Peter Schorsch
The consequences of Andrew Gillum’s overconfidence grow by the day.
Nearly every poll in the lead up to the 2018 election showed that the former Tallahassee Mayor would defeat Ron DeSantis and break the decades-long Republican trifecta in state government.
On Election Day, he fell short by a little over 33,000 votes.
Nobody could blame him for losing if he had actually gone all-in, but he didn’t. He left more than $3.5 million in the bank.
Ever since the campaign, that $3.5 million figure has rubbed some supporters the wrong way, the most famous being Orlando mega-attorney (and political rainmaker) John Morgan. Morgan said publicly his law firm Morgan & Morgan “put up about $1.7 million” into the campaign, While Gillum took the money and “never used it.”
Morgan has even threatened to sue Gillum if he should run for another office.
Whether Gillum’s refusal to fight to the last dollar was due to cockiness or incompetence is no matter now, but the decision goes down as possibly the biggest “what if” of the past decade in Florida politics.
Though the 2020s are just beginning, it’s an early favorite for a twopeat.
One could argue that $3 million wouldn’t have swayed enough people to come out and vote for Gillum to change the results of the gubernatorial election. After all, his so-called embrace of far-left democratic socialism — while debunked by PolitiFact — got just enough traction where it could have been a deciding factor. No matter how great a candidate, democratic socialism was a concept that was never going to play well in many pockets of the state crucial for Democrats.
But could that cash have swayed 10,000 voters? Most likely yes.
If so, it’s likely former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson would still be in Washington while his replacement, Rick Scott, would be enjoying retirement rather than airing attack ads in Iowa.
The belief that Gillum could have pushed Nelson over the goal line is not a pipe dream.
Turnout was depressed beyond the norm in some reliably blue districts. In Florida’s 20th Congressional District, where Nelson thrashed Scott 82-18, turnout was just 70% of what it was in 2016.
Had it even reached 80%, Nelson would have won.
And if Nelson was still in Washington, there’s a solid chance the Senate impeachment trial into President Donald Trump wouldn’t end this week, as is expected. If Nelson were there, the American people — who, by an overwhelming margin, want the Senate to call witnesses — would get their wish.
Instead, Trump’s trial remains on the rocket docket thanks to the chamber’s 51-49 vote to bar witness testimony. If the Senate had voted 50-50, many constitutional experts say U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts would have been the tiebreaker rather than the Vice President.
Of course, Gillum and his apologists likely have a litany of excuses to trot out, just like when his voter engagement effort failed to make a blip in registration totals.
But excuses aren’t worth a nickel, let alone $3.5 million.
16 comments
Marla
February 3, 2020 at 6:15 am
I strongly disagree. Bill Nelson was an absent Senator and Rick Scott had enough name recognition that the voters who turned out to support Trump over Rubio in the primary and then Trump over HRC in the general knew which name to choose down ballot.
Roz
February 3, 2020 at 3:03 pm
I completely agree. I, an Independent, was begging the Democrats to find a better candidate. Nelson brought no one to the polls.
Domino
February 3, 2020 at 6:55 am
Gillum & Co. knew that there was a need for a multi-million $ legal defense fund.
Expense reports show the Forward Florida coffer being ransacked at $225K a month for legal fees with January’s number due in one week.
Sam
February 3, 2020 at 7:50 am
I blame the whole Florida thing on my fellow Democrats on the crazy side of the party. There was a clear choice in the Dem. Primary and he was the nominee. Elections have consequences, I wish the Democrats could wise up. If they nominate the wrong person for the presidential this year, I’m out. Clear choices, people, and winning is everything.
Jayne
February 3, 2020 at 9:16 am
What ugly bunch of crap!
Andrew worked his heart out.
We didn’t gotv in the numbers we needed plus who knows what kind of hanky pansy went on?
People who write stuff like this intend to keep us not only divided but divided against each other within our own party
Don’t let him get away with it!
Roz
February 3, 2020 at 3:04 pm
This is a piece of trash article. Nelson was a has been and I was saying years before the Democrats needed a better candidate for 2016. Florida gets behind GOP candidates because the rural White vote turns out regardless of the candidate, Democrats pick and choose, Nelson inspired no one. No shade on his legacy but people need to learn when to move out of the way.
I really feel as if this ad was to suck up to Morgan and Morgan and that is trashy.
Tom Walls
February 3, 2020 at 10:26 am
Roberts refuses to be the tiebreaker which he announced several days ago. Get with it, newsman. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/chief-justice-says-he-won-t-break-tie-votes-senate-n1128111
John Samels
February 4, 2020 at 8:58 am
Prehaps Russian interference made the difference here. After all even DeSantis said they interfered in the Florida on the election systems. And still, of course the GOP does nothing to fix our States election systems.
Seber Newsome III
February 3, 2020 at 10:50 am
Waaa Waaa Waaaa , get over it already. The Socialist lost and thank God for that. George Soros is funding other candidates now, such as Donna Deegan for the Senate race in Florida, but, she will lose too.
gary
February 3, 2020 at 12:28 pm
Like 3.5 mil would have changed the outcome! He lost for the same reason Villary lost…. he was a BAD candidate! He was a Soros boy, and his mayorship in Tally was a shit show! Good riddance loser!
Republican
February 4, 2020 at 9:08 am
Very well said. He’s to young and needs to grow up. Just because your a young black man doesn’t mean you have the ability, maybe the look but it stops there. Get a better candidate.
Sonja Emily Fitch
February 3, 2020 at 3:53 pm
OMG STOP THE RUSSIANS HACKED THE ELECTIONS. RUSSIAN OPERATIVES GAVE DATA TO BRIAN MAST AND OTHER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. THIS AINT ABOUT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS…IT IS ABOUT THE RUSSIANS HACKING OUR ELECTIONS…GROW UP…DEMOCRATS COULD HAVE WALKED ON WATER AND THE RUSSIANS HAD THE ELECTIONS HACKED…SO THERE.
Republican
February 4, 2020 at 9:08 am
Very well said. He’s to young and needs to grow up. Just because your a young black man doesn’t mean you have the ability, maybe the look but it stops there. Get a better candidate.
Richard Lachmann
February 4, 2020 at 9:57 am
If Nelson was in the Senate then Susan Collins would have voted against witnesses. She is a faithful party hack and McConnell allowed her this vote because it didn’t matter.
Bryan
February 4, 2020 at 3:18 pm
When DeSantis made his “monkey” comment and Gillum defended him, I knew Gillum was going to loose. That’s Florida, That’s the U.S.A. It’s the “But Hillary” effect, even Republican stink sticks to Democrats.
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