A.G. Gancarski
The state’s sole elected Democrat began the week attacking Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on cable news, another indication that national media is eyeing the Florida landscape heading into 2022.
Nikki Fried, the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, vented vexation over the Governor’s vaccine distribution efforts in an MSNBC interview. Coronavirus response has offered perhaps the most glaring example of political difference between the Governor and her, with Fried offering sharp critiques that DeSantis rarely honors with a direct response.
“A lot of confusion, a lot of distrust” was how the Commissioner summed up Florida’s vaccine distribution thus far.
Fried, who has rehearsed claims of “pay to play” distribution and “corruption” in previous interviews, scaffolded off those claims on Monday, as DeSantis expanded vaccine distribution to those 60-64 years of age.
The Commissioner’s take, rendered via audio that frustratingly cut in and out, was that the expansion isn’t enough, leaving out key cohorts including frontline workers.
Fried discussed a “confusion about who is qualified” and said that was aggravated by the “additional aspect of favoritism” from Gov. DeSantis.
The Commissioner had previously criticized a vaccination pod in tony Ocean Reef, where resident and former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner donated $250,000 to the Governor’s “Friends of Ron DeSantis” political committee, with other locals donating also. Clearly, the bet is that issue still has legs.
Fried already has taken these concerns to the FBI and to Congress. Nothing seems to have come of it, however.
Fried, according to a recent Mason Dixon poll, is down in a hypothetical General Election face-off against DeSantis. She is regarded favorably, but consistent with other polls, her name recognition falls short of universal.
Fried has not filed to run for the Democratic nomination for Governor at this writing, but she continues to say that she is mulling the race and that many people are offering encouragement.
6 comments
Ron Ogden
March 15, 2021 at 1:15 pm
Hey Nikki, rather that issue these self-serving little swipes at a successful governor, why don’t you do something really strong and call on Andrew Cuomo to resign in the name morality and of respect for half his constituency? And, no, I won’t hold my breath. And when that great Democreepy champion of the people tells you what to do with it, do try. It will be amusing to see.
William Johnson
March 15, 2021 at 2:24 pm
Democreepy? What are you, a seven-year-old Republican’t?
Patty McCann
March 17, 2021 at 11:07 am
How about you worry about Florida and leave NY alone
William Johnson
March 15, 2021 at 2:23 pm
Democreepy? What are you, a seven-year-old Republican’t?
Sonja Fitch
March 15, 2021 at 3:14 pm
Thank you Ms Fried! Hell these old white boys thinks it’s just fun in the sun for the MONEY! Duffus Desantis is willingly slaughtering Floridians! That is the fact! Duffus Desantis has taken pac money to make the vaccines available for them there old rich white folks! The Publix heiress is wanted for giving the money to the insurrection! Wonder how much the Publix racist heiress has given to Duffus Desantis! The Biden FEMA vaccine sites are now saving the lives of the black brown white middle and low income folks! Lock up Duffus Desantis! Vote Democrat up and down ballot for the elections in 2022.
Arthro
March 17, 2021 at 12:33 pm
From her do-nothing chair, Fried has decided to start campaigning by bashing everything DeSantis does, instead of being focused on doing a good job as Agriculture Commissioner. Fried is just another example of a slimey politician who doesn’t really care about Floridians….just wants power.
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