Danny McAuliffe
It took less than a day for Hurricane Michael to make partisan sparks fly.
Democratic candidate for Governor Andrew Gillum took to Twitter Monday evening to respond to vague criticisms offered by President Donald Trump earlier in the day at a stop in Orlando.
“Don’t come to my state and talk trash about my city while we are preparing for a Category 3 hurricane,” Gillum wrote in a tweet addressed to Trump. “We need a partner right now, not a partisan.”
Hey @realDonaldTrump — don't come to my state and talk trash about my city while we are preparing for a Category 3 hurricane. We need a partner right now, not a partisan.
— Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) October 8, 2018
Gillum was referencing comments made by Trump during an exclusive interview with WFTV’s Christopher Heath following the president’s remarks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Convention.
Trump, who endorsed Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis and rallied alongside the former congressman in Tampa ahead of the primary election, praised DeSantis and criticized Gillum, along with his tenure as Mayor of Tallahassee — all without directly mentioning Gillum or the capital city.
“[DeSantis’] opponent runs a place that has a lot of problems and I know it very well, but it’s got a lot of problems, tremendous corruption, tremendous crime,” Trump told Heath.
Trump also suggested Gillum “runs an area and a city that’s got among the worst statistics in the country and certainly in the state.”
When it comes to crime, Trump may have been referring to reports released that have shined an unfavorable light on Tallahassee.
One report, which reviewed data from the FBI Uniform Crime Report, found Tallahassee had 767 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2015, far more than in any of Florida’s 21 other metro areas observed by the FBI. Another report, which only examined FBI statistics on property crime, found Tallahassee had 52 property crimes per 1,000 residents, making it the tenth-worst city in the country for crimes such as burglary or larceny
Those stats are nothing new. Leon County, which houses Tallahassee, has had the highest crime rate in the state since 2014, although Gillum has recently pointed to 2017 — which saw the lowest crime rate in the county since 2013 —as evidence that the area is improving.
Hurricane Michael is currently tracking toward the Panhandle and Big Bend regions. It is expected to make landfall somewhere between Pensacola and Panama City, possibly as a category 3 hurricane on Tuesday night or Wednesday. Tallahassee is expected to be affected by the storm, and many state offices have closed their doors in preparation.
Gillum spent Monday in Tallahassee prepping residents for Hurricane Michael’s arrival.
Hurricanes have become a topic of contention in the race for Governor, with DeSantis hitting Gillum over the amount of time Tallahassee residents went without power in the wake of Hurricane Hermine in 2016 — Republicans claim the wait time could have been trimmed if outside workers waiting to help restore power to the city were allowed to pitch in on the effort.
Despite negative ads placing the blame on Gillum, he was not empowered to make that call.
37 comments
Jan
October 9, 2018 at 1:10 am
SAVE FLORIDA
Vote Republican
No Socialism
No open borders
No Sanctuary cities
We support ICE
Nothing is FREE. is Gillium going to pay for your medical coverage? I don’t think so. The money will come from raising taxes. This gives all less money to spend. So stores will close. People will lose jobs . Now even more people have less money to spend. More and more stores closed. More lost jobs and more people go hungry. Now we are starving like Venezuela.
No Socialism in FL
Vote Republican❤️❤️
Vote RED❤️❤️❤️
SAVE Florida
Vote RED❤️❤️❤️
Mark Williams
October 9, 2018 at 5:30 am
All fox news talking points.
Sad, don’t you have a mind of your own.
Lawrence Brash
October 9, 2018 at 1:58 pm
You infer that democrats have “minds of their own”? LMAO! What a joke you are. Go back to pasture with the rest of your flocking liberal sheep.
Rich Kopystyns
October 9, 2018 at 5:31 am
You are very delusional.
Get help, get it quickly.
Jan L
October 9, 2018 at 6:17 am
Wow … To quote you, “Now even more people have less money to spend. More and more stores closed. More lost jobs and more people go hungry.” Yes, and do you realize this has all happened under a Republican-run FL government. Scott is $83M richer this year … but we aren’t. Have you asked why?
Blanson
October 9, 2018 at 2:27 pm
Ditto..I could not have said it better.
Renee Fye
October 9, 2018 at 6:30 am
Florida is already a Socialist Democracy you idiot as is every state in our entire nation. Dumb just dumb.
Christian
October 10, 2018 at 1:08 am
I thought this country was a constitutional Republic.
We have some socialist tendencies, but we are a republic.
Pasquale Placanica
October 9, 2018 at 8:26 am
Republicans support there own agenda, don’t care about no one but themselves. lining there pockets, ignoring the environment and stripping people of their health care. We the people don’t support this rule and it will show in the midterms. Bye red, hello BLUE!!!
Ray Tampa
October 9, 2018 at 10:31 am
Jan, did Trump do to you what he said he likes to do on the Access Hollywood tape?
You seem delusional.
Victoria
October 9, 2018 at 2:31 pm
You’re an absolute idiot if you believe the nonsense you have spewed!!!!!
Rece parker Massey
October 10, 2018 at 5:57 am
Vote blue save Florida…it been red too long … needs a change.. get that blue 🌊 wave going… ever vote counts vote blue…make Florida great again 😂😂😂 in45 voice ….😂 but please vote blue get these clowns out of office..vote vote
Anne Kail
October 10, 2018 at 6:32 am
your research on Gillum’s firm plans stop at the point it no longer supports your argument. His agenda does not include taxing the citizenry. Though why would you argue about the collective contribution to saving our environment or paying teachers what they deserve. YOU have benefited greatly from tax dollars! It does include taxing many large, rich corporations that have translated Trump’s lower corporate tax rate into purchasing back their own stock and higher bonuses and salaries for the corporate elite. Rather than enriching the rank and file. Your mind is made up. But facts remain regardless of wishful thinking. Truth not lies!
