Hillary Clinton to campaign alongside Andrew Gillum

Hillary Clinton will stump with Andrew Gillum on Oct. 23 in South Florida, the Gillum campaign announced Thursday.

The former First Lady and former Secretary of State has a history with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gillum. In 2016, the Tallahassee Mayor spoke on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. It was rumored then that Clinton considered Gillum a potential running mate.

“I’m honored to have Secretary Clinton join me in Florida next month,” Gillum said in a statement. “Hillary knows just what’s at stake in this election — affordable healthcare, a brighter future for our children — and that the choice in this election could not be clearer.”

With Clinton’s support, Gillum will have corralled behind his campaign the top-two Democratic presidential candidates from 2016. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders traveled to the Sunshine State for two rallies alongside Gillum before the primary election.

Sanders and Clinton faced off in Florida in 2016, and Clinton took nearly two-thirds of the vote. In the general election in Florida that year, President Donald Trump beat Clinton by just more than a percentage point.

Trump has fully endorsed Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis and orchestrated a Tampa campaign rally for the former congressman ahead of the Aug. 28 primary.

Stephen Lawson, DeSantis’ communications director, drew a parallel between the FBI examination into Clinton’s use of a private email server for official business and the ongoing FBI investigation in Tallahassee.

The two “are the perfect corruption combination,” Lawson said. He cited developments in the FBI investigation, including Gillum’s boat ride with undercover FBI agents and the more than $2 million approved by the city for Adam Corey, a lobbyist and former friend of Gillum’s at the center of the investigation.

“I’m sure they’ll have lots to talk about when it comes to criminal investigations and dealings with the FBI,” quipped Lawson.

Taryn Fenske, spokeswoman for the Florida chapter of Republican National Committee, suggested that bringing in Clinton could “alienate” Gillum’s “far-left base.”

“Clinton’s sudden reemergence and fundraising tour will do far more to hurt Gillum’s cause than help it,” Fenske said. “Gillum’s socialist base isn’t going to like him aligning with Clinton who is tainted by decades of controversy and failed policies.”