Nikki Fried delivers Christmas trees to Ron DeSantis, fellow Cabinet offices

Image via FDACS.

Florida’s top elected officials received a gift of bipartisan cheer this holiday season.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the lone Democrat currently serving in a statewide-elected office, continued the annual tradition of delivering locally grown Christmas trees to the members of the Florida Cabinet. On Friday, Fried’s team delivered trees to the offices of the Governor and the other two Cabinet members, the Attorney General and Chief Financial Officer.

“The holidays are a wonderful time of year to celebrate with loved ones and focus on the values and traditions that we hold dear,” Fried said. “We’re proud to contribute to the joy of the season, providing our fellow Cabinet offices with locally-grown, Fresh From Florida Christmas trees.”

Fried oversees the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which is home to the Fresh From Florida program. The department delivered 8-foot Carolina Sapphire trees from Bavarian Christmas Tree Farm in Tallahassee.

Bavarian Christmas Tree Farm is owned and operated by Franco, Sigrid and Robert Camacho, who have supplied Christmas trees for the Cabinet officials’ offices for the past decade. The farm has been a Fresh From Florida member since 2012.

In 2019, Fried stopped by Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ office to help the First Family light the tree she delivered. Attorney General Ashley Moody was also present.

But the jolly relationship — if you can call it that — that DeSantis and Fried shared has dissipated over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there was no public ceremony this year. Moreover, Fried is running in the Democratic primary to challenge DeSantis’ in 2022, with Election Day 11 months away.

The House and Senate also display their own Christmas trees and other holiday decorations on their chamber floors.

“If your holiday travels bring you to Tallahassee, please stop by the Senate Chamber to see our beautiful Christmas tree,” the Florida Senate tweeted Monday. “From the Senate family to yours, best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!”

Like the Senate, the House has a tree and Hanukkah menorah that lawmakers have used as a photo op spot since the decorations went up around Thanksgiving.