Janelle
October 10, 2018 at 12:02 pm
I sincerely hope that hurricane takes you, your family, your home and everything you own! People with as much HATE , RACISM and BIGOTRY in them as YOU deserve NOTHING and do NOT belong among HUMANITY!!
Nan Dickson
October 10, 2018 at 5:00 pm
You are starving? really? Don’t want health coverage for women? Want to vote for folks who think sexual assault is ok? What will change your mind about that? when (not if) it happens to a friend or family member?
Jeffry
October 12, 2018 at 12:48 pm
Taxes have ALWAYS gone up no matter what.It goes to big pharma and insurance and fossil fuel in the form of billions in TAX money subsidies,or,maybe,you get a tiny sliver pemporarily.Wake up!Now,what was your point?
Bob Jones
October 12, 2018 at 10:15 pm
Hope whatever meds you must be taking for your serious delusional disorder don’t make you accidentally choke on your fascist tongue. That would be “Sad!”.
Cindy
October 9, 2018 at 2:57 am
Vote Democrat and save Florida. Stop the parasites from controlling Florida for the REAL CHANGE that is needed. Republicans will further destroy what little safe water left in a state that is so water filled it is sad. Wake up please people. Stop listening to the HATE speeches from the republicans. Republicans are nothing more than poison
Victoria
October 9, 2018 at 2:31 pm
Love!!!!!
Augusto
October 9, 2018 at 6:10 am
No to socialism. That’s the reason for Cubans, Venezuelan and other socialists country move here. If you like socialism that much move over there.
Kelly
October 9, 2018 at 7:19 am
I know it’s a waste of time but try real hard to think about what you are saying, oh narrow minded one. You are ignorant, and your angry, because you have failed yourself. Your response is childish, and that comes from a desire to simplify everything. Why don’t you take your happy pill and shut up.
Mrc
October 10, 2018 at 8:01 am
Apparently you don’t know the difference between Dictatorships and Socialism.
Jen
October 9, 2018 at 7:14 am
Republicans had their chance and failed. Time for some new ideas. Say no to hate and fear. Vote blue
Lawrence Brash
October 9, 2018 at 1:54 pm
President Trump’s numerous calls for “unity” have fallen on the left’s deaf ears. All he’s received in return from the left has been hate and insults. ANTIFA, the paramilitary arm of the left, spews nothing but hate. The liberal MSM’s narrative is nothing but hate. And you have the audacity to claim Republicans are hateful? You are most certainly mentally deranged.
Victoria
October 9, 2018 at 2:32 pm
Stupid ignorant comment!
Anne kail
October 10, 2018 at 6:38 am
Unity my ass! He utters divisiveness and bullying vitriol every single day. He has a habit of saying things that he thinks sound good in the moment with NO action to support his words. This includes any words he may have uttered in unity. He is the reason there is no unity!
Marina Rosenfield
October 9, 2018 at 7:50 am
Socialism and communism is human genocide on a massive scale.
There is no new ideas those who do not know history stupid enough repeated
Marcelo
October 9, 2018 at 12:02 pm
Its very simple:
If you want more Red Tide on your beaches, the continue voting red.
If you want the oceans to return to their natural state, vote blue.
Blue Wave>Red Tide
Republicans have sold out Florida’s natural beauty and resourcefulness in exchange for perceived profit….all at your expense.
Grace H
October 9, 2018 at 1:26 pm
If you don’t like what has happened to Florida, remember these 2 FACTS!
Republican Governor since 1999.
Republican majority State Legislature since 1992.
Look it up!
Crazy is doing the same thing over and over and over, but always expecting a different outcome.
Lawrence Brash
October 9, 2018 at 1:49 pm
This is a free country with free speech. Remember?
Sharon
October 9, 2018 at 2:14 pm
Gillum is a joke. He’s been bad for Tallahassee and he’ll be bad for Florida. Total puppet for George Soros who is funding his campaign, and the left wing snowflakes who wants to ruin this country. Remember Gillum has said he’ll initiate a 40% state tax rate. He must be crazy!
Victoria
October 9, 2018 at 2:34 pm
Just wow!!!! You really have no idea what you’re talking about.
E Hamel
October 9, 2018 at 10:02 pm
The ignorance on the right is appalling These people enjoy working to enrich the Republicans who laugh at their stupidity.. As their President has said-“I love the uneducated” .. A sucker is born every minute, they vote Republican
Michelle
October 9, 2018 at 10:24 pm
You ppl blame a 92 year old holocaust survivor for everything and don’t have a clue about everything. Can’t blame Hillary, can’t blame Obama, ok let’s blame Soros now!
You have no problem Robles with the Koch brothers or citizens united though. How about that horrific institution called the NRA? What a bunch of lesser offs you are!
Janelle
October 10, 2018 at 1:04 pm
I sincerely hope that hurricane takes you, your family, your home and everything you own! People with as much HATE , RACISM and BIGOTRY in them as YOU deserve NOTHING and do NOT belong among HUMANITY!!
Ron
October 22, 2018 at 7:05 pm
Tallahassee is a mess and dirty! Good luck Florida!
Comments are closed.