Mitch Perry
Andrew Gillum picked up two new endorsements Tuesday in his campaign for governor.
The Tallahassee mayor’s campaign announced that Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe and Gainesville City Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos are backing his candidacy for the 2018 Democratic nomination.
“As mayor of Gainesville, I know the importance of having a governor who understands the needs of our cities,” Poe said in a statement. “Mayor Gillum’s nearly fifteen years of local government experience is exactly what we need in our next governor. Tallahassee is known nationally as a leader in areas of entrepreneurship and innovation, and Mayor Gillum will leverage his experience in these areas to build an economy that works for everyone. Change happens locally, closest to the people. Mayor Gillum understands this and will promote local solutions to local problems.”
“Mayor Gillum understands that lawmakers should be looking ahead in order to prepare our children for the modern workforce,” Hayes-Santos said. “That’s why his commitment to investing in our public education system and expanding opportunities for vocational training will be critical if we want to provide every child the full measure of opportunity they deserve.”
Hayes-Santos added that “our state desperately needs bold leadership to address the challenges ahead, and that’s why I am proud to endorse Mayor Andrew Gillum to serve as our state’s next governor.”
Gillum said that he was honored to get the backing of the Gainesville public officials.
“Our state needs vibrant leaders like Mayor Poe and Commissioner Hayes-Santos to continue advocating for forward-thinking solutions at every level of government,” Gillum said. “Gainesville has a special place in my heart, and I look forward to working closely with Mayor Poe and Commissioner Hayes-Santos to make it even better.”
The 37-year-old Gillum was first elected to public office in 2003, when he became Tallahassee’s youngest city council member ever at 23. He was elected mayor of Tallahassee in 2014.
Gillum is the first elected official to announce a candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor. Orlando businessman Chris King also announced he is running. In announcing earlier than anyone else, he’s slowly building up momentum for his candidacy, where he admits he may be running against better-financed candidates.
In addition to Poe and Hayes-Santos’ backing, Gillum has also been endorsed by state lawmakers Ramon Alexander and Loranne Ausley, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Barbara Jordan and Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer.
