Nikki Fried’s committee makes five-figure ad buy to slam Ron DeSantis online

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried technically isn’t a candidate for Governor yet. But she’s been hitting incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis on a series of actions during the Legislative Session. And now she’s out with a five-figure digital ad campaign, according to spokesperson Max Flugrath.

For example, she blasted DeSantis’ late-night signature on a bill requiring online retailers to collect sales tax as a $1-billion tax hike on consumers. “And he did it right before midnight, with no cameras, no one watching,” Fried says in a video ad.

She also hits DeSantis on the issue in static display ads appearing on Facebook and other digital platforms.

The video ad has already clocked 105,200 views on YouTube alone. Of those, 96% of viewers watched all of the 43-second ad, which also slams the Governor for making a huge show of signing so-called anti-riot legislation she says will violate citizens’ rights.

Combing the ad reach on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, Fried’s video has had 217,000 views and generated 1.75 million impressions both paid and organic. That’s over the course of six days, when the ad has been running often as pre-video advertising on digital platforms.

The ad was paid for by Florida Consumers First, Fried’s state political committee, which is putting the content in front of viewers in a dozen large and mid-sized counties.

It’s just one in a series of ads. On Thursday, a new Fried attack streamed, this one hitting all Tallahassee’s GOP leaders. “If you look at the values of elected Republicans, you will see why more and more people are just done,” Fried says in the video. “Republicans are trying to kill vote by mail, overturn elections, suppress votes and even block stimulus checks, parental tax credits and job-creating infrastructure and climate projects.”

The ad buy targets individuals in Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Leon, Duval, Sarasota and Collier counties.

The ad campaign comes as Fried openly mulls a challenge against DeSantis next year. A poll commissioned by Florida Politics found she’s in a good place to compete, and in a dead heat with the incumbent.

She’s also the only Democrat holding statewide office in the state of Florida right now. That puts her in a position to act as a standard bearer on state issues, and in a seat from which to do so in Cabinet meetings.

Every day the Republican Party descends further & further into fascism. It’s time for Republicans with American values to #DropTheGOP.

Help us get #DropTheGOP trending. pic.twitter.com/2g8CZLpAWf

— Nikki Fried (@nikkifried) April 29, 2021