The 2018 Florida governor's race just got its first serious candidate

[DonViejo]

By Amber Phillips March 1 at 7:00 AM

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, a rising star in the Democratic Party, is running for governor of Florida in 2018.

Gillum, 37, is the first of many candidates expected to enter the open race from both sides of the aisle. (Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, is term-limited.) Gillum announced his candidacy in a gauzy, biographical-type video Wednesday morning. And Gillum’s biography is expected to be one of his strengths in the race: He grew up one of seven children. His father was a construction worker and his mother a bus driver.

“We’d get up at 4 o’clock, 4:30 in the morning to make sure my mom would be on time driving the bus,” Gillum says in the video. “ . . . Growing up in Miami, every one of my older brothers had some kind of criminal-background history.”

In many ways, Gillum’s candidacy is exactly what the Democratic Party is looking for, said Susan MacManus, a political-science professor at the University of South Florida. He’s a telegenic, articulate, young person of color running for statewide office at a time when the party has struggled with turnout among young and black voters.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/03/01/the-2018-florida-governors-race-just-got-its-first-serious-candidate/?utm_term=.5eb77275f170&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1

[NCTraveler]

1. Of all things. The night he announces he has to appologize for what? Emails. lol.

He is a good person to run. A nice addition to what I imagine will be a pretty full field. Sad that he has to apologize about what email services he has used for official and non-official events.

[crazycatlady]

2. Glad to see some young blood in the race

I hope he starts campaigning now. We need more rising stars like him.

[mcar]

3. Great!

[lamp_shade]

4. I just received an introductory email from him.

I'm impressed. I'm on board.

[LonePirate]

5. We have a deep bench of great mayors across the entire country. I wish him success in his run.

[csziggy]

6. Posted a little while ago in the Florida Group

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum says he’s running for governor
Jim Rosica
17 hours ago

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, a Democrat, Tuesday said he will run for Florida governor in 2018.

In a conference call with supporters, Gillum said he had a “clear and authentic voice to break through … and have an agenda for opportunity” for voters to identify with. He said he will focus on jobs and education.

<SNIP>

Gillum, a 37-year-old, has been the capital’s mayor since 2014. He first was a city commissioner, the youngest person ever elected to that body and is among the youngest people to run for governor.

<SNIP>

On the Democratic side, former Congresswoman Gwen Graham, also of Tallahassee, has announced she is considering running. Other names mentioned include Democratic mayors Bob Buckhorn of Tampa and Philip Levine of Miami Beach.
http://floridapolitics.com/archives/232954-andrew-gillum-governor

One of the replies on the site mentions that John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan law firm is also running as a Democrat.

I know Gwen Graham was running but she may have some distractions - her husband is ill.