A.G. Gancarski
A Democrat looking at running for Governor urges caution when considering whether the incumbent would serve a full second term if reelected.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried suggested Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis may not actually be interested in serving the full four years should voters reelect him in November.
“He’s looking at 2024,” Fried told Duval County Democrats during a meeting Monday evening.
“If you think that he’s spending one day in his second administration, you are wrong. He is trying to use the people of our state for his own political power and future,” Fried added.
“If he’s running for President, he will have to declare, you know, right before or right after the November election. Which means the first two years, he’s campaigning all over the country. And his last two years, he’s going to be President. So who gets duped? The people of the state of Florida.”
Fried continues to say that DeSantis “needs to be a one-term Governor,” and as Florida’s “only statewide Democrat,” she is getting asked to run by more and more people all the time. The Commissioner has said publicly she has been “looking at” the race since last summer.
Florida Politics reached out to DeSantis spokesperson Meredith Beatrice Tuesday morning for comment on Fried’s claim that DeSantis is just looking to run for President and are awaiting a response.
The Fried/DeSantis intrigue is nothing new for Florida political watchers, with the Agriculture Commissioner and the Governor on opposite sides of numerous issues for more than a year now.
The Commissioner also attacked DeSantis for his assertion that corporations shouldn’t “stick their beaks” into political issues, as happened in Georgia over voting law changes.
“He went on to Fox News yesterday, and he yelled at the corporations — ‘if you stick your beak in our issues, we’re going to stick our beak into yours’ — and (tried) to scare and intimidate the corporations from getting involved,” Fried fumed.
“Hey, Governor? Return all of your corporate checks. Because the corporations are the most powerful people in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.”
A contest between the Governor and the Commissioner could be competitive. Florida Politics commissioned a poll earlier this year showing a race between Fried and DeSantis as a dead heat.
9 comments
Conrad Fisher
April 20, 2021 at 8:28 am
Fried fumes a lot.
Ron Ogden
April 20, 2021 at 8:47 am
If Fried gave a damn about doing the job the people elected her to do, she would be more credible. But she has been campaigning for governor for the past six months, at least, doing the very same thing she claims DeSantis will do. Hypocrite times three!
tjb
April 20, 2021 at 9:49 am
It is no secret that DeSantis plans to run for the office of President in 2024. Campaigning for this office is a full-time job, will DeSantis find time to govern for Floridians?
Tyler Woodby
April 20, 2021 at 11:55 am
I do not disagree that she has been campaigning for GOV since she got elected, However regardess of our political differences I do think she did an okay job defending small farmers. To bad she did not push hard enough regarding local blueberry prices, but you work with what you got not what you want. I just hope that the next AG commissioner is competent, and NOT Francis Rooney.
James Robert Miles
April 20, 2021 at 2:55 pm
Make no mistake, Ron Ogden know a hypocrite when he see’s one every time he looks in the mirror!
Tom
April 20, 2021 at 8:55 pm
Fried is a stalker!
Scary possessed human who knows not what she is doing. She Is compromised as a cannabis advocate lobbyist. I wonder who supported her for Ag. Jealous of a whiz kid Governor who has made Florida a national leader with a tremendously successful. DeSantis grade: Bt
Nate
April 20, 2021 at 11:03 pm
Fried is a one hit wonder for the marijuana industry. We get it Nikki, but your bitchin has gotten old and why don’t you take your law degree and focus on Agriculture.
joan hubbert
April 21, 2021 at 10:23 am
Governor just raised taxes on Floridians. That is interesting! I do not want a new tax.
Will consider this when voting.
Tom
April 21, 2021 at 10:46 am
Governor signed an internet sales tax.
Consistent with other sales within states.
When you have multiple shipments a week via internet sales, yes tax to be paid. Unlike the cannabis lobbyist who guises herself as Ag commissioner. DeSantis scorecard: Economy/jobs A. Environmental policy A. Education, teacher pay raise & schools re opened A. State Budget, A vetoed spending during pandemic. Freedom A.
Seniors first. A This Governor is on the side of Floridians.
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