Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum raised more than $1 million the day after he notched a stunning win in Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial primary.
The lucrative day of fundraising also came as his opponent, Rep. Ron DeSantis (R), came under fire after saying in an interview on Fox News on Wednesday that voters should not “monkey this up” by electing Gillum, who would become Florida’s first black governor if elected in November.
Gillum, a progressive who has aligned himself with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), also faced attacks from President Trump.
{mosads}The $1 million cash infusion signals that donors, large and small, may be prepared to rally behind Gillum as the Democratic nominee to replace Gov. Rick Scott (R), who is currently seeking the Senate seat held by Sen. Bill Nelson (D).
Gillum routinely trailed his primary opponents, including two millionaires and a billionaire, in fundraising ahead of Tuesday’s contest. Until Wednesday, his best fundraising stretch came earlier this month when he brought in $509,391 between Aug. 4 and Aug. 10.
The 39-year-old Tallahassee mayor is likely to face a bitter and expensive general election bid against DeSantis, a three-term congressman who has the backing of Trump and has cast himself as a defender of the president’s agenda.
The “monkey this up” comment prompted accusations that DeSantis was using a racist dog whistle to attack his opponent. In a second interview on Fox News Wednesday night, DeSantis insisted that his comment had “zero to do with race.”