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Florida governor race to pit leftwing Democrat against Trump Republican Florida governor race to pit leftwing Democrat against Trump Republican
(about 3 hours later)
A liberal Florida Democrat has pulled off an upset in the state’s primary for governor, while President Donald Trump’s favoured candidate cruised to victory for the Republicans, setting up a polarising midterms showdown in one of the nation’s fiercest political battlegrounds. A liberal Florida Democrat has pulled off an upset in the state’s primary for governor, while Donald Trump’s favoured candidate cruised to victory for the Republicans, setting up a polarising midterm showdown in one of the nation’s fiercest political battlegrounds.
The mayor of Tallahassee, Andrew Gillum, will become the state’s first black governor if he beats Ron DeSantis, a Republican House representative for Florida’s 6th district, Both men defeated more moderate opponents aligned with their parties’ establishment. The mayor of Tallahassee, Andrew Gillum, would become the state’s first black governor if he beats Ron DeSantis, US representative for Florida’s 6th district. Both men defeated more moderate opponents aligned with their parties’ establishment.
Gillum is his party’s third black gubernatorial nominee this campaign season, after Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Ben Jealous in Maryland. His victory comes as Democrats have elevated an increasingly diverse field, of female, black and Muslim candidates. The slate of candidates heading into the fall campaign is seen as a manifestation of the party’s resistance in the racially charged atmosphere of the Trump era. Gillum is his party’s third black gubernatorial nominee this campaign cycle, after Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Ben Jealous in Maryland. His victory comes as Democrats have elevated an increasingly diverse field of female, black and Muslim candidates.
In Arizona, Rep Martha McSally fended off a pair of conservative challengers to carry the Republican Senate primary to fill the seat vacated by retiring Sen Jeff Flake. That race was shadowed by the death of John McCain, a towering figure who represented Arizona in the Senate for six terms. The state governor, Doug Ducey, will name McCain’s replacement after the senator’s funeral. The slate of candidates heading into November’s midterm elections is seen as a manifestation of the party’s resistance in the racially charged atmosphere of the Trump era.
Florida and Arizona are both closely watched states, featuring growing minority populations that have bolstered Democratic candidates, while Republican electorates have grown older and more conservative. The fall contests could indicate the likely swing in the 2020 presidential election. Gillum came from behind in a crowded Democratic field, defeating the one-time frontrunner Gwen Graham, a former US representative and daughter of an ex-governor, Bob Graham.
The Tallahassee mayor was a favourite of progressives, pulling off an upset despite spending the least money of the five major Democratic candidates and having the smallest television presence.
“My wife refers to me as Seabiscuit. We sort of were counted out at many points. People thought we would not make it, but we kept going, slow and steady,” Gillum told CNN on Wednesday morning. “People didn’t think we had a chance, but we did.”
Gillum, 39, is the son of a bus driver and a construction worker, and the father of three young children.
He often said he was the only candidate in the race who was not a millionaire or billionaire, and won the endorsement of the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.
But he was not entirely without deep-pocketed support – the liberal billionaires George Soros and Tom Steyer backed him, spending their money on field organising rather than TV ads.
“I’m a Democrat, but most importantly I’m a Floridian who wants to build a state that has room for everybody,” Gillum said on CNN. “And for a voter who again will find me not a candidate they can choose, maybe for superficial reasons, then you know, God bless them. But my belief is that there are more voters with basic and common sense values who believe that we can do the right thing in this state, and again win.”
Gillum’s progressive agenda includes supporting calls for a $15-an-hour minimum wage, Medicare for all and opposing Florida’s controversial stand-your-ground self-defense law, which gained international notoriety in 2012 with the killing of an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin. But he has also faced criticism over a long-running FBI investigation into alleged corruption at Tallahassee City Hall.
The Florida results came on the same night that in Arizona, Rep Martha McSally, the Republican establishment favourite, fended off competitive challenges from the far right to win her party’s nomination for the seat being vacated by the retiring Senator Jeff Flake. That race was overshadowed by the death of John McCain, a towering figure who represented Arizona in the Senate for six terms.
