won his primary with 56% of the vote. He has the perfect resume for a Florida Republican governor. He's a graduate of Yale University & Harvard Law School, an Iraq veteran & Navy reservist, who touts endorsements not just from Trump, but from Fox News pundits Sean Hannity & Laura Ingraham. He has the backing of every deep-pocketed interest in the state: from Big Sugar to the theme parks. Lawton Chiles was the last Democrat to hold this office squeaking by with a 64,000 vote margin in 1994 . If a moderate can't succeed in this conservative state then a progressive like Gillum has zero chance. This point really can’t be overstated & will sound harsh: Dems in Florida are nincompoops who seem incapable of winning anything of consequence lately. Seriously, I’m not sure Florida Dems could win a coin toss if you gave them heads and tails. This is a party that lost to the governorship to Rick Scott...a man who had never held public office. Twice. This election will finally put to rest the absurd notion that the far left can be competitive in political races.
38
@Bill Brown
Astute analysis of the situation in FL.
6
Yeah, we should elect somebody nicknamed “moonbeam” for governor.
@Bill Brown: Our politics are different,but the stark reality is the vote was split.
Would it be possible to get some reporting on the record of accomplishments in office of these people, instead of just their labels?
84
@Evidence Guy.
No. They both sup at the public trough. Abrams has some no-show financial services "job" that ought to be investigated, and big fat six figure wads of cash frequently thrown at her by Soros via laughably "nonprofit" activities. Nice work, those six-figure nonprofit gigs. I know less about Gillum except the usual "community development" money scandals unraveling in City Hall. But Abrams is dirty to the core.
1
If we have learned anything in the past 18 months, it is that the Republicans are mean and they fight dirty, and they will do anything to hold on to power. It is time for the Hillary, "centrist, moderate" Democrats to admit that they can not win over any Republican voters, and will not win over any Progressive Democrat voters. If Pelosi and Shumer refuse to concede the DNC to the Sanders wing there is a strong chance that 2018 will not change the Republican hold on power. It is time for the Democratic Street fighters to come forward, but they are going to need the support of the Hillary voters to win decisively. It is time to bring a gun to a gun fight. Vote Democrat because your children's future depends on it.
52
You really do not understand the general election and us dems are doomed if the Sanders wing prevails. Yes these republicans will never be turned by a democrat. But the millions of swing voters, who will decide the election, will vote republican over a socialist. Just a fact. So say hello to more conservative judges and a toxic earth. You’re responsible.
12
@Laughing Out Loud
I think Gillum ran as a Progressive Democrat, not a Socialist. Even some Independent voters are Progressives.
@Laughing Out Loud
So tell me, LOL, what are independents paying for now, crumbling infrastructure, inferior education for their children, twice what other countries citizens are paying for inferior health care? Do you suppose that they just might be realizing that the Republicans have been lying to them for years. That Medicare will cost them half of what their current health insurance costs. The reality is that investments in the future reap benefits the same way investments in stocks do, compound interest. 20% of the people have what they need, 80% do not. When we reverse this we will once again be a strong country.
So Florida progressives gave us George W. Bush, John Roberts and Samuel Alito, and now they’re going to hand redistricting in Florida to Republicans for 2020 (after the conservative Court the liberals gave us okays partisan redistricting to boot, which they are definitely going to do). Great.
No group has done more damage to liberal causes in the US than liberals.
10
Progressives get a surprise win in Andrew Gillum over Gwen Graham but regardless of which side one is on, the Florida governor's mansion goes to the republicans and Ron DeSantis in November.
Right or wrong, there is simply no way Florida will elect a black progressive as governor. Dems would have had a much better shot if Graham had been the nominee.
25
@wj Boy are you going to be surprised. Andrew Gillum is Florida's Barack Obama. He has the energy and he has the message. Just you watch how he will take this state.
70
I agree. I was born and raised in Florida and can tell you that racism is rampant in my home state. My only hope is that black voters get their act together and come out in droves out of a sense of self preservation as they did when they drove out Roy Moore in Mississippi.
41
@wj
Exactly. Even electing a female governor would have been a stretch for Florida
6
I wonder if Florida will be allowed to officially recognize the fact of climate change before most of it is literally under water.
157
We'll see Rhode Island at the bottom of the ocean too!
1
@syfredrick
Florida will not be under water .. sea level will rise at most 1 ft, if at all .. check back in 100 yrs from now.
Their official statement will come via message in a bottle
1
Sigh, now there are going to be ad nauseam stories about how Democrats and republicans voted for either end of their own party. - NO.
What happened was that republicans voted for more extremism and a rubber stamp for the policies of the President, and Democrats decided not to vote for another right of center republican lite candidate masquerading as a Democrat.
Common sense things like human rights (inclusive of Single Payer being one of them, as a well as a women's right to choose), $15hr min, wage (STILL not a living wage, but a start), free higher education, a true Progressive tax system and the like, etc, etc, etc are now on the ballot.
The voters liked what they saw (especially in a vibrant candidate on the Democratic side) and voted accordingly. They will do so again in November.
Bring on the massive blue wave !
