*Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, a progressive backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), pulled off a stunning upset in Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, edging out former Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Fla.), the daughter of former Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla).
Gillum’s come-from-behind win defied expectations and comes in the wake of the win by progressive star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who shocked the world in June by defeating established Rep. Joe Crowley in a New York Democratic primary.
Gillum will face off against Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) in the gubernatorial election in November, pitting a progressive against a hardline conservative backed by Donald Trump.
A win in November would make Gillum the first black governor in Florida’s history.
Like Ocasio-Cortez, Gillum ran as an unapologetic progressive. The 39-year-old mayor fashioned himself in the vein of Sanders, supporting “Medicare for All” and a $15-per-hour minimum wage on the campaign trail.
Gillum and his allies argued that campaigning on progressive ideals would be a winner in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the governor’s mansion since Lawton Chiles won re-election in 1994.