Florida and Arizona are both closely watched states, featuring growing minority populations that have bolstered Democratic candidates while Republican electorates have grown older and more conservative.
In Florida, DeSantis gave Trump credit for his victory, saying that the president “kind of put me on the map” with a supportive tweet.In Florida, DeSantis gave Trump credit for his victory, saying that the president “kind of put me on the map” with a supportive tweet.
Gillum thanked supporters who embraced his plan “for a state that makes room for all of us, not just the well-heeled and the well-connected, but all of us.”
The results immediately transformed the Florida race into one of the key gubernatorial campaigns in the country. Gillum’s primary victory could help Democrats boost enthusiasm among minorities, while DeSantis will test Trump’s grip on a crucial state he won in 2016 and wants to keep in his column in 2020.The results immediately transformed the Florida race into one of the key gubernatorial campaigns in the country. Gillum’s primary victory could help Democrats boost enthusiasm among minorities, while DeSantis will test Trump’s grip on a crucial state he won in 2016 and wants to keep in his column in 2020.
In Arizona, McCain’s death from brain cancer loomed over the primary contests. The three Republican candidates running to replace Flake, including establishment favourite McSally, align themselves more with the president than with Flake’s former Senate colleague McCain. Trump surprised Florida Republicans with his frequent tweets about DeSantis, one of his staunchest supporters in Washington. His backing helped push DeSantis past the state agriculture commissioner, Adam Putnam, who has held elected office in Florida since 1996 and raised millions of dollars from his establishment supporters.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Republicans in Oklahoma backed mortgage company owner Kevin Stitt in a runoff for the gubernatorial nomination. Stitt won in part by criticising his opponent as insufficiently supportive of Trump. Florida’s current governor, Rick Scott, is vacating the role to run for the Senate. He easily won his primary, setting up a showdown with Democratic Senator Bill Nelson that is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive races.
Trump surprised Florida Republicans with his frequent tweets about DeSantis, one of his staunchest supporters in Washington. His backing helped push DeSantis past agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam, who has held elected office in Florida since 1996 and raised millions of dollars from his establishment supporters. Democrats are also eyeing congressional seats in Florida as they try to take control of the House of Representatives in November. One of their best chances is in south Florida, where the Republican representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is retiring in a district that should favour Democrats.
Gillum came from behind in a crowded and diverse Democratic field. Former House representative Gwen Graham, whose father, Bob Graham, served as governor, had hoped to become the state’s first female governor. Donna Shalala, who served as Bill Clinton’s health and human services secretary, claimed the Democratic nomination in Ros-Lehtinen’s district.
Gillum, a favorite of progressives, spent the least of the five major Democratic candidates and had the smallest television presence. He often said he was the only candidate in the race who wasn’t a millionaire or billionaire, and won the endorsement of Vermont senator Bernie Sanders. US midterms 2018
Florida’s current governor, Rick Scott, is vacating the role to run for the Senate. He easily won his primary, setting up a showdown with Democratic senator Bill Nelson that is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive races.
Democrats are also eyeing congressional seats in Florida as they try to flip control of the US House. One of their best chances is in South Florida, where Republican representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is retiring in a district that should favour Democrats.
Donna Shalala, who served as President Bill Clinton’s health and human services secretary, claimed the Democratic nomination in Ros-Lehtinen’s district.
The contests in both Florida and Arizona were being watched for signs of how the states might tilt in the 2020 presidential election.
McCain’s death has highlighted the shift in the Republican party since his presidential run in 2008. With his consistently conservative voting record, Arizonans elected McCain to the Senate six times, including in 2016. But his more moderate stance on immigration and his deciding vote last year against Trump’s efforts to repeal President Barack Obama’s healthcare law turned off many GOP voters.
A CNN survey in June found that 67% of Democrats had a favourable opinion of McCain, compared to just 33% of Republicans.
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