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Gillum scored a surprise victory in Tuesday's Democratic primary
for one the United States' most competitive races for governor.
If the 39-year-old Tallahassee mayor wins the Nov. 6 election,
he would become the most populous U.S. swing state's first black
governor.
Critics on Wednesday blasted DeSantis, a staunch Donald Trump
supporter who won his party's nomination the previous day, for
comments they said had racist undertones.
Interviewed on Fox News, DeSantis said, "The last thing we need
to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist
agenda with huge tax increases," after calling Gillum "an
articulate" spokesman for far-left views.
Words like "monkey" or "ape" have been used to demean
African-Americans and calling a black man "articulate" can be
seen as racist.
However, in American colloquial speech, "monkey with" or "monkey
around with" can mean handling something carelessly or
incorrectly.
Gillum, however, told Fox News his opponent's "monkey" remark
"wasn't lost on me. It’s very clear that Mr. DeSantis is taking
a page directly from the campaign manual of Donald Trump," who
has been repeatedly criticized for remarks seen by some as
racist or racially inflammatory.
In an interview with Politico, Gillum said Florida would be
"looking for a governor that was going to bring us together, not
divide us. Not misogynists. Not racists. Not bigots."
DeSantis spokesman Stephen Lawson said the 39-year-old candidate
was referring to Gillum's political positions, not his race.
"Ron DeSantis was obviously talking about Florida not making the
wrong decision to embrace" Gillum’s policies, Lawson said in a
statement. "To characterize it as anything else is absurd."
At the White House, Trump told reporters he had not heard about
DeSantis' comments, and praised the Republican candidate as
"extraordinary." On Twitter earlier on Wednesday, the president
slammed Gillum as a "failed" mayor, without citing examples.
The DeSantis-Gillum matchup will be closely watched for clues
about the mood of voters and messaging ahead of 2020, when Trump
could be seeking re-election against a liberal Democrat.
Florida's two major parties are now looking to their most
fervent supporters - progressive Democrats and Republican
conservatives - for victory in November.
On Tuesday, more than 3.5 million people voted out of 13 million
registered Florida voters for a turnout rate of 27 percent, the
highest for a non-presidential primary in the state since 2002.
DeSantis won his primary by touting his closeness to Trump.
Gillum won as an unabashed progressive who backed "Medicare for
all," impeaching Trump and standing up to the National Rifle
Association. He said he hoped to motivate younger progressives
and minority voters who often sit out non-presidential
elections.
A victory would mark a change in fortunes for Florida Democrats,
who have not held the governor's office for 20 years, and have
lost close races after nominating moderates who failed to
generate enough enthusiasm, particularly among key minority
voters. Just 48 percent of the state's registered Democrats are
white, according to state data. Florida's registered Republicans
are 83 percent white.
(Reporting by Letitia Stein, David Gaffen and Doina Chiacu;
Writing by David Gaffen; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Jonathan
Oatis)
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