244
@FunkyIrishman Actually Democratic voters didn't like what they saw in Gillum....66% voted for other candidates. Gillum won with 34% of the ballots because his opponents Graham, Levine, & Greene split the moderate vote. A big percentage of these centrist voters will stay home dooming Gillum's prospects. Even if by some miracle he convinces them to come out simple 3rd grade math indicates more people voted Republican than Democrat in this primary. Gillum is headed to an epic defeat and will drag down other Democratic candidates in the Sunshine state. This November election will finally put to rest the absurd myth that the far left can be competitive in political races in a country that has become progressively more conservative..
10
@Bill
Well if you had read me comment, then you would know that there is no such thing as the ''far left'' anymore - there are common sense things that are mainstream, while the republican party is falling off a cliff into oblivion on the far, far, and even farther right side of the political spectrum,
The Democratic candidate showed (as well as many other progressive candidates elsewhere) that no matter how little ads there are, it is always about the message and the actual policies.
In any given election there are 100,000,000+ eligible voters that sit on the sideline. I am sure some of them are in Florida.
I will see you in November and buy you a pint to drown your sorrows... or celebrate a Democratic victory !
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@FunkyIrishman I was born and raised in Florida. My parents were FDR Democrats. I know this state and it's politics very well. Facts are facts. unfortunately. Democrats haven't been a factor here for a very long time. The last time Floridians elected a Democratic governor was Lawton Chiles in 1994....yes it's been that long. Chiles, never flashy, was considered a moderate lawmaker who rarely made waves. If you think a defiant progressive like Gillum who only won 34% of the Democratic vote has any chance in this conservative state then you may be one beer ahead of me. The Florida GOP is popping champagne corks. He's the perfect candidate to run against. He's too far to the left on the issues Sunshine State voters care about. He and the progressive cause will go down to an epic defeat in November. Graham would have had a much better chance against Ron De Santis. I'll take the pint now...I want to get an early start in drowning my sorrows.
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The choice is clear on November 6 2016.
Fox News Trumpets on state-run TV vs. real progressives.
Gillum pledges to invest $1 billion in public education and pay teachers a $50,000 starting salary. He has called for Trump’s impeachment and for pursuing Medicare for all, as well legalizing recreational marijuana.
DeSantis is a major Trump apologist, loves guns and spent a record amount of time on Fox News pledging his blind loyalty to the nation’s Embarrassment-In-Chief.
Should be a fun election.
Vote on November 6 2018.... for progress.
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@Socrates Gillum pledges to invest $1 billion in public education and pay teachers a $50,000 starting salary??? Sounds great where is going to get the money. Florida has no state income tax. The Republicans control the state legislature and won't raise any taxes. The state's finances have tightened up in the past year.. The annual budget forecast released back in September projected that after setting aside money for Medicaid and schools and other recurring expenses that the state would have a surplus of just $52 million during the fiscal year that starts in July 2018. That forecast came before Hurricane Irma ripped across the state. While Florida expects to get reimbursed from the federal government, the state has been forced to pay nearly $1 billion storm-related expenses. Sorry pie the sky promises won't cut it.
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@Socrates "Fox News Trumpets on state-run TV" ...
By "state-run TV" did you mean to say NPR ?
Bill Brown....federal Republicans were happy to blow up the federal budget with a $1 trillion investment in the 1%....but God forbid anyone invests in regular citizens with healthcare and education.
American can do better than nihilistic Republican sociopaths trashing society for richer Reverse Robin Hoods.
Nice GOPeople.
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There have been many reports about Florida Republican Congressmen who asked the Russian Military's Computer Hackers for help in getting elected. Someone should investigate to see if Ron DeSantis was one of them.
We already have enough politicians who are more loyal to the Russians than they are to us Americans.
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Regarding last night's results, who are you going to believe? Those who caution Democrats not to be too progressive, or the voters?
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@Tom Miller if this primary season has shown anything, it's that different things work in different districts and states. Overall more establishment Dems have won their primaries.
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@Tom Miller I'm going to believe the numbers. Gillum won with 34% of the ballots because his opponents Graham, Levine, & Greene split the moderate vote. Had Gillum gone head to head against Graham he would have lost in a landslide. There are no runoff elections in Florida. Their quirky election laws doesn't require a primary candidate to win 50% of the vote. So you end up with impending disasters like this. Gillum has no chance and will lose by a huge margin to his GOP opponent Ron DeSantis. After this election there will be no need to caution Democrats not to be too progressive. The party will move to the center where races are won.
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@Tom Miller
The message to the Dems is clear. Go hard liberal.
Please stop all the talk about “winning over” Trump’s base.
Too much media time is given to “winning” Trump’s base over to the left.
Every day the mainstream media waits to see if Trump’s base will crack and abandon him; they won’t.
Bernie Sander’s hard liberal stance won the race for Gillum.
The era of the Nancy Pelosi/ Chuck Schumer democrat is over.
The milk toast, friendly liberal democrat does not work anymore.
Dems need to stop apologizing for being liberal.
Take the lead of Billionaire Liberal Tom Steyer, and push for Trump's impeachment now.
Follow the lead of Michael Avenatti, who calls out the corruption of the Trump Administration daily and says he will not stop until he drags him into court.